2018-2019 Harvard Medical School

Started by Lucca
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To the current student lurkers (or more informed pre-meds lol) I have a few questions about HMS life:
1. How much $/month do you live on?
2. In the first year in Vandy: how big are the rooms, mini-fridge in room y/n, best/worst parts of living in vandy?
3. What computer do we need upon matriculation? Also, is a tablet worth it?
4. Have you gotten used to the flipped classroom? Is it helpful/painful?

Thank you all so much! I can't wait to meet everyone in the fall!
 
To add a few more questions:
1. Is any of second look funded? Accommodations, etc. I’m figuring not but thought it would ask.
2. Are clinicals true pass fail? And are there shelf exams?
3. What percent of first years live in Vandy?
 
snowygirl said:
To the current student lurkers (or more informed pre-meds lol) I have a few questions about HMS life:
1. How much $/month do you live on?
2. In the first year in Vandy: how big are the rooms, mini-fridge in room y/n, best/worst parts of living in vandy?
3. What computer do we need upon matriculation? Also, is a tablet worth it?
4. Have you gotten used to the flipped classroom? Is it helpful/painful?

Thank you all so much! I can't wait to meet everyone in the fall!
Click to expand...

1. I live on around $2400/mo
2. Rooms vary in size. You get some say in how big or small you want. Everyone moving out will try to sell you their mini fridge in the Facebook group. Best part: walking across the street to be in class. Worst part: being far from your clinical site if you’re at MGH or CHA.
3. Most people use iPads with apple pencils. I do this and have a MacBook Pro. Both were purchased with the $2400 technology allowance they “give” us.
4. I wouldn’t want to go somewhere that did it any differently.

A2jordan said:
To add a few more questions:
1. Is any of second look funded? Accommodations, etc. I’m figuring not but thought it would ask.
2. Are clinicals true pass fail? And are there shelf exams?
3. What percent of first years live in Vandy?
Click to expand...

1. You can request a student host. That’s about it.
2. No, they move to a honors with distinction/honors/pass/fail system. But we don’t actually have honors. And everyone can get honors with distinction. And our grades are averaged. And only grades relevant to the specialty you’re applying to are included. And shelf exams aren’t factored into our grades. It’s a weird, yet extremely beneficial system that no one really fully understands.
3. I’d guess around 85%. We have some people who are married and some people who choose to live elsewhere in the first year. Quite a bit of people move out for PCE.
 
boneitis said:
1. I live on around $2400/mo
2. Rooms vary in size. You get some say in how big or small you want. Everyone moving out will try to sell you their mini fridge in the Facebook group. Best part: walking across the street to be in class. Worst part: being far from your clinical site if you’re at MGH or CHA.
3. Most people use iPads with apple pencils. I do this and have a MacBook Pro. Both were purchased with the $2400 technology allowance they “give” us.
4. I wouldn’t want to go somewhere that did it any differently.

1. You can request a student host. That’s about it.
2. No, they move to a honors with distinction/honors/pass/fail system. But we don’t actually have honors. And everyone can get honors with distinction. And our grades are averaged. And only grades relevant to the specialty you’re applying to are included. And shelf exams aren’t factored into our grades. It’s a weird, yet extremely beneficial system that no one really fully understands.
3. I’d guess around 85%. We have some people who are married and some people who choose to live elsewhere in the first year. Quite a bit of people move out for PCE.
Click to expand...

very helpful, thank you 👍

re: the curriculum, do you feel like it being "condensed"/shorter than at lots of other schools made it more stressful/any less salient? that's something that is def intimidating!
 
snowygirl said:
What is this? Is this part of our tuition or is it just money they say we have to spend?
Click to expand...

It’s just a technology allowance that they offer once during the 4 years. It comes in the form of a student loan and you’re under no obligation to take it.

DollyB said:
very helpful, thank you 👍

re: the curriculum, do you feel like it being "condensed"/shorter than at lots of other schools made it more stressful/any less salient? that's something that is def intimidating!
Click to expand...

That was a concern of mine too, but I wouldn’t worry about it. The downside to the accelerated curriculum isn’t that they condensed 2 years of material into 14 months (they didn’t), it’s that they had to cut some stuff. But it’s not an issue since we spend a year on the wards before we take step 1, which helps a ton. The focus of the curriculum is to establish a conceptual understanding of medicine so it’s been easy to fill in the gaps so far.
 
boneitis said:
It’s just a technology allowance that they offer once during the 4 years. It comes in the form of a student loan and you’re under no obligation to take it.

