New Harvard curriculum

[etown]

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Anybody know the details of this new curriculum I keep hearing about? Looks like it might have a research requirement, but I can't say definitively based on what I've read. And on that note, anyone have an idea how tough is it to get into Harvard without research experience (if they are going to require research, it follows that they would highly value that experience)?

By the way, thanks to everyone offering their more informed insight...

 

[Bluntman]

Anybody know the details of this new curriculum I keep hearing about? Looks like it might have a research requirement, but I can't say definitively based on what I've read. And on that note, anyone have an idea how tough is it to get into Harvard without research experience (if they are going to require research, it follows that they would highly value that experience)?

I was there for the last two days, and this is what I gathered: Yes, there is going to be some sort of senior-thesis-like project required for c/o 2010, but no it does not necessarily have to be bench/basic sci/traditional research. This type of flexibilty seems to be in place all over harvard - if you give them a plan, and it makes sense, is beneficial to your medical education, and fits with their overarching intentions, then the school seems very supportive of innovative and non-traditional approaches. That being said, research would be the most straight forward way to satisfy this it seems. Also, they are adding a couple week course at the start of year one that is an intro to the profession or something like that. Beyond this, they are tweaking a few other things having to do with class content/scheduling in response to student input, just like they have done in the past every few years.

To your second question: In general, having research experience can definitely help you. Since medical advancements come from research, it makes sense that med schools look for it in their "ideal well-rounded premed" or whatever. This is especially true at a bigtime research institution like harvard. By no means is this required, however, and many many students I met didn't seem to have a research background at all.

 

[etown]

Thanks for the insight Bluntman. I have worked as a med tech and doing pharm dev now, which some interviewers have construed as research even though I'm more of a lab drone (I do phys prop and stability testing on drugs in dev). I guess it's better than nothing... Good luck with Harvard admin (San Diego is amazing btw)!

 

[abcehmu]

I was there for the last two days, and this is what I gathered: Yes, there is going to be some sort of senior-thesis-like project required for c/o 2010, but no it does not necessarily have to be bench/basic sci/traditional research. This type of flexibilty seems to be in place all over harvard - if you give them a plan, and it makes sense, is beneficial to your medical education, and fits with their overarching intentions, then the school seems very supportive of innovative and non-traditional approaches. That being said, research would be the most straight forward way to satisfy this it seems. Also, they are adding a couple week course at the start of year one that is an intro to the profession or something like that. Beyond this, they are tweaking a few other things having to do with class content/scheduling in response to student input, just like they have done in the past every few years.

To your second question: In general, having research experience can definitely help you. Since medical advancements come from research, it makes sense that med schools look for it in their "ideal well-rounded premed" or whatever. This is especially true at a bigtime research institution like harvard. By no means is this required, however, and many many students I met didn't seem to have a research background at all.

a couple of things to add. the new curriculum puts you in your clinical rotations after about a year and a half instead of two (more like penn)....another difference is that you remain in one hospital/system throughout many of your rotations instead of jumping around the many affiliated hospitals.

 

[etown]

a couple of things to add. the new curriculum puts you in your clinical rotations after about a year and a half instead of two (more like penn)....another difference is that you remain in one hospital/system throughout many of your rotations instead of jumping around the many affiliated hospitals.

I like the 1.5 years...more time to get in rotations in fields of interest before residency apps. But is it a pro or con that you do most of your rotations at the same hospital? I would think this would mean less diversity in patient population, but if its anything like Ben Taub in Houston (public hospital that is more resident-run than attending-run so that students get a lot more hands-on clinical experience), then that'd be great.

 

[ChocolateKiss]

a couple of things to add. the new curriculum puts you in your clinical rotations after about a year and a half instead of two (more like penn)....another difference is that you remain in one hospital/system throughout many of your rotations instead of jumping around the many affiliated hospitals.

Hmm, they didn't tell me that at my interview! Does the 1.5 yr curriculum mean they are condensing things and having more class hours, or does it mean they are simply cutting things out?

 

[Bluntman]

Ohhh yes, I completely forgot about the one hospital thing. To miller: It only applies to the core clinical clerkships though, so you still have your entire fourth year to rotate around and check out as many of the other hospitals as you want. Not to worry. 🙂

 

[etown]

Ohhh yes, I completely forgot about the one hospital thing. To miller: It only applies to the core clinical clerkships though, so you still have your entire fourth year to rotate around and check out as many of the other hospitals as you want. Not to worry. 🙂

Ahhh that's not so bad then. Bluntman there seem to be 2 conflicting impressions from others, do you second that the new curriculum has only 1.5 years basic sciences? Maybe clinical starts early, like March/April... On that note, though, how rigid are Harvard's clinical requirements - i.e. do I have to take all the core clerkships first or can I get in some electives (in my fields of interest) 3rd year?

