Official Harvard Extension 2012 Thread

[johnnyscans]

How many of you are planning to take the MCAT next year? After talking with Dr. Fixsen he said that people (on the traditional 2 year track) start preparing for the beast in their last semester while taking orgo 2 and bio 2 and taking it in the summer after semester has finished. Is this along the lines of what you all have planned?

Summer MCAT seems rough since you have to worry about mcat prep and finals. Also, eary summer mcat means mid july application. I want to aim for early june. I guess everyone is different though.

May I ask how old you are johnnyscans?
Anyone have any advice on Calculus?
I haven't taken any math in awhile, should I start with an algrebra/pre-calc class or self study and see if I can place into it?

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[MedWonk]

How many of you are planning to take the MCAT next year? After talking with Dr. Fixsen he said that people (on the traditional 2 year track) start preparing for the beast in their last semester while taking orgo 2 and bio 2 and taking it in the summer after semester has finished. Is this along the lines of what you all have planned?

I'm taking it in January. I finish prereqs this summer, so I figure that gives a good timeline to prep.

 

[MedWonk]

May I ask how old you are johnnyscans?
Anyone have any advice on Calculus?
I haven't taken any math in awhile, should I start with an algrebra/pre-calc class or self study and see if I can place into it?

I'd crack open a pre-calc book and just review on your own. The first class in Calc A at the Extension School was a down and dirty review of all the algebra you need to know (exponents, logarithms, quadratic functions, factoring, trig functions). Supplement with Khan Academy, and I think you'll do fine. You might even enjoy it. I did, anyway.

 

[johnnyscans]

I'd crack open a pre-calc book and just review on your own. The first class in Calc A at the Extension School was a down and dirty review of all the algebra you need to know (exponents, logarithms, quadratic functions, factoring, trig functions). Supplement with Khan Academy, and I think you'll do fine. You might even enjoy it. I did, anyway.

Who did you take calc with?

 

[smiley27]

DO NOT take calculus I at UMASS boston, like i did to save money on summer tuition. I had a terrible experience there. I scored the second highest in the class on the midterm (B/B+ on the midterm) and ended up getting a B for the class. NO CURVE OR ADJUSTMENT WHATSOEVER! Someone else reviewed the prof (who is one of the main teachers for calc I there) on ratemyprofessors and also said the highest score in his/her class was in the B range. I swear i still have nightmares of some of the exam problems. Some of them were straight up putnam math competition problems. I thought to myself before registering that the professor shouldn't make a difference in a student's grade but I was completely wrong. I busted ass for that class, seriously busted ass, maybe even more so than for phys E-1b here and i got burned. thumbdown

deep breath.....

I highly recommend you take pre-calculus where you learn algebra 2/trig. It sounds like that might be Calc A in the extension school. You would benefit more from taking pre-calc than learning how to take derivatives in calculus because you don't need calculus at all at HES and for one of the problems on our physics physics midterm in the first semester we were required to setup a quadratic equation to find the answer. This doesn't mean you see the quadratic in its proper form and you solve for the unknown but you have to recognize what a quadratic is and if it's appropriate to set one up yourself. you don't learn this in calculus.

 

[MedWonk]

DO NOT take calculus I at UMASS boston, like i did to save money on summer tuition. I had a terrible experience there. I scored the second highest in the class on the midterm (B/B+ on the midterm) and ended up getting a B for the class. NO CURVE OR ADJUSTMENT WHATSOEVER! Someone else reviewed the prof (who is one of the main teachers for calc I there) on ratemyprofessors and also said the highest score in his/her class was in the B range. I swear i still have nightmares of some of the exam problems. Some of them were straight up putnam math competition problems. I thought to myself before registering that the professor shouldn't make a difference in a student's grade but I was completely wrong. I busted ass for that class, seriously busted ass, maybe even more so than for phys E-1b here and i got burned. thumbdown

deep breath.....

I highly recommend you take pre-calculus where you learn algebra 2/trig. It sounds like that might be Calc A in the extension school. You would benefit more from taking pre-calc than learning how to take derivatives in calculus because you don't need calculus at all at HES and for one of the problems on our physics physics midterm in the first semester we were required to setup a quadratic equation to find the answer. This doesn't mean you see the quadratic in its proper form and you solve for the unknown but you have to recognize what a quadratic is and if it's appropriate to set one up yourself. you don't learn this in calculus.

I think you got the short-end of the stick at UMass. I promise if you take Calc A (with Eric Towne) at the Extension School you will get plenty of practice setting up and manipulating the quadratic function. This will happen a lot in the latter half of the course when you do optimization and apply calc to some kinematics problems you might see in physics.

