Who We Are
Welcome to Harvard Medical School
The study of medicine is a powerful integration of science, technologies, experience, and experiment that enables students to alleviate human pain and suffering wherever in the world it may occur. At its finest, it is a quest to improve the human condition. To study medicine at Harvard is to prepare to play a leading role in this quest.
For over two centuries, Harvard Medical School has excelled not only in teaching the practice of medicine but also in bringing out the best in those who practice it. At HMS, students can pursue their individual interests, find their calling, and discover how they can change the fabric of medicine, science, and society.
Unlimited Learning Opportunities
Our MD program provides two curricular tracks, Pathways and Health Sciences & Technology (HST), enabling students to plan their path to the MD degree according to their own strengths and interests. Students in both tracks engage in interactive learning with faculty and peers. HMS offers more than 200 elective courses, several combined degree programs, and opportunities to cross-register in courses throughout Harvard University.
Synergy in Service & Research
HMS offers an incredible variety of research and service opportunities created by the unique synergy between HMS, our many Boston-based affiliate institutions, MIT, and renowned partner institutions around the world. With the support of the Scholars in Medicine Office, HMS students engage with the most critical issues in health care across the US and abroad as they practice compassionate community service and innovative research.
Celebration of Diversity
The Office of Student Affairs and Office of Recruitment & Multicultural Affairs foster an inclusive environment that is supportive of students from diverse backgrounds and that deeply enriches life at HMS. Students may join a large number of identity groups, including NAHO (Native American Health Organization), LAHMS (LGBT and Allies at HMS), and Harvard chapters of SNMA, LMSA, and APAMSA. Each spring our first-year class produces FABRIC, a show that demonstrates the School’s – and students’ – commitment to diversity, unity, and equity. You can watch the 2018 FABRIC show here- Rèn: Act One and Rèn: Act Two.
Culture of Support
Every aspect of an HMS education is designed to encourage collaboration rather than competition. In the required preclerkship and principal clinical years at HMS, students are graded on a pass/fail basis, a structural strategy that allows them to focus on becoming leaders in improving patient care rather than focusing on class rank. A program dedicated to promoting wellness in the HMS community has been launched by the Dean for Students and Dean for Medical Education. The Academic Societies provide a community-based approach to learning and ensure students benefit from the full range of HMS advising resources and support services.
“If you want to bring the insights of the basic and social sciences to the benefit of fellow human beings, there has never been a better time to be in medicine. We are delighted that you are interested in Harvard Medical School.”
Edward M. Hundert, MD
Dean for Medical Education