 

[Mateodaspy]

http://studentweb.med.harvard.edu/DG41/html/dienstag.pdf

these are the details on "the new, new pathway" at hms for all you 2010'ers....

 

[etown]

http://studentweb.med.harvard.edu/DG41/html/dienstag.pdf

these are the details on "the new, new pathway" at hms for all you 2010'ers....

Thanks for the link! Page 14 is very helpful - explicitly outlines the MS1-MS2 curriculum.

 

[princessd3]

Off topic but...when is the first day of classes? I am asking because I am missing one pre-req class (Cal II) that I had no intention of taking because I had already got into a school that didn't require it. If I need to take it (for instance I get in and decide to go to HMS) would I be able to take it in summer school starting June and ending mid July?

 

[Mateodaspy]

Off topic but...when is the first day of classes? I am asking because I am missing one pre-req class (Cal II) that I had no intention of taking because I had already got into a school that didn't require it. If I need to take it (for instance I get in and decide to go to HMS) would I be able to take it in summer school starting June and ending mid July?

We started Sep. 7th this year -- but you guys will have an additional two-week intro course tacked on, so I wouldn't be surprised if you guys started as early as Aug. 21st.

 

[princessd3]

Do you know when roughly pre-reqs have to be completed? Do you think what I described above would be a problem?

 

[Mateodaspy]

Do you know when roughly pre-reqs have to be completed? Do you think what I described above would be a problem?

from what i understand, pre-reqs must be completed prior to matriculation (late Aug.), so you should be fine....

best of luck!

 

[princessd3]

from what i understand, pre-reqs must be completed prior to matriculation (late Aug.), so you should be fine....

best of luck!

Hmm...matriculation is late August but if they started registering say July 1st that wouldn't be good.

 

[Mateodaspy]

Hmm...matriculation is late August but if they started registering say July 1st that wouldn't be good.

registration and matriculation both occur in late august -- so as long as you finish your course and have a transcript submitted by mid-august, you will be fine! 👍

 

[2009md2b]

The admissions office was a real pain to work with for me regarding pre-reqs. they wanted me to go back and take another semester of gen chem (I had AP). They took my biochem at the last minute so that I didn't have to defer admission to matriculate. It was friggin' rediculous!

 

[CerealBox]

The admissions office was a real pain to work with for me regarding pre-reqs. they wanted me to go back and take another semester of gen chem (I had AP). They took my biochem at the last minute so that I didn't have to defer admission to matriculate. It was friggin' rediculous!

Wow. When did you start working with them to figure out pre-reqs? I just assumed schools wouldn't be too picky, but it sounds like HMS is.

Do you think i should sign up for a biochem course next quarter, just in case?

 

[humuhumu]

Ahhh that's not so bad then. Bluntman there seem to be 2 conflicting impressions from others, do you second that the new curriculum has only 1.5 years basic sciences? Maybe clinical starts early, like March/April... On that note, though, how rigid are Harvard's clinical requirements - i.e. do I have to take all the core clerkships first or can I get in some electives (in my fields of interest) 3rd year?

This is a very important point. The basic sciences portion used to be 2 years, now it will be 1.5 years. What happened? Either a lot of material has been dropped, or (more likely in my view), the schedule has been compressed and the effort hours per week have gone up. Harvard has been known for having a relatively laid-back student body. With a more compressed schedule, I'm afraid that would change, at least during the first 1.5 years....

 

[tigress]

This is a very important point. The basic sciences portion used to be 2 years, now it will be 1.5 years. What happened? Either a lot of material has been dropped, or (more likely in my view), the schedule has been compressed and the effort hours per week have gone up. Harvard has been known for having a relatively laid-back student body. With a more compressed schedule, I'm afraid that would change, at least during the first 1.5 years....

I don't know, somehow Penn manages to do the 1.5 years thing without more class time. Actually their class schedule is better than many schools that do 2 years. And they get everything in, because students do well on boards (of course they also have half a year of clinicals behind them before they take Step I).

 

[2009md2b]

Wow. When did you start working with them to figure out pre-reqs? I just assumed schools wouldn't be too picky, but it sounds like HMS is.

Do you think i should sign up for a biochem course next quarter, just in case?

Sorry for the much delayed response but I would definitely sign up for biochem. I was literally calling them constantly from around the globe trying to get them to change their minds. they finally did but it was a HUGE pain!