Official Tufts class of 2010

[miss bean]

Hi All. Finally decided that Tufts is definitely the place for me. Screw Dartmouth and their stupid waitlist. I would rather live in a city, anyway.

I went up for a second look and met some very laid-back, cool people who had great things to say about TUSM, so I am pretty excited. They also seemed to think that even if you do not go for the whole pre-matriculation summer program, that you can drop in on some classes whenever you move to Boston, as many people who signed up originally stopped going after a few weeks. i am going to look into that since I will be moving in late July/early August. Actually, i just signed a lease for a place in the South End, 10 minute walk to school, has a backyard for my doggies, and a dog park at the end of the block. I could not be happier.

My Financial Aid package, however. Lets just say that i definitely COULD be happier. Lots and Lots and Lots of loans. Oh well. being from NH/DC I have no state school, so i knew I would be headed for a lot of debt.

I am going to submit an application for the MD/MPH. Does anyone know if i need to re-submit financial aid?

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[BubbleWand1]

Hey everyone!

Congrats on getting in to Tufts! I just finished my first year at tufts med a few days ago and so if anyone has any questions about housing/orientation/school in general, I would be more than happy to answer them for you! Enjoy the summer!

 

[PhillyMD2006]

i'll bet you are glad to be done with your 1st year. a couple of quick questions...

a) what is the ideal area to live in, in terms of affordability and location?
b) is Posner Hall really that bad?
c) is it true that you can sign up for the orientation and if you don't like it basically just stop going without any repercussions?

 

[markss22411]

Does anyone know what orientation consists of? Or at least what it consisted of last year? Thanks.

 

[isobel]

i'll bet you are glad to be done with your 1st year. a couple of quick questions...

a) what is the ideal area to live in, in terms of affordability and location?
b) is Posner Hall really that bad?
c) is it true that you can sign up for the orientation and if you don't like it basically just stop going without any repercussions?

i was pretty sure that orientation is mandatory.... not something you sign up for.

 

[PhillyMD2006]

i was pretty sure that orientation is mandatory.... not something you sign up for.

sorry, i meant pre-matriculation summer program and not orientation. thanks, isobel.

bubblewand1, still waiting for a response. and again, i'm asking about the pre-matriculation summer program and not the orientation.

 

[oneaat]

do people think it's a better idea to find housing in early june or in early august (i'm out of the coutry in between)? most of the places i've seen online start their terms either 7/1 or 9/1, which doesn't help me very much - i might just have to shell out a month's rent on a place i won't be habitating. any advice?

 

[jem26]

wow i just discovered this, I am extremely slow. I am also a little worried about housing, since I am going to be out of the country for the majority of the summer. I thought the dorm might be my best bet because of this, but im not really looking forward to a year there. Any suggestions or advice? Also, is anyone looking into the MD/MPH?

 

[BubbleWand1]

Hey everyone,

Okay - so housing first. My classmates live all around the city - I live in Beacon Hill, which is about a mile away from a school (or 15-20 min on the T, depending on the trains). I'm actually moving next year because I'm trying to find a bigger apartment - some popular locations are:
- right around tufts (a bunch of ppl live in the metropolitan (expensive but very convenient) and in a couple of buildings on boylston street (again, very convenient, pricey and not on the best block)
- anywhere on the green line - the further out you get, the cheaper and bigger the apartments are generally - so there you're sacrificing convenience/walking distances for price/size
(W/ the green line - in case you're not aware, it splits up into the B, C, D, and E lines - the E goes to Northeastern and a few ppl live in that neighborhood, the C and D lines are the fastest because the B goes all the way through to BU and it just takes forever) - Coolidge Corner seems to be a popular spot to live around
- south boston (you have take the bus to school, but it doesn't seem to be a problem for anyone who does it, and the apartments there are really nice)

A few ppl live out in Cambridge (not too bad a commute, cheaper apartments), some ppl live on the orange line (malden, jamaica plain), and a few ppl who are married,have kids live further out of the city.

