MD, PhD Graduates Encouraged to ‘Lean In’
Typically MD, PhD and MD/PhD graduates are cheered on with plenty of pomp and circumstance by family and friends who gather to celebrate their achievements. While the setting looked different this year, the cause for celebration and cheer remained the same. A virtual ceremony was held again this year to maintain safe physical distancing. Noting that it was not what the School had planned, BU Medical Campus Provost and BUSM Dean Karen Antman, MD, addressed graduates in a prerecorded ceremony, available here. “Commencement is really only the end of the beginning of your education as a physician. Today your diploma is the credential... More
Dr. Rachel Levy-Bell Named New MHCBM Director
Dr. Rachel Levy-Bell will become the new Director for the nationally accredited Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine program, effective July 1, 2021. Dr. Levy-Bell earned a PsyD degree from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, interned at Cook County Hospital (Chicago) and Temple University Hospital (Philadelphia), followed by a post-doctoral appointment at BMC in the Psychiatry department. As a licensed psychologist and educator, she has been MHCBM faculty since 2002, rising to Associate Program Director in 2017 while emphasizing development of clinical training models and culturally competent supervision needs of students, psychiatry residents and social workers at BMC. She has... More
Is Science for Me?
On a mission to empower the BU student community to share their own pathways to science, two Graduate Medical Sciences students teamed up to create: Is Science For Me? M.S. Candidate Raissa Zuim Dantes de Souza and PhD Candidate JoColl Burgess, both in the department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, are gathering short-memoirs about students' socioeconomic status (SES) as it relates to their decision to study science. "Although educational experiences are restricted to individual differences, research has illustrated that SES can influence one's educational attainment and further disparage an individual's academic success," reads the project description. "This project aims to engage... More
SNAP Benefits For Eligible BU Students
Due to a change in federal law, students who filed a 20/21 FAFSA and had an expected family contribution of zero and/or were determined eligible for Federal Work Study – though not necessarily working – may be eligible for SNAP benefits for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. More information about this recent SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefit change and how college students may be temporarily eligible for SNAP is available here. SNAP is a U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service program that provides eligible recipients with a monthly allocation. It enables you to buy food through an EBT... More
Fighting Stress with Care Packages
We care about the wellbeing of our GMS community, and know how hard the ongoing challenge of this pandemic is on all of us. Recently, the GMS Student Affairs, Professional Life, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion offices teamed up with the Wellbeing Project to provide care packages to our students. Items like hot chocolate packs and cookies were intended to help the 200 students who signed up de-stress in time for midterms. "We really enjoyed getting to see so many of our GMS students and provide them with these much-deserved self-care items," said Kimberly Arena, GMS Associate Director of Graduate Affairs. “Midterms... More
Rosie’s Place Donation Drive
The Graduate Medical Science Student Organization (GMSSO), Women's Professional Development Committee (WPDC), Biomedical PhD Student Organization (BPSO) and Minority & International Scientists Organization (MISO) recently co-sponsored a donation drive to benefit Rosie's Place. Rosie's Place was founded in 1974 as the first women’s shelter in the United States. Currently, the organization offers meals and shelter as well as support, housing and education services. These GMS student organizations collected 646 items and 37 ten-piece care kits in total. Items donated ranged from haircare and skincare products, dental hygiene products, hand sanitizer, disposable masks and more. Thank you to our wonderful student groups for organizing... More
Congratulations to the Welcome Back Raffle Winners
After the holiday break, Graduate Medical Sciences decided to hold a "Welcome Back" raffle for our students. 10 lucky winners received a Barnes & Noble gift card to use, to help with either purchasing textbooks or getting some new BU gear to start off the semester. The winners are: Katie Marino Ioanna Yiannakou Silvia Gunderson Kaina Chen Eugenia Cojocaru Shelby Redfield Jennifer Freire Megan Snyder Kelly Wingfield Rebecca Suthard For those who picked up BU merchandise recently, take a picture and tag us on Instagram - we'd love to see your new gear!
Feb. 1 BUMC Winter Storm Advisory
Boston University Medical Campus will be open Monday, Feb. 1, but all classes and exams for BUSM, GMS and SPH will be held remotely. BUSM Medical, PA and GMS students who are assigned to inpatient services or clinics are expected to be present, if possible. Students who are assigned to outpatient services should check with their course director and clinical site. The Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine will follow normal school hours. Classes and exams will be held as currently scheduled, either in-person or remotely, unless otherwise notified by the Office of Academic Affairs. The Simulation Learning Center and Dental Treatment Centers, respectively, will be open for scheduled classes and patient care. GSDM... More
University-wide Wellness Days
Please read over the following two announcements regarding the Boston University Wellness Days for students scheduled for March 18th and March 31st. Announcement from Dr. Jean Morrison, University Provost and Chief Academic Officer Memo to Program Directors from Dr. Stearns-Kurosawa, GMS Associate Dean If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to gmssa@bu.edu.
Memo to Program Directors Re: Wellness Days in March
To: Program Directors From: Deborah Stearns-Kurosawa, PhD, Associate Provost/Dean ad interim Date: January 26, 2021 Subject: Wellness Days in March Dear Colleagues, As you know, the university has decreed March 18 and March 31 as student Wellness Days to help alleviate student stress and compensate somewhat for the loss of spring break. In general, GMS will follow this so students will have two days with no classes, assignments due or exams. That said, we have some latitude from the university because not all our programs can re-schedule on short notice. If your program cannot comply with these dates, please choose other dates that will fit... More