Granted, you won't need calculus to do well in Physics at HES, but having that extra set of skills might be helpful, and taking calc might be a requirement depending on which schools one applies to.

It ultimately depends on what you're more comfortable with. If you're not comfortable with calculus, then I'd just focus on sharpening my pre-calc skills. You can avoid calc, but you can't avoid algebra/trig.

 

[Melishkav]

Hello! After much thought I have decided to start the HCP in the summer. I have a few general questions for everyone here.

Anyone need a roommate, I start in the summer?
( I saw the above post looking for one, but I don't know how comfortable you are living with a male.)
Should I bring my car? How hard is it to get around with it and park?
How is the winter there in Boston? Would walking/biking be fine most of the time?
Are there any areas to avoid looking for a place to live in?
Seems like the general consensus is to take Biology first then Chem?
Those of you who worked through the program, how hard was it? How long did you take? What as your course load?

This is all I have for now thanks!

Hi Soco9087!

I'm absolutely fine with rooming with males and/or females... Looks like I've also decided to begin in the summer. I was also thinking that it might be nice to get a place with a couple of HCPers if possible, in order to have a lower rent. (I'm still having to contribute to my mortgage in California, so trying to keep living costs down in Boston.) Of course, if it only works out that I find one other person to room with, then that's great too... If you're interested, then let me know. Best wishes for you in the program!

 

[exercise]

Many professors believe that Physics that does not use Calculus is not a good way to learn Physics. If you use Calculus, you get the answer much more elegantly. The sad thing is that if you do use Calculus to solve a Physics problem in Rueckner's class, they will actually dock points. The prof told a friend of mine this is for standardization purposes and the TF who grades you may not be familiar with the method you used to get the answer. Which sucks because you get penalized for using a more elegant and advanced method to solve a problem.

 

[Melishkav]

For those of you currently in the program, were you able to find a research position immediately upon beginning your first semester or more like in the second year? Could you tell me how quickly you were able to get a research gig? Would you also comment on whether yours is paid or unpaid?

Thanks!

 

[johnnyscans]

For those of you currently in the program, were you able to find a research position immediately upon beginning your first semester or more like in the second year? Could you tell me how quickly you were able to get a research gig? Would you also comment on whether yours is paid or unpaid?

Thanks!

I started mine during the first month I was in the HCP program. Unpaid, 20-30 hrs a week, got the interview through networking with a physician I shadowed.

 

[hrhcow]

For those of you currently in the program, were you able to find a research position immediately upon beginning your first semester or more like in the second year? Could you tell me how quickly you were able to get a research gig? Would you also comment on whether yours is paid or unpaid?

Thanks!

I applied to research assistant jobs/emailed professors before I moved to Boston, and started interviewing the week after I moved (before HCP officially started). I worked in a basic science lab during my senior year of undergrad, so I think experience may have helped me get the job.

 

[Enzyme1]

.

 

[Soco9087]

This might be a little to personal for some people, but I have a few questions about financial aid. Anyone here ever get some aid other than subsidized loans? There doesn't seem to be much other than the HES and summer school scholarships. I'm filling out FAFSA and its asking for parent's info, I don't think it would help me if I put them on, but at the same time I don't know if leaving them off would do me any good either.

People who have worked doing the program, how many hours did you work and how many courses did you take?

Paid research positions seems like they would be extremely hard to get with all the competition?

 

[ovoxo]

For those who have applied/been accepted, how did you guys answer the "why medicine?" essay? As in, did you answer it directly or did you write it like a personal statement, mentioning your other activities outside of med/science? Any responses would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[Melishkav]

Thanks for the answers regarding your research positions, I appreciate it!

 

[Jennet]

Many professors believe that Physics that does not use Calculus is not a good way to learn Physics. If you use Calculus, you get the answer much more elegantly. The sad thing is that if you do use Calculus to solve a Physics problem in Rueckner's class, they will actually dock points. The prof told a friend of mine this is for standardization purposes and the TF who grades you may not be familiar with the method you used to get the answer. Which sucks because you get penalized for using a more elegant and advanced method to solve a problem.

Uhhhh. What? I disagree. Your friend may have been using the incorrect formulas. I've had plenty of friends use Calculus on the tests and ace them. Also, the TF's are wicked smart about following your work. I've witnessed a student completely ditch the use of kinematics; he instead solved problems with conservation of energy. You do not get points taken off for answering the question in a different method but you do need to demonstrate mastery of the concepts. Again, why do you keep ragging on the program if you are going to be attending here?