So as you can see, it varies. There's really no ideal location because it depends on how much you are willing to pay and what your most important concerns are. Last year, I wanted to be close and so I live in one of the best areas of the city but my apartment is tiny and I want something bigger for next year so I'm willing to commute longer but have a bigger space. All about what you want. In terms of Posner, the convenience can't be beat (ppl literally stroll into class in pajamas w/ cereal bowls and coffee mugs) but at the same time, it's like a dorm and pretty much everyone moves out after first year. So, Posner isn't bad if you don't mind communal bathrooms and kitchens. It seems like a lot of ppl chose to live there if they didn't have time to come to Boston to look for apartments (I found one in a day so its totally possible) or weren't sure what the best locations in the city were.

One thing that helps in terms of finding a location is to go to www.mbta.com and go to Trip Planning - you can figure out how long it will take to get to school from wherever you're looking and it's fairly accurate.

W/ the pre-matriculation program, a few ppl did it but the impression I got is that they learned a few things but basically stopped going to class eventually. I'm not sure that it's that useful and not that many people do it but you do get to meet some future classmates through it. My advice - enjoy your summer, have fun - the schoolwork will start soon enough.

Orientation itself is a lot of fun - the stuff during the day is kinda boring (lots of housekeeping, paperwork, getting to know the school) but there's social stuff planned every night, which are really a lot of fun. you actually need to attend most of the stuff throughout the day but it really isn't that bad.

let me know if you have more questions!

 

[BubbleWand1]

do people think it's a better idea to find housing in early june or in early august (i'm out of the coutry in between)? most of the places i've seen online start their terms either 7/1 or 9/1, which doesn't help me very much - i might just have to shell out a month's rent on a place i won't be habitating. any advice?

I've been looking on craigslist lately and it does list a lot of apartments as being 7/1 or 9/1 but the august ones will start popping up soon (right after June) - you should easily be able to find an August rental!

 

[tenaciousB]

hi all, just signed up for this site and didn't bother to read all the pages of info. probable (maybe 90% chance) member of class of '10 at Tufts. anybody looking for roommates? i'd prefer other med students (i.e. you guys) because i imagine they'd be more in line with hours awake, study habits, etc.

right now i'm looking in allston/brighton because it's a fairly convenient commute and most likely the cheapest neighborhood inside the city limits that's completely safe. if you might be interested contact me. living with either sex is OK with me. (i'm a guy)

and see the rest of you in august.

 

[jem26]

thanks for the advice bubblewand1, I guess I will just see what happens...if the timing doesn't work out for me at most I would only live in the dorm for one year anyway so it wouldn't be the worst. You're not doing a dual degree are you?

 

[PhillyMD2006]

anyone receiving any housing forms for Posner yet? i noticed some info was updated on the accepted students website.

 

[BubbleWand1]

thanks for the advice bubblewand1, I guess I will just see what happens...if the timing doesn't work out for me at most I would only live in the dorm for one year anyway so it wouldn't be the worst. You're not doing a dual degree are you?

No problem! I'm just getting an MD. but the dual degree is very doable - a lot of ppl do it, without any problem.

 

[emtji]

I just checked the calender for 2006- 2007 and noticed that the White Coat Ceremony is scheduled for Sept 9. Should I be inviting my parents to attend?

thanks

yes

 

[PhillyMD2006]

Anyone get any housing forms for Posner? I suppose I could call the school, but that would require me moving from my chair and I'm too lazy to do so.

 

[tenaciousB]

What is the dorm like? On our tour we didn't have time to go in.

I'm sure it's the most convenient option, at least a little easier than finding our own place in the city, but it's hard to fathom going back to dorm life after spending time in a place of one's own. I vaguely remember it being described as equal to the quality of a typical college freshman dorm, but maybe someone can correct me on this or elaborate. Also, is it expensive, and do they kick everybody out during summer/other breaks?

