2017 Residency Programs Showcase

Harvard Affiliated Residency Programs Showcase – September 9, 2017

The Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership, in collaboration with the Harvard-affiliated hospitals, hosted the fourth annual Harvard Affiliated Residency Programs Showcase on September 9, 2017 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 3rd or 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 206 URM medical students registered and more than 100 faculty, trainees and residents of HMS affiliated training programs participated in the Showcase.

The Showcase program began with brief welcome remarks given by Harvard Medical Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership and Harvard affiliated teaching hospitals, followed by resident panel discussion. This year, a residency program directors panel discussion was added to the program. Participating students also had an opportunity to interact with representatives attending hospital exhibit tables. The Showcase ended with the specialty group discussions/networking with faculty, fellows and residents. Specialty groups included Anesthesiology, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Pediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Surgery, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Psychiatry, Radiation Oncology, and Radiology.

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 2018.

Comments from the Showcase participants:

"I was surprised to see so many of program directors, and experienced residents."
 
"I was able to make contacts and network with members of the different psychiatry programs."
 
"I was able to speak candidly with the residents and residency directors, disclose my scores etc. and receive good feedback and honest input on the residency programs (pros/cons) and also how/if I would be a good fit."
 
"The resident and faculty panels, as well as the breakout sessions, were great in helping me find a good fit for me.  I was impressed with the sense of inclusion I felt at the program."
 
"I really enjoyed hearing from all the hospitals and felt very welcomed."
 
"I found the breakout session the most helpful in getting to talk to people about my personal story and to ask about the missions of the different programs."
 
"I thought it was all very helpful, but wish the residency program directors spoke more directly and did not gravitate towards generalized statements like 'you're all more competitive than you think.' "
 
"I am so glad to see other minorities who share similar backgrounds while breaking barriers and seeking higher education at a prestigious school such as Harvard."
 
"Thank you so much for putting this together for us! The event really humanized the individuals at the Harvard-affiliated hospitals and made it easier for me to envision belonging there."
 
"Both the panel discussions and the opportunity to speak directly with program directors provided overview and helped to answer a lot of questions that may have been difficult to answer in a different setting."
 
"I liked the resident panel because it gave me a better look at how happy residents were and why they chose their program.  I appreciated the introductions by each hospital. I felt like I had a better understanding of the lay of the land."