 

[Jennet]

This might be a little to personal for some people, but I have a few questions about financial aid. Anyone here ever get some aid other than subsidized loans? There doesn't seem to be much other than the HES and summer school scholarships. I'm filling out FAFSA and its asking for parent's info, I don't think it would help me if I put them on, but at the same time I don't know if leaving them off would do me any good either.

People who have worked doing the program, how many hours did you work and how many courses did you take?

Paid research positions seems like they would be extremely hard to get with all the competition?

Soco, I receive federal loans and if you are over a certain age, I don't think it wise to put your parent's income (25 I think). It isn't really necessary especially if you've been gainfully employed.

I currently work 40 hours and take 2 courses. It isn't easy, but it can be done.

Paid research positions are very competitive because of the sheer volume of schools in the Boston area. Pre-meds from BU, UMass, Tufts, MIT, Harvard, Boston College, etc. are applying to these positions and the system is inundated. I had been advised to contact PI's by email or phone, inquire about positions, and if none are available, to volunteer until they are open. You can always apply to Partners for the major hospital work, but if you are working full time make sure they don't want more hours or extended time in the lab. There is a fine work/school balance that may be disrupted if one part asks for more time than another.

 

[Melishkav]

For those who have applied/been accepted, how did you guys answer the "why medicine?" essay? As in, did you answer it directly or did you write it like a personal statement, mentioning your other activities outside of med/science? Any responses would be appreciated, thanks!

I included my response on a separate page, about 650 words (one page) personal-statement style. I spoke about several reasons that have pushed me into the decision to pursue medicine. I included an explanation about my current career, and the reasons for wanting to change, as well as the genesis of my interest in medicine... I would just sit down and jot down a few reasons that have greatly influenced your decision, and then expand in details, using those few reasons as your separate paragraphs... I didn't really speak about any activities WITHIN medicine because I don't yet have any. Just be honest, and I think you'll be fine.

 

[ovoxo]

I included my response on a separate page, about 650 words (one page) personal-statement style. I spoke about several reasons that have pushed me into the decision to pursue medicine. I included an explanation about my current career, and the reasons for wanting to change, as well as the genesis of my interest in medicine... I would just sit down and jot down a few reasons that have greatly influenced your decision, and then expand in details, using those few reasons as your separate paragraphs... I didn't really speak about any activities WITHIN medicine because I don't yet have any. Just be honest, and I think you'll be fine.

Thank you so much for your response, it's very helpful. I'm in the process of writing mine right now and I just wasn't sure what they were expecting exactly, but I have a better idea now...thanks again!

 

[Melishkav]

Thank you so much for your response, it's very helpful. I'm in the process of writing mine right now and I just wasn't sure what they were expecting exactly, but I have a better idea now...thanks again!

You're very welcome! Mine was easy only because as I was in the process of making my decision, I would write down reasons that came to mind in note form. So, when it came time to writing the "why medicine" for HCP, I just compiled all my notes into an essay. Glad to be of help! Best of luck

 

[exercise]

Uhhhh. What? I disagree. Your friend may have been using the incorrect formulas. I've had plenty of friends use Calculus on the tests and ace them. Also, the TF's are wicked smart about following your work. I've witnessed a student completely ditch the use of kinematics; he instead solved problems with conservation of energy. You do not get points taken off for answering the question in a different method but you do need to demonstrate mastery of the concepts. Again, why do you keep ragging on the program if you are going to be attending here?

I now have a reply from Prof. Rueckner himself. He discourages the use of Calculus because it will be hard on the graders. And I am sorry you feel I am "ragging on the program" - I assure you that is not my intention. It is because I will be at HES that I am expressing concern about things that will put me at a disadvantage with respect to my cousins, one of whom is at Bryn Mawr and the other at Hopkins.

 

[Soco9087]

I now have a reply from Prof. Rueckner himself. He discourages the use of Calculus because it will be hard on the graders. And I am sorry you feel I am "ragging on the program" - I assure you that is not my intention. It is because I will be at HES that I am expressing concern about things that will put me at a disadvantage with respect to my cousins, one of whom is at Bryn Mawr and the other at Hopkins.

I also felt like this puts my at a disadvantage, so I either need to take something else that would provide the needed experience or hope adcoms don't look into it. Does anyone have any insight about this problem? When adcom look at your year of physics do they look into how calulus based it was?