Thanks a mil to the answerer (is that a word?) of these questions.

 

[psulli4]

pictures of posner are on the housing page on the selected website. info about posner, with contact numbers for the housing app is:
http://www.tufts.edu/med/admissions/selected/2006_posner_hall.pdf

 

[ShineyShoes]

Hey everyone, looks like I'll be joining you at Tufts next year. I was wondering if anyone had emailed the housing coordinator yet? I really haven't the slightest idea about how to go about the housing search, I have only ever been to Boston twice, never for more than a full day.
Best Regards,
Jonathan

 

[jem26]

What is the dorm like? On our tour we didn't have time to go in.

I'm sure it's the most convenient option, at least a little easier than finding our own place in the city, but it's hard to fathom going back to dorm life after spending time in a place of one's own. I vaguely remember it being described as equal to the quality of a typical college freshman dorm, but maybe someone can correct me on this or elaborate. Also, is it expensive, and do they kick everybody out during summer/other breaks?

Thanks a mil to the answerer (is that a word?) of these questions.

I met with the RA of the dorm for a tour a little while ago to see what it was like....it is definitely a "typical freshman dorm". The rooms are good sized singles, but there are communal bathrooms and kitchens. There is also a common room and an exercise room. The people I met there seem to really like it though, and a lot of the first years are planning to stay another year, so the RA seems to think that only 10-15 rooms are going to open up for this year. During the summer it is used for the summer programs, so the contract is from September to May. I think you can read all of the other details online.

 

[LMK2010]

Hey everyone, looks like I'll be joining you at Tufts next year. I was wondering if anyone had emailed the housing coordinator yet? I really haven't the slightest idea about how to go about the housing search, I have only ever been to Boston twice, never for more than a full day.
Best Regards,
Jonathan

craigslist.org

And check out the previous posts about housing. Im living right outside boston right now, and Im planning on staying in my apartment next year. So let me know if you have any questions!

 

[PhillyMD2006]

I met with the RA of the dorm for a tour a little while ago to see what it was like....it is definitely a "typical freshman dorm". The rooms are good sized singles, but there are communal bathrooms and kitchens. There is also a common room and an exercise room. The people I met there seem to really like it though, and a lot of the first years are planning to stay another year, so the RA seems to think that only 10-15 rooms are going to open up for this year. During the summer it is used for the summer programs, so the contract is from September to May. I think you can read all of the other details online.

that's kinda strange that they let 2nd years stay in the dorm as well. since space is limited, you would think they would let all 1st years who want to live there, live there and then pass on the extra rooms to 2nd years. just my two cents.

 

[silas2642]

I met with the RA of the dorm for a tour a little while ago to see what it was like....it is definitely a "typical freshman dorm". The rooms are good sized singles, but there are communal bathrooms and kitchens. There is also a common room and an exercise room. The people I met there seem to really like it though, and a lot of the first years are planning to stay another year, so the RA seems to think that only 10-15 rooms are going to open up for this year. During the summer it is used for the summer programs, so the contract is from September to May. I think you can read all of the other details online.

Wow, that kind of concerns me. I just sent in my deposit and contract yesterday; I really hope that it was early enough to get a room.

I thought that most of the med students hated the dorms and tried to move out asap. I guess I find it kind of hard to believe that 75% of the med students in the dorm want to stay there for another year. I have no intentions of staying there past my first year.

 

[gdizzle]

Hey guys, I'll be attending Tufts this Fall. I've been living in and around Boston since I was little, so I know a lot about the area. So if you have any questions concerning housing and the different areas of Boston, feel free to contact me. I was just looking at the housing guide that they gave us during the interview, and they left out a lot of information that I think is important when deciding where to live (ie high crime areas... etc.). So, I'm just throwing that out there.


See you all in the Fall!

