Discover the Intrigue: Top 9 Fun Facts About Harvard Medical School You Never Knew!

1. Humble Beginnings and a Scenic Upgrade

Once upon a scalpel, in a world where not "all doctors are created equal": Harvard Medical School began in 1782 with just a trio of faculty and a handful of students. The prestigious institution now boasts global impact and a picturesque quadrangle, which is quite an upgrade from its origin story in Harvard Hall, Cambridge.
Source => hms.harvard.edu

2. The Truth-Seeking Veritas Shield

Before Harry Potter rocked a lightning bolt, Harvard Medical School sported a triple-threat Veritas shield: Of all symbols to stake claim to Harvard Medical School's graphic identity, the Veritas shield featuring the Latin motto "Veritas" meaning "Truth" on three books can be traced back to President Josiah Quincy's discovery of the original sketch in the Harvard College Archives during the university's Bicentennial celebration in 1836. Ever since, it's been a truth-seeking book club's herald!
Source => harvard.edu

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=> Fun Facts about Occupational-Therapy

3. Work-Life Balance with 60+ Student Groups

Who says med students can't have fun while filling cavities and probing craniums? They're all about bonding, polishing their skills, and curing those extracurricular blues: Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine boast over 60 student groups, covering specialty-focused clubs, community service organizations, academic societies, and social and cultural groups, offering a healthy dose of work-life balance amidst the intensity of their studies.
Source => meded.hms.harvard.edu

4. Prestigious Neighbors in Longwood Medical Center

Wham, bam, thank you Ma'am, signed: Harvard Medical School's esteemed neighbors: Did you know that Harvard Medical School cozies up to some of Boston's most prestigious hospitals, like Brigham and Women's and Boston Children's Hospital? Get a taste of the scholarly action in the 21-acre Longwood Medical Center - a medley of institutions in their own right, including the School of Dental Medicine, School of Public Health, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Joslin Diabetes Center. Go on, dive into a medical mashup ala mode!
Source => bostonplans.org

5. Ancient Wisdom at the Countway Library

Who needs Dr. Google when you've got ancient wisdom by your side?: At Harvard Medical School, the Countway Library is not just the world's largest academic medical library, but it also houses knowledgeable Society Librarians who support students in accessing resources on the history of medicine and offer assistance with evidence-based medicine instruction.
Source => meded.hms.harvard.edu

6. Well-Timed Recesses for a Brain Recharge

Who says med students don't know how to break? Why, they sure do "break a leg," "break the ice," and if anything, have mastered the art of "break-dancing" through semesters: Harvard Medical School is well aware of its students' workload as they juggle professional development, basic life support training, and a multitude of courses, along with gaining hands-on experience through the six-month Principal Clinical Experience (PCE) program; so to keep the momentum high, well-timed winter and spring recesses are thrown in to help these future healers recharge their cerebral batteries.
Source => meded.hms.harvard.edu

7. Hogwarts-Style Magical Transportation

Who needs a magic school bus when you've got Harvard Medical School's transit system? Hogwarts may have platform 9 ¾, but HMS has its own magical transportation powers: Multiple bus routes and shuttle services are available for employees and students, including the LMA Shuttle All-Ride program which allows for free transportation between LMA medical institutions.
Source => campusplanning.hms.harvard.edu

8. Aging Brilliantly with Notable Achievements

Consider Harvard Medical School the Benjamin Button of the medical world – constantly aging but forever young and brilliant: Founded in 1782 and holding the distinguished title of the third oldest medical school in the United States, this fountain of knowledge has produced a whopping 15 Nobel laureates and countless other luminaries in the realm of healthcare and government. World-class research runs through its veins like a finely-aged vintage, with faculty members popping out thousands of published papers a year (like there's no tomorrow) and raking in the dough from the National Institutes of Health. Cheers to that!
Source => masscpr.hms.harvard.edu

9. Wizardly Faculty and Lifesaving Podcasts

If Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry conjured up a medical school, it might look like Harvard Medical School: teeming with over 11,000 “wizardly” faculty members who generously share their health elixirs through the Living Better Living Longer podcast, addressing vital topics from shedding those pesky pounds to taming the COVID-19 beast!
Source => health.harvard.edu