 

[exercise]

I was accidentally sent two textbooks instead of one. So if any of you wants the most recent edition of Campbell's Biology book, e-mail me and the textbook is yours. I can mail it to you from work, so you don't have to pay mailing expenses either. My disposable - temporary, good for one month only - e-mail addy is [email protected]. Hopefully this good karma will help me get into medical school. Just kidding, good karma will actually be returning the extra book to the company but I don't want to do that.

 

[exercise]

I also felt like this puts my at a disadvantage, so I either need to take something else that would provide the needed experience or hope adcoms don't look into it. Does anyone have any insight about this problem? When adcom look at your year of physics do they look into how calulus based it was?

I don't believe they care for the MD program. Then again a professor told me that MD-PhD programs do care about such things, especially if the person interviewing you is someone in biophysics, physics or related areas. Any physicist will tell you that a physics class without calculus is pretty much ******ed. I wish HES was offering more advanced-level physics electives like it offers biology electives. I am already lobbying for more electives with the dean. To find acceleration, you differentiate velocity and if you didn't use calculus, the physicists frown on it. But luckily no one cares when it comes to the MD. They don't have the time or inclination to look so minutely.

 

[Jennet]

I also felt like this puts my at a disadvantage, so I either need to take something else that would provide the needed experience or hope adcoms don't look into it. Does anyone have any insight about this problem? When adcom look at your year of physics do they look into how calulus based it was?

Why in the world would this put you at a disadvantage...? Some medical schools don't even require calculus. This isn't a problem and you really shouldn't worry about it. The class is designed to be based upon trig and algebra and you can take calculus at HX or at any other reputable institute in the Boston area.

 

[smiley27]

I don't believe they care for the MD program. Then again a professor told me that MD-PhD programs do care about such things, especially if the person interviewing you is someone in biophysics, physics or related areas. Any physicist will tell you that a physics class without calculus is pretty much ******ed. I wish HES was offering more advanced-level physics electives like it offers biology electives. I am already lobbying for more electives with the dean. To find acceleration, you differentiate velocity and if you didn't use calculus, the physicists frown on it. But luckily no one cares when it comes to the MD. They don't have the time or inclination to look so minutely.

cool story

 

[Melishkav]

I was accidentally sent two textbooks instead of one. So if any of you wants the most recent edition of Campbell's Biology book, e-mail me and the textbook is yours. I can mail it to you from work, so you don't have to pay mailing expenses either. My disposable - temporary, good for one month only - e-mail addy is [email protected]. Hopefully this good karma will help me get into medical school. Just kidding, good karma will actually be returning the extra book to the company but I don't want to do that.

Sending you a PM right now! And e-mailing you at that email you listed... I was just about to order the Campbell bio book.

 

[Melishkav]

Although, if you decide to send the book back, then that's completely cool too. Just saying, wouldn't want an extra book to just sit around and go to waste

 

[Soco9087]

Here's my background and schedule: I started HCP having taken Chem I and Bio II at another university (last spring). I started at HCP this past fall with Phys I and Bio I. I also started my research position (20-30 hours a week) and clinical volunteering. I'm currently enrolled in Phys II, Chem II and Cell Bio, with the same ECs. I'm applying to some programs for June, then I'll be taking Molecular Biology and Biochemistry during the summer. Next fall I'll take Orgo I, A&P I and most likely Medical Microbiology (with Dr. Mann, Dr. Anderson's head teaching fellow whose lecture style I liked). Winter session will be an elective, then next spring I'll tone back my research heavily (will probably just be keeping my cells alive) and do MCAT prep, Orgo II and A&P II. Most people I've talked to said a late April MCAT date with one or two classes is completely manageable and it let them give their finals complete focus. I'll start prep in mid-december and do the 4 month SN2ed MCAT prep. That should set me up to have everything ready to go for an early-June application package.

Are you on the 2 year plan just to give yourself sometime for EC's and electives? The more I think about it the less I lean towards the 1 year plan. I assume you don't work? Do you find it hard to balance your current schedule?

 

[johnnyscans]

Are you on the 2 year plan just to give yourself sometime for EC's and electives? The more I think about it the less I lean towards the 1 year plan. I assume you don't work? Do you find it hard to balance your current schedule?

Two year plan for multiple reasons. Since I'm doing some GPA repair, 2 full-time semesters of heavy coursework seemed like a good strategy (since I want to avoid an SMP at all costs). I'm a notoriously strong test taker, so I have confidence in my ability to prep for and write a killer MCAT. As of now I'm on track for 60 credits at > 3.9. If that + a killer MCAT doesn't convince adcoms that my past is behind me I don't know what will. I also want to be able to do some meaningful research - one year just isn't enough time to make an impact. I'm also not deadset on having kids at a young age, so I do not feel the "start a family buy a house" pressure.