 

[MAMD]

I was just accepted off of the waitlist and am looking for a roomate for next year. I just graduated BU undergrad and would like to live in the immediate area of Tufts (although it may be a little more expensive) Let me know if you're interested. I Look forward to meeting all of you in August. Feel free to PM me.

Adam

 

[chris.russo]

Hello, All! I will be joining you in the Class of 2010 and I am excited by the interest of people who have already posted!

I am a Boston-native, born and raised in Jamaica Plain, went to school locally (Harvard) and live now in Jamaica Plain. I just wanted to add a few things:

#1) Jamaica Plain is a GREAT place to live. It is a neighborhood of Boston and very close (by T or bike) to the downtown/Tufts area, yet, to be in it, you feel miles away. It is the most diverse neighborhood in the city and boasts some spectacular natural resources like the Jamaica Pond and Arnold Arboretum. Those are great places to jog, bike, walk dogs, sail, etc. Jamaica Plain is relatively affordable and there are great deals because the houses here are quite large (remnants of when the land was largely farmland and populated by wealthy Bostonians). Best of all, Jamaica Plain has four orange line stops (Forest Hills through Jackson Square) and Tufts is right on the Orange Line.

#2) MBTA. Subway service is great in Boston, you can easily get around wherever you need to go. The Orange Line is the fastest of the trains, but it goes through some pretty challenged areas. DO NOT just think if an apartment is on the Orange Line it is good, the stop is most critical. I'd recommend choosing in order:

Group A: Green Street, Stony Brook
Group B: Forest Hills, Back Bay
Group C (be careful): Jackson Square, Roxbury Crossing, Mass Ave.
Group D: (do not choose) Ruggles

As a native, if you are concerned about a potential apartment's location, let me know, I can tell you my experiences with the area, and maybe even take pictures if you'd like!

#3) The Green Line is OK, but bear in mind that the Green Line splits into B, C, D, and E lines, and the B, C, E lines are above ground and have to compete with car traffic, so the commute can be pretty variable, and downright frustrating if you are trying to get somewhere on time. All of the lines merge and you'd get off at Boylston Street for Tufts and it's a 5-minute walk.

#4) The South End is walking distance to campus but bear in mind that apartments are usually overpriced because of its location and the competition with BU medical students/doctors. Also, the walk to Tufts is not one I'd advise at nighttime (although you could take a longer walk-around route that is safer). There is a bus called the Silver Line, part of the MBTA which stops right at Tufts.

#5) Somewhere earlier on this board I read about the Tufts board scores. My recollection was that Tufts students match at residencies that are generally better than they "ought to" based on their board scores because the clinical training at Tufts is so well-respected. One could conclude that Tufts students, therefore, must not do as well relative to their peers on their Boards, but a) that may not necessarily true, and b) the end result of matching is what really matters.

#6) The Tufts PSP was one of the pioneering programs in the country and the woman who organizes it, Colleen Romain, enthusiastically recommended it to me. I've only begun to know her but for those of you who haven't met her yet, you are in for a real treat as she is the personfication of a selfless, caring individual who desires our (that is, us students) success in medical school and will work tirelessly to do that.

#7) For those interested, according to the schedule last year, these were the following exams offered right at the start of school: Molecular Bio Optional Exemption Exam; Biochemistry Optional Exemption Exam;
Cell, Tissue, And Organ Biology Optional Exemption Exam. I know nothing about these exams, what scores you need to opt out, how many people opt out every year, etc., so any other thoughts people have are appreciated.

Glad to begin to know some of you through SDN!

Christopher Russo, Class of 2010

 

[chris.russo]

I forgot to mention, I read some people talk about the expensive cost of Tufts, but, state schools aside, there is very little difference among the top schools. For the top 30 most expensive medical schools (ranked by tuition plus fees) according to US News, the difference between #1 Tufts and #30 Vanderbilt is 7.5K. Of course, 7.5K x 4 years x interest on the loan, etc. is nothing at which to sneeze, but we're not talking as if Tufts is twice as expensive as everyone else with regard to private schools!

