2016 Residency Programs Showcase

Harvard Affiliated Residency Programs Showcase – September 10, 2016

The Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership, in collaboration with the Harvard-affiliated hospitals, hosted the third annual Harvard Affiliated Residency Programs Showcase on September 10, 2016 in the Elements Café of the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School (HMS). As an expansion of the HMS Visiting Clerkship Program, this event provided URM medical students in their 3rdor 4th year from the New England region as well as other states with an opportunity to meet and network with Harvard affiliated residency program training directors, attending physicians, fellows and residents.  It was expected that the participating students would learn more about the residency programs that are offered here at HMS affiliated hospitals through this interactive and informal setting. 

Through our vigorous recruiting effort approximately 140 URM medical students met with more than 80 representatives of training programs for a mutual conversation.

Joan Reede, MD, MPH, MS, MBA, Dean for Diversity and Community Partnership at Harvard Medical School and Alden Landry, MD, MPH, Faculty Assistant Director in the Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership at HMS welcomed everyone to the first Residency Showcase. Faculty and administrators from Cambridge Health Alliance (Richard Pels, MD, Internal Medicine Program Director), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Al Galaburda, MD, Emily Fisher Landau Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience, HMS), Boston Children’s Hospital (Enid Martinez, MD, Instructor in Anesthesia, HMS), Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Michelle  Morse, MD, MPH, Assistant Program Director, Brigham and Women's Internal Medicine Residency), Massachusetts General Hospital (Jocelyn Carter, MD, MPH, Manager of Trainee Affairs, MGH Center for Diversity and Inclusion), Mt. Auburn Hospital (Valerie Stone, MD, MPH, Chair, Department of Medicine) also offered brief remarks to the participating medical students. 

HMS Affiliated Hospitals set up their tables and provided recruitment information. In addition, several specialty groups were held for interested students

The responses from both the hospital training programs and participating students were positive and both groups expressed an interest in attending a similar program in 2017.

Comments from the Showcase participants:

"Talking to residency program directors and residents directly about the Harvard affiliated residency programs. There's a lot you learn from them that you just can't get from reading the website."

"I got to speak to some decision makers in the application process, and this allowed me to learn what my strengths and weaknesses were to a program. The insight into the weaknesses was particularly helpful."

"The number of programs represented, and the information given during the panel was invaluable."

"It was great to see diversity in the programs and I was able to meet with a few residents and faculty."

"The program was set up to achieve those goals. I wish there was more time for questions during the discussion panel."

"The resident panel as super helpful to get an insider perspective from residents about the programs."

"The resident panel as super helpful to get an insider perspective from residents about the programs."

"Networking with faculty and the Q&A. They answered a lot of my questions going into the event."

"I found it very helpful that there was a strong resident turn out in my field (anesthesiology), and that program directors were present and approachable."

"The residents were fantastic! I would have liked if this portion was a little longer."

"Resident panel made me less nervous about the application process and walked me through what to expect during interview season. There were also many useful tips I got from the panel to help during the interview season."

"I think it would be unfair to say an aspect was not as helpful in my perspective as I found all aspects very helpful. Even the short networking time before the main program began was time well spent."