I just bumped my couseload up to 12 credits this semester (after two semesters at 9 and 8, respectively). I could not imagine jumping right into summer chem (which is pretty much a full-time job) followed by 12 credits of physics, bio and orgo. I can easily see that courseload becoming unmanageable, especially if working full time.

To answer your question: I do not work full time, and while I don't find it hard to balance my schedule, I bust my ass all 5 week days; I cannot tell you the last time I was able to truly relax between monday morning and friday afternoon. In terms of money, I had a good chuck of spending money saved up from my old job, and I also have a very generous mom/stepfather who wrote me a nice loan that I can pay back at any time.

I could not imagine doing a one year plan.

 

[exercise]

Thanks for your PM's and e-mails. Unfortunately the book is already spoken for.

 

[exercise]

That is VERY impressive johnnyscans. My best wishes to you!

Two year plan for multiple reasons. Since I'm doing some GPA repair, 2 full-time semesters of heavy coursework seemed like a good strategy (since I want to avoid an SMP at all costs). I'm a notoriously strong test taker, so I have confidence in my ability to prep for and write a killer MCAT. As of now I'm on track for 60 credits at > 3.9. If that + a killer MCAT doesn't convince adcoms that my past is behind me I don't know what will. I also want to be able to do some meaningful research - one year just isn't enough time to make an impact. I'm also not deadset on having kids at a young age, so I do not feel the "start a family buy a house" pressure.

I just bumped my couseload up to 12 credits this semester (after two semesters at 9 and 8, respectively). I could not imagine jumping right into summer chem (which is pretty much a full-time job) followed by 12 credits of physics, bio and orgo. I can easily see that courseload becoming unmanageable, especially if working full time.

To answer your question: I do not work full time, and while I don't find it hard to balance my schedule, I bust my ass all 5 week days; I cannot tell you the last time I was able to truly relax between monday morning and friday afternoon. In terms of money, I had a good chuck of spending money saved up from my old job, and I also have a very generous mom/stepfather who wrote me a nice loan that I can pay back at any time.

I could not imagine doing a one year plan.

 

[Soco9087]

Two year plan for multiple reasons. Since I'm doing some GPA repair, 2 full-time semesters of heavy coursework seemed like a good strategy (since I want to avoid an SMP at all costs). I'm a notoriously strong test taker, so I have confidence in my ability to prep for and write a killer MCAT. As of now I'm on track for 60 credits at > 3.9. If that + a killer MCAT doesn't convince adcoms that my past is behind me I don't know what will. I also want to be able to do some meaningful research - one year just isn't enough time to make an impact. I'm also not deadset on having kids at a young age, so I do not feel the "start a family buy a house" pressure.

I just bumped my couseload up to 12 credits this semester (after two semesters at 9 and 8, respectively). I could not imagine jumping right into summer chem (which is pretty much a full-time job) followed by 12 credits of physics, bio and orgo. I can easily see that courseload becoming unmanageable, especially if working full time.

To answer your question: I do not work full time, and while I don't find it hard to balance my schedule, I bust my ass all 5 week days; I cannot tell you the last time I was able to truly relax between monday morning and friday afternoon. In terms of money, I had a good chuck of spending money saved up from my old job, and I also have a very generous mom/stepfather who wrote me a nice loan that I can pay back at any time.

I could not imagine doing a one year plan.

Mind me asking what your GPA was? I think I'm along the same lines as you with an undergrad in Econ/Finance with a 3.446 GPA, but I have my master's in finance with a 3.664. I don't think that really help me though. My current plan was to do summer chem and jump right in to physics, orgo, bio and calc for the fall. As I've been reading though, this could be a death sentence, as it is nothing like finance where I was pulling 5 4 credit hour classes and still manage to breath. So I think I might scale it back. I have the luxury though of focusing solely on school and EC's.Wonder if anyone here has 3+ classes at HES and how manageable it was?

 

[MedWonk]

Uhhhh. What? I disagree. Your friend may have been using the incorrect formulas. I've had plenty of friends use Calculus on the tests and ace them. Also, the TF's are wicked smart about following your work. I've witnessed a student completely ditch the use of kinematics; he instead solved problems with conservation of energy. You do not get points taken off for answering the question in a different method but you do need to demonstrate mastery of the concepts. Again, why do you keep ragging on the program if you are going to be attending here?

Props for using proper New England lexicon. Too many r's in smart, though.