Chris

 

[tenaciousB]

Chris,

Do you mean that the average board score of a Tufts graduate (now a resident, of course, in X program) is just perhaps lower than many other residents in the same program, or that Tufts students as a whole score below the national average? #1 is good for us obviously, #2 is a little concerning. From what I gather the students here work themselves to death, so laziness shouldn't be a factor. Our average MCATs were decent, although perhaps the early decision program drives them down somewhat because the people who get in that way probably don't need to take the prep courses like regular applicants.

Also, only Step 1 scores are taken into account for residency apps, right?

 

[chris.russo]

Chris,

Do you mean that the average board score of a Tufts graduate (now a resident, of course, in X program) is just perhaps lower than many other residents in the same program, or that Tufts students as a whole score below the national average? #1 is good for us obviously, #2 is a little concerning. From what I gather the students here work themselves to death, so laziness shouldn't be a factor. Our average MCATs were decent, although perhaps the early decision program drives them down somewhat because the people who get in that way probably don't need to take the prep courses like regular applicants.

Also, only Step 1 scores are taken into account for residency apps, right?

Perhaps I should clarify, again with the caveat that this is my understanding from what I heard and from what the medical students on my interview day relayed.

The point was raised as a testament to how good the clinical education is at Tufts relative to other schools. So, the implication was that residency directors, knowing that Tufts trains excellent clinicians, choose Tufts students in a proportion greater than going strictly by board scores would indicate (of course, factors other than board scores are considered, as well). I don’t think that means Tufts students do not get good board scores, but rather that we will get a justified benefit from going to Tufts in how we are perceived.

Chris

 

[BubbleWand1]

Wow, that kind of concerns me. I just sent in my deposit and contract yesterday; I really hope that it was early enough to get a room.

I thought that most of the med students hated the dorms and tried to move out asap. I guess I find it kind of hard to believe that 75% of the med students in the dorm want to stay there for another year. I have no intentions of staying there past my first year.

Hey..I'm going to be a second year and as far as I know, everyone who wanted a room last year got one. and also 75% of the med students dont stay in posner - the majority move out!

 

[silas2642]

Hey..I'm going to be a second year and as far as I know, everyone who wanted a room last year got one. and also 75% of the med students dont stay in posner - the majority move out!

What did you do for housing last year? Did you live in an apartment, and if so how did you find a roomate? Do they try to match you up with compatible people?

 

[tenaciousB]

Yeah, that's good to know. I don't know if there are any data out there on board scores and how Tufts students do, but the residency match list had a lot of impressive-sounding placements, at least for the class of 2005. Maybe Tufts writes really great deans' letters for everybody, not just for a select few like at some other institutions. It's heartening that the faculty and administration support the students and actually want us to succeed (yep, it seems almost too good to be true).

Do any of you know if Tufts is really good at getting its graduates into academic medicine, as opposed to private practice? Residency probably matters more than med school when it comes to this, but just curious.

 

[emtji]

Yeah, that's good to know. I don't know if there are any data out there on board scores and how Tufts students do, but the residency match list had a lot of impressive-sounding placements, at least for the class of 2005. Maybe Tufts writes really great deans' letters for everybody, not just for a select few like at some other institutions. It's heartening that the faculty and administration support the students and actually want us to succeed (yep, it seems almost too good to be true).

Do any of you know if Tufts is really good at getting its graduates into academic medicine, as opposed to private practice? Residency probably matters more than med school when it comes to this, but just curious.

1. Private practice vs academics: more personality dependent than residency dependent. Where you go to med school has nothing to do with this.

2. Tufts does a great job of putting people into very good residencies. Average students here go to "top tier" residency programs. And the administration is very supportive of its students with respect to the match. However, the advising in the less travelled, more competitive fields (radiology, ophtho) could be better.

