Student Life
Some of the ways students formally get involved with many aspects of the program include:
1. Student Government
The program is sufficiently large that the MD/PhD students organize their own student government that manages social activities, speakers, communications and interaction with the administration.
2. MD/PhD Career Development Events
These events usually occur on the first and third Monday of the month and are run by the student government social committee. The events are usually split between students speakers and social events. For a complete calendar, see here:
a. Rotation Talks: M2 and G1 students are required to give formal presentations on their laboratory rotations from the previous summer. These give students an opportunity to practice presenting their research. These talks also expose the student body to the variety of labs on campus and the projects and techniques that fellow students are working on.
b.Panel Discussions: Senior students present their perspective on key issues for junior MD/PhD students, including advice on coping with the work load in BUSM I and II, preparing for USMLE Step 1, choosing laboratories, the scheduling of clinical rotations, and applying for residencies and fellowships.
c. Round Robin Research Presentations: Graduate students present five minute brief overviews of their projects. These are a great way to hear about different techniques and projects that students in the program are working on. They also give the M1 and M2 students ideas for labs that they might not have considered or known about.
d. Clinical Case Presentations: M3 and M4 students present interesting cases that they have encountered on their clinical rotations to the community in a “rounds” style interactive format.
3. MD/PhD Grand Rounds
The student-organized seminar series occurs once a month during the Fall and Spring semesters and seeks to recruit physician scientists at varying stages of their careers. This give students the chance to hear a range of perspectives, from residents and fellows to experienced leaders that have excelled in their fields and offer different perspectives on career paths and choices after completing the BUSM MD/PhD program.
4. Retreats
The annual retreat is a student-planned initiative attended by all members of the MD/PhD training program. Students interact and learn from their colleagues in all years during this event. The retreat includes a keynote speaker (usually an alum of the program), several student scientific and clinical presentations, and a poster session where M2s and all students in the graduate phase of the program present research from their labs or rotations. The retreat also features an optional off-campus social event. Previous social events have included a Boston Dinner Cruise, outing to Thompson Island, and dinners at various Boston restaurants. Learn more about past and current retreat here.