 

[MedWonk]

I also felt like this puts my at a disadvantage, so I either need to take something else that would provide the needed experience or hope adcoms don't look into it. Does anyone have any insight about this problem? When adcom look at your year of physics do they look into how calulus based it was?

I don't know of any medical school that requires calc-based physics. I know Harvard will allow you to sub a year of calc for a year of calc-based physics, but this is the only med school I know of that does this.

I don't think adcoms care if you take calc-based physics or not. Frankly, calc isn't any more difficult than pre-calc. If can't do well in algebra/trig physics, then you probably wouldn't do well in calc-based physics. Calc-based physics doesn't mean you can throw out all the algebra and trig. The point of using calculus is to set up the algebraic expression required to solve the problem, and the starting point for deriving that equation usually starts with solid algebraic reasoning.

Unless you plan on being a physicist, or (maybe more likely) plan on doing an MPH with your MD with a concentration in biostats or epi, there's no real advantage to taking calc or calc-based physics. Even then, most MPH programs will provide the necessary math courses you need to succeed and don't require any math prereqs beyond pre-calc. Any further math you may need to know is likely to be taught to you through other courses.

 

[johnnyscans]

I don't know of any medical school that requires calc-based physics. I know Harvard will allow you to sub a year of calc for a year of calc-based physics, but this is the only med school I know of that does this.

I don't think adcoms care if you take calc-based physics or not. Frankly, calc isn't any more difficult than pre-calc. If can't do well in algebra/trig physics, then you probably wouldn't do well in calc-based physics. Calc-based physics doesn't mean you can throw out all the algebra and trig. The point of using calculus is to set up the algebraic expression required to solve the problem, and the starting point for deriving that equation usually starts with solid algebraic reasoning.

Unless you plan on being a physicist, or (maybe more likely) plan on doing an MPH with your MD with a concentration in biostats or epi, there's no real advantage to taking calc or calc-based physics. Even then, most MPH programs will provide the necessary math courses you need to succeed and don't require any math prereqs beyond pre-calc. Any further math you may need to know is likely to be taught to you through other courses.

This. Even MD/PhD programs are fine with trig-based physics. The point of taking the course is twofold:
1. To prepare you for your MCAT, which is used by admissions committee's to judge your ability to take standardized tests
2. To gain an understanding and appreciation of how our bodies work. All of your organ systems, when simplified, follow the laws of physics. You'll learn why it's easy to injure your spine when you lift something with your back and not your legs, why and how blood moves so quickly, etc. It doesn't matter if you use calc or trig. As long as you can kick ass on your MCAT you'll be ok.

 

[Soco9087]

Thanks everyone for putting my nerves at ease.

 

[johnnyscans]

Thanks everyone for putting my nerves at ease.

F - Fear
U - Uncertainty
D - Doubt

Knock those three things out of your life. Now. When you start feeling stressed or anxious take a few deep breaths, tell yourself it's all going to work on, and move on.

 

[Soco9087]

We're looking for a possible roommate or two to start the summer off with. We're hoping to spend less than $1k a month and be within walking/biking distance. Send me a message if you have any leads or also need a roomie.

 

[johnnyscans]

Anyone here in a Tues 9-10pm Phys E-1b section with a kickass TF.
My TF from last semester is TFing at the University (good for him) and I'm in search of a replacement.

Thanks. Good luck studying this weekend everyone.

 

[Sciengee]

Anyone here in a Tues 9-10pm Phys E-1b section with a kickass TF.
My TF from last semester is TFing at the University (good for him) and I'm in search of a replacement.

Thanks. Good luck studying this weekend everyone.

I'm not in any of the Tues sections and don't really know the TFs, but I went to Ralph's help room hours on Monday (he teaches a Tues night section) and really liked the way he explained the material. He also posts elaborate explanations on the class forum and seems like he's pretty good, so he might be worth checking out.

 

[johnnyscans]

I'm not in any of the Tues sections and don't really know the TFs, but I went to Ralph's help room hours on Monday (he teaches a Tues night section) and really liked the way he explained the material. He also posts elaborate explanations on the class forum and seems like he's pretty good, so he might be worth checking out.

Excellent! Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Soco9087]

Anyone have some advice about securing a solid research and clinical volunteer position? I'll be hopefully arriving in early May and would love to be able to land a few interviews for positions upon arrival. What's a good way to get your foot in the door for shadowing? I assume a lot of them are inundated with request?

 

[exercise]

Anyone have some advice about securing a solid research and clinical volunteer position? I'll be hopefully arriving in early May and would love to be able to land a few interviews for positions upon arrival. What's a good way to get your foot in the door for shadowing? I assume a lot of them are inundated with request?