3. Board scores: my impression is that we're around the national average, if not a couple of points better. But Tufts prepares you VERY well for the step 1. The preclinical years are definately up to snuff. They give you all you need to do well- how hard you work in years 1 and 2 determines how well you do. I was 250+ (close to two SD's over the mean). I'm probably somewhere in the top 25% of the class with preclinical and clinical grades accounted for.

 

[emtji]

#6) The Tufts PSP was one of the pioneering programs in the country and the woman who organizes it, Colleen Romain, enthusiastically recommended it to me. I've only begun to know her but for those of you who haven't met her yet, you are in for a real treat as she is the personfication of a selfless, caring individual who desires our (that is, us students) success in medical school and will work tirelessly to do that.

#7) For those interested, according to the schedule last year, these were the following exams offered right at the start of school: Molecular Bio Optional Exemption Exam; Biochemistry Optional Exemption Exam;
Cell, Tissue, And Organ Biology Optional Exemption Exam. I know nothing about these exams, what scores you need to opt out, how many people opt out every year, etc., so any other thoughts people have are appreciated.

Glad to begin to know some of you through SDN!

Christopher Russo, Class of 2010

And also,
6. Colleen is wonderful.
7. Very few folks take the opt out exams. They're hard and the criteria for opting out are much higher than passing the class. Opting out by taking the test implies that you're damn near smart enough to teach it. I took the mol bio exam and bombed it.

 

[usrael]

Hello future classmates.

Looking forward to meeting y'all.
I just returned from Ethiopia and now I'm trying to catch up on loans, housing and many other issues considering I'm making a big move from Israel. This makes it more challenging but also much more exciting.

I wanted to call on the help of the native Bostonians...
I believe I may have found a housemate who fits my criteria and while it all seems rosy, I prefer to hear some feedback from other people familiar with the area. Especially since I'm doing this long-distance.

The price asked was 700$ + utilities.
We're talking about a victorian 2 unit, where we would share the bottom unit while the owners live on top. 2 bdrm apt., large kitchen and beautiful garden.
5 minutes from red-line stop, 10 minutes from Harvard sq. and a quick walk to the river.

My biggest concern is neighborhood safety and noise.
Can anyone vouch for this area? I am attaching a satellite link.
Jay st. in Central Sq.


Central Sq. Cambridge Apt. - Satellite image


Thanks so much!!
See you all soon.

~tzalli

 

[chris.russo]

Hello future classmates.

Looking forward to meeting y'all.
I just returned from Ethiopia and now I'm trying to catch up on loans, housing and many other issues considering I'm making a big move from Israel. This makes it more challenging but also much more exciting.

I wanted to call on the help of the native Bostonians...
I believe I may have found a housemate who fits my criteria and while it all seems rosy, I prefer to hear some feedback from other people familiar with the area. Especially since I'm doing this long-distance.

The price asked was 700$ + utilities.
We're talking about a victorian 2 unit, where we would share the bottom unit while the owners live on top. 2 bdrm apt., large kitchen and beautiful garden.
5 minutes from red-line stop, 10 minutes from Harvard sq. and a quick walk to the river.

My biggest concern is neighborhood safety and noise.
Can anyone vouch for this area? I am attaching a satellite link.
Jay st. in Central Sq.


Central Sq. Cambridge Apt. - Satellite image


Thanks so much!!
See you all soon.

~tzalli

Hi,

1) The apartment in nicely situated, with a short walk to a Whole Foods, and a slightly longer walk to a Trader Joe's for groceries. It is close to the river if you are a runner/biker and close to the MBTA to get into school (Red Line, inbound, to South Station).

2) Safety...there is a police station right down the street. However, I would not classify this as a particularly safe area or one where you would feel comfortable walking around late at night. As an example, a friend lives on the cross street (Western Avenue, which is a fairly busy street) and her car's tires were slashed, along with several other cars on the street, a month ago.