That was a concern of mine too, but I wouldn’t worry about it. The downside to the accelerated curriculum isn’t that they condensed 2 years of material into 14 months (they didn’t), it’s that they had to cut some stuff. But it’s not an issue since we spend a year on the wards before we take step 1, which helps a ton. The focus of the curriculum is to establish a conceptual understanding of medicine so it’s been easy to fill in the gaps so far.
Click to expand...

ok thank you that is helpful!

scrubs&heels said:
Don’t think this A will be real until this friggin plan to enroll tool updates... keep re-reading my admissions email to be sure I didn’t misunderstand it lol
Click to expand...

lolol right?? keep telling the fam/friends "don't get excited, the email COULD have been sent to the wrong people!" won't believe it until we get this mystery packet. but let's be honest, probs still won't believe it 😛
 
For anyone with questions about HST or MSTP, I’m happy to talk over messages. Both programs have really great revisits that answered all of my questions, but I know the wait can be excruciating.
 
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Got wait listed to HST, does anyone know from previous years experiences what are the chances of getting of the waitlist
 
Often said:
Is there any info on family housing? Off-campus housing is crazy expensive!
Click to expand...

Boston is more expensive than some other cities, but I wouldn't classify the prices as crazy expensive. Many students live off campus in their first years. Information on other Harvard owned housing options can be found here if that is of interest to you: Home | Harvard University Housing
 
Does anyone see the document status tab on the financial aid portal? I’m aware of the secure file transfer server, but don’t see the document tab that’s mentioned when you log in to the portal
 
Gosh am I doing something wrong? When I enter my email address and AAMC ID into the Log In section of the Financial Aid portal I just get an error telling me to reset my password. I see the site does say that Mac computers aren't supported. Anyone able to get in on a Mac or do I have to go find a PC?

Edit: called the financial aid office. Sounds like I need to go find myself a PC to log in on
 
mntns&mdcn said:
Gosh am I doing something wrong? When I enter my email address and AAMC ID into the Log In section of the Financial Aid portal I just get an error telling me to reset my password. I see the site does say that Mac computers aren't supported. Anyone able to get in on a Mac or do I have to go find a PC?

Edit: called the financial aid office. Sounds like I need to go find myself a PC to log in on
Click to expand...

Hold up, were we not supposed to reset our password? I also got a message asking me to reset my password so I did. After that, I was able to access the portal just fine.
 
heybatterbatter said:
Anyone else still not seeing HMS on their AAMC Choose Your Medical School page?
Click to expand...

Portal also hasn't updated - guessing that in the packet we will have to sign and send back an "acceptance offer" document and then after that these things will change. Just a guess but that's how it was with some other schools as well!
 
toottoottoot said:
Hold up, were we not supposed to reset our password? I also got a message asking me to reset my password so I did. After that, I was able to access the portal just fine.
Click to expand...
Interesting! I wish the instructions were more clear. The woman I talked to in Financial Aid said nothing about having to reset the password. She just said "find a PC and then log in using your email address and your AAMC ID for the 'password'." Anyone out there have success using their AAMC ID or are you just resetting your passwords? @modernnarwhal24 ?
 
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mntns&mdcn said:
Interesting! I wish the instructions were more clear. The woman I talked to in Financial Aid said nothing about having to reset the password. She just said "find a PC and then log in using your email address and your AAMC ID for the 'password'." Anyone out there have success using their AAMC ID or are you just resetting your passwords? @modernnarwhal24 ?
Click to expand...

It really doesn't matter (as someone who goes here and has used that portal multiple times). If you're having trouble, reset your password. It won't affect your ability to apply for aid.
 
mntns&mdcn said:
Interesting! I wish the instructions were more clear. The woman I talked to in Financial Aid said nothing about having to reset the password. She just said "find a PC and then log in using your email address and your AAMC ID for the 'password'." Anyone out there have success using their AAMC ID or are you just resetting your passwords? @modernnarwhal24 ?
Click to expand...
Is this still for the Financial Aid App on Harvards portal? I was able to do it on my Mac!!
 
Wahkoon said:
I’m assuming she means the acceptance package they mailed out this week. I’m on the other side of the country, so I’m expecting it to take a bit
Click to expand...
yep the acceptance package! i'm also across the country so assuming it will take a little longer
 
stressedoutapplicant said:
Do any current students remember what the third day of HMS revisit weekend looks like? I may have to leave early and would like to know what I'd be missing out on
Click to expand...
Adding on to this, wondering if anyone can just add on to this about what revisit is like, what types of events are planned, how much of the day is scheduled, etc.
 
Anyone know if we can scan and email our Response to Acceptance letter that came in the mail instead of mailing it? I just got it and I'm terrified it'll get there past the deadline...
 
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