On man, can I "like" your post as on Facebook? I had exactly the same question.

 

[Jennet]

Anyone have some advice about securing a solid research and clinical volunteer position? I'll be hopefully arriving in early May and would love to be able to land a few interviews for positions upon arrival. What's a good way to get your foot in the door for shadowing? I assume a lot of them are inundated with request?

Well clinical volunteering is pretty straightforward. You can apply at any major hospital and go through their requirements or go to smaller hospitals and ask about any opportunities. There are plenty of clinics and hospitals in the more suburban areas of Cambridge like Somerville and Belmont. As far as major hospitals, MGH, Children's, Dana Farber, Brigham, and the VA are big names. Brigham offers a chance to shadow after a certain amount of volunteer time but has a stricter volunteer policy. MGH is more formulaic about orientation, screening, and placement, but if you express that you are a pre-med student, you can get solid clinical experience.

The best part about Boston is the numerous ways in which to gain interesting clinical exposure. There is the Family Van, Healthcare for the Homeless, and hundreds of other organizations dedicated to undeserved populations and low-income patients. While I don't have experience with these, a handful of students in the program are currently interning at the Family Van and speak highly of it. Google search "volunteer healthcare Boston" and you'll have a chance to find a position that interests you.

Research is another beast entirely. The system is inundated with very qualified applicants and hundreds of science students. My best advice is to contact a PI directly. Find a lab with research relevant to your experience and interests and send an introductory email asking to speak further about openings. The Partner's system can swallow whole resumes and you many never hear back, but it is good to submit a resume or CV online. I would anticipate that you will hear more information from an email to the PI than from Partners or other online submissions. I currently work at a lab and find that this holds true.

If you have any specific questions, you can message me - this is my general "how I landed clinical volunteering and a research gig" post.

 

[Jennet]

Anyone here in a Tues 9-10pm Phys E-1b section with a kickass TF.
My TF from last semester is TFing at the University (good for him) and I'm in search of a replacement.

Thanks. Good luck studying this weekend everyone.

Sciengee has it. Ralph holds section on Tuesday PM after class and he's a solid TF. If you can attend his time in help room, even better. He explains concepts clearly and provides detailed examples. I've sat in a few times (I have another TF) and really enjoyed his section. Two other TF's that are easy to follow are Sameer and Zach.

 

[exercise]

Well clinical volunteering is pretty straightforward. You can apply at any major hospital and go through their requirements or go to smaller hospitals and ask about any opportunities. There are plenty of clinics and hospitals in the more suburban areas of Cambridge like Somerville and Belmont. As far as major hospitals, MGH, Children's, Dana Farber, Brigham, and the VA are big names. Brigham offers a chance to shadow after a certain amount of volunteer time but has a stricter volunteer policy. MGH is more formulaic about orientation, screening, and placement, but if you express that you are a pre-med student, you can get solid clinical experience.

The best part about Boston is the numerous ways in which to gain interesting clinical exposure. There is the Family Van, Healthcare for the Homeless, and hundreds of other organizations dedicated to undeserved populations and low-income patients. While I don't have experience with these, a handful of students in the program are currently interning at the Family Van and speak highly of it. Google search "volunteer healthcare Boston" and you'll have a chance to find a position that interests you.

Research is another beast entirely. The system is inundated with very qualified applicants and hundreds of science students. My best advice is to contact a PI directly. Find a lab with research relevant to your experience and interests and send an introductory email asking to speak further about openings. The Partner's system can swallow whole resumes and you many never hear back, but it is good to submit a resume or CV online. I would anticipate that you will hear more information from an email to the PI than from Partners or other online submissions. I currently work at a lab and find that this holds true.

If you have any specific questions, you can message me - this is my general "how I landed clinical volunteering and a research gig" post.

Thank you!!!!!!!!

 

[Soco9087]

Coming from a non-science background I think it might be hard for me to get a research position over those "very qualified applicants." What can I do to over come this? I have roughly 40 hours of lab experience in my previous position before I was left go due to overcrowding in the lab. I know I should capitalize on this as much as possible, but is there anything else I can do. I would love to have something for the summer, but if I must wait to finish gen chem in the summer then so be it :S.

Also I have ~300 hours of clinical volunteering in the ER at my local university, this will probably help me land another ER position, but should I expand out from the ED?

I'm hoping this counts as non-clinical, I also volunteer at a rural hospital doing meal deliveries, book cart, customer service and the like. Think this counts? I'll have roughly less then 300 hours doing this.