3) If you have other options, I'd explore them. The Central Square area in and of itself is not bad, but try and stay north of Massachusetts Avenue rather than closer to the river.

That's just my opinion, so others may have a different perspective.

Chris

P.S. In case you don't have one, here's a picture of the property:
http://www.cambridgema.gov/fiscalaffairs/PropertyDetail.cfm?PropertyId=9466

 

[usrael]

Hi,

1) The apartment in nicely situated, with a short walk to a Whole Foods, and a slightly longer walk to a Trader Joe's for groceries. It is close to the river if you are a runner/biker and close to the MBTA to get into school (Red Line, inbound, to South Station).

2) Safety...there is a police station right down the street. However, I would not classify this as a particularly safe area or one where you would feel comfortable walking around late at night. As an example, a friend lives on the cross street (Western Avenue, which is a fairly busy street) and her car's tires were slashed, along with several other cars on the street, a month ago.

3) If you have other options, I'd explore them. The Central Square area in and of itself is not bad, but try and stay north of Massachusetts Avenue rather than closer to the river.

That's just my opinion, so others may have a different perspective.

Chris

P.S. In case you don't have one, here's a picture of the property:
http://www.cambridgema.gov/fiscalaffairs/PropertyDetail.cfm?PropertyId=9466

Thanks Chris. Your remarks were very helpful. My criteria for a roomate include a Kosher diet, and since "Kosher" roomates are hard to come by I may need to compromise my location. In this case its "Kosher, Kosher, kosher"

 

[tenaciousB]

Well certainly personality determines interest in private practice vs. academic medicine, but academics is much harder to get into. It seems like you need the best of everything, med school, residency, etc. to even have a shot at academic medicine if you want to do it.

If you've ever looked at faculty lists at medical schools it seems like almost all of them went to the big-name schools and had top-tier residencies. Sure there are plenty of those types who end up in private practice, but there are probably a lot of doctors who were interested in academics but couldn't get their foot in the door.

Fortunately it seems like Tufts doesn't hurt us when it comes to this issue, so it's not a real concern. Yeah, it's nice to finally be going to a place that gives us a leg up instead of a kick down...

 

[emtji]

Well certainly personality determines interest in private practice vs. academic medicine, but academics is much harder to get into. It seems like you need the best of everything, med school, residency, etc. to even have a shot at academic medicine if you want to do it.

If you've ever looked at faculty lists at medical schools it seems like almost all of them went to the big-name schools and had top-tier residencies. Sure there are plenty of those types who end up in private practice, but there are probably a lot of doctors who were interested in academics but couldn't get their foot in the door.

Fortunately it seems like Tufts doesn't hurt us when it comes to this issue, so it's not a real concern. Yeah, it's nice to finally be going to a place that gives us a leg up instead of a kick down...

alot of specialties (anesthesia and radiology come to mind) can't keep anyone in the academic realm. Far far too much money in private practice to turn down.

 

[LMK2010]

So, what is everyone doing for the summer?

 

[chris.russo]

So, what is everyone doing for the summer?

I work at a scientific consulting firm (also known as a contract research organization), so I'll be finishing my job there. I'll also be doing the Pre-matriculation Summer Program that starts on July 10th, which means I'll most likely be doing double-duty for a while until all my projects are complete at my job.

On a side note, for those coming early to Boston, there are many free fun things to do in the city, from jazz concerts, to blues concerts, to outdoor swing dancing, to outdoor movies, etc. And, Boston is a great city to explore, particularly in the summer when you can enjoy the nice weather! (I'm actually leading scavenger hunts through Boston on Saturday, and we'll hit some of those spots.)

Chris

 

[tenaciousB]

Doing the whole research thing for a fifth straight summer. Yeah, gets a little old after a while. But working all these summers convinced me I was best off going to med school straight out of college (assuming I'd get in), because I don't think I could stand spending an entire year or two being a lab rat.

Everyone says the best thing to do the summer before medical school is absolutely nothing. They're probably right.

 

[isobel]

Doing the whole research thing for a fifth straight summer. Yeah, gets a little old after a while. But working all these summers convinced me I was best off going to med school straight out of college (assuming I'd get in), because I don't think I could stand spending an entire year or two being a lab rat.

Everyone says the best thing to do the summer before medical school is absolutely nothing. They're probably right.

completing my 3rd year working full time as a "lab rat".

 

[usrael]

Just a tip for all the long distance apartment searchers.
I came across a site that trumps google maps and wanted to share it.
It gives a birds eye view (as opposed to typical satellite) and allows you to check out the surrounding neighborhood as well as the apartment/house you are interested in.

try it out. Plug in an address on the top of the screen and then click birds eye view. pretty amazing.

local.live.com

want to see your future school?
http://local.live.com/?v=2&sp=aN.r1rgfx92bc09_136%2520Harrison%2520Ave%252c%2520Boston%252c%2520MA%252002111%252c%2520United%2520States___


its a bit slow to open but worth the wait.

 

[wilson bitt]

So, what is everyone doing for the summer?

I am out of my research job as of last week...now I get to enjoy one last summer in the sun and work as the director of a local recreation tennis program (in Weston).

This is my first time writing to this list, just recently decided Tufts would be the one (versus Einstein), and I am thrilled not to have to move and stay in Boston, and to still keep my watchful eye on the ever up-and-down Red Sox. As far as living goes for out-of-towners, I highly recommend Brighton. I have been living in Brighton near Cleveland Circle for the past couple years, and you have easy green line accessibility to downtown, but still get to live in a more reasonably priced area with predominantly young people. You can survive on foot, but also drive out to newton, brookline, etc. to do errands, and hit grocery stores, movie theatres, etc. I think it is a solid place for grad students and young professionals, especially if you don't want to pay downtown money.

So, maybe some of us in Boston currently should get together to grab a beer some time in the near future. Significant others, friends, welcome of course, but would be a good chance to get together before orientation gets going.

 

[LMK2010]

I'm happy to hear that other people will be working this summer as well! I was starting to worry that I would be the only shmuck stuck at work.

Im currently living in Brighton too.... I'll be around this summer for a pre-orientation get-together.

 

[silas2642]

So, what is everyone doing for the summer?

I'm working as a tech at a local hospital. Ended up working more than I expected to this summer because one of the full time girls quit. I'm not totally sure if that's good or bad. It gives me less time to shadow but more money, and being required to be somewhere for x amount of time guarantees I'll stay out of trouble.

Anyone else a little nervous about starting up? I'm just afraid that I'm going to be the dumbest one in the entire class!

 

[usrael]

I'm working as a tech at a local hospital. Ended up working more than I expected to this summer because one of the full time girls quit. I'm not totally sure if that's good or bad. It gives me less time to shadow but more money, and being required to be somewhere for x amount of time guarantees I'll stay out of trouble.

Anyone else a little nervous about starting up? I'm just afraid that I'm going to be the dumbest one in the entire class!

Ya, I'm nervous. Especially since my sis recently got engaged and the wedding date is....sept. 13th (overseas--plural). Thats smack in the middle of the FIRST batch of exams. I love her anyway

 

[silas2642]

Ya, I'm nervous. Especially since my sis recently got engaged and the wedding date is....sept. 13th (overseas--plural). Thats smack in the middle of the FIRST batch of exams. I love her anyway

That really sucks. Are you going to be able to make the wedding? That is going to be some serious jetlag my friend.

 

[usrael]

That really sucks. Are you going to be able to make the wedding? That is going to be some serious jetlag my friend.

Sure I'll make the wedding. I'm looking forward to the challenge. My biggest problem is that I NEVER sleep when I fly, and in this case I really need those zzzzz's.