 

[johnnyscans]

Well clinical volunteering is pretty straightforward. You can apply at any major hospital and go through their requirements or go to smaller hospitals and ask about any opportunities. There are plenty of clinics and hospitals in the more suburban areas of Cambridge like Somerville and Belmont. As far as major hospitals, MGH, Children's, Dana Farber, Brigham, and the VA are big names. Brigham offers a chance to shadow after a certain amount of volunteer time but has a stricter volunteer policy. MGH is more formulaic about orientation, screening, and placement, but if you express that you are a pre-med student, you can get solid clinical experience.

The best part about Boston is the numerous ways in which to gain interesting clinical exposure. There is the Family Van, Healthcare for the Homeless, and hundreds of other organizations dedicated to undeserved populations and low-income patients. While I don't have experience with these, a handful of students in the program are currently interning at the Family Van and speak highly of it. Google search "volunteer healthcare Boston" and you'll have a chance to find a position that interests you.

Research is another beast entirely. The system is inundated with very qualified applicants and hundreds of science students. My best advice is to contact a PI directly. Find a lab with research relevant to your experience and interests and send an introductory email asking to speak further about openings. The Partner's system can swallow whole resumes and you many never hear back, but it is good to submit a resume or CV online. I would anticipate that you will hear more information from an email to the PI than from Partners or other online submissions. I currently work at a lab and find that this holds true.

If you have any specific questions, you can message me - this is my general "how I landed clinical volunteering and a research gig" post.

This. Great summary!

I currently volunteer in the ED @ MGH and I love it. First, they treat us (volunteers) right. Free meal and free parking, so you don't have to worry about losing money when volunteering. Second, as mentioned, if you express an interest in patient contact, you'll get it. I truly think that volunteering in the ED is the way to go as a pre-med. You get to transport patients, provide them with friendly bedside visits, deliver meals, interact with nurses and physicians and, if you're a people person, gain key insight on the patient/nurse/physician triad. You also will toughen up: you will see blood, vomit, hear people puking and in pain, smell the worst smells imaginable and deal with transporting drunks/*******s. The flipside is that your visits to patients can really have an impact on their day. I've had nurses come up to me and tell me that patients were beaming after I left. Now, that may be my stunning good looks, or it may just be the fact that I'm someone not in scrubs or a white coat that wants to talk to them.

In terms of research, contact PIs directly, and network through any physicians you have shadowed/volunteered with in the past. I got my gig through networking and my willingness to work 20-30 hours a week free of charge. Also, they will be much more willing to take you in if you can give them a long term commitment. I've been at my lab for over half a year and I'm still being trained in new techniques. Nothing sucks more than to have someone finally get trained than leave. Some PIs will refuse to recommend you if this happens. Just be honest and upfront about your time commitment, have a willingness to work hard for no pay, and everything will work out. Research is awesome, especially once you're trained up. You'll have the opportunity to present ideas to physicians on a rather equal playing field, which is always nice.

Good luck.

 

[Jennet]

This. Great summary!

I currently volunteer in the ED @ MGH and I love it. First, they treat us (volunteers) right. Free meal and free parking, so you don't have to worry about losing money when volunteering. Second, as mentioned, if you express an interest in patient contact, you'll get it. I truly think that volunteering in the ED is the way to go as a pre-med. You get to transport patients, provide them with friendly bedside visits, deliver meals, interact with nurses and physicians and, if you're a people person, gain key insight on the patient/nurse/physician triad. You also will toughen up: you will see blood, vomit, hear people puking and in pain, smell the worst smells imaginable and deal with transporting drunks/*******s. The flipside is that your visits to patients can really have an impact on their day. I've had nurses come up to me and tell me that patients were beaming after I left. Now, that may be my stunning good looks, or it may just be the fact that I'm someone not in scrubs or a white coat that wants to talk to them.

In terms of research, contact PIs directly, and network through any physicians you have shadowed/volunteered with in the past. I got my gig through networking and my willingness to work 20-30 hours a week free of charge. Also, they will be much more willing to take you in if you can give them a long term commitment. I've been at my lab for over half a year and I'm still being trained in new techniques. Nothing sucks more than to have someone finally get trained than leave. Some PIs will refuse to recommend you if this happens. Just be honest and upfront about your time commitment, have a willingness to work hard for no pay, and everything will work out. Research is awesome, especially once you're trained up. You'll have the opportunity to present ideas to physicians on a rather equal playing field, which is always nice.

Good luck.

I also volunteer in the ED of MGH...too funny. I wonder how many times we've passed each other?