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In with the New: Geisel Welcomes First-Year Medical Students

Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine ushered in a new academic year by welcoming 92 new medical students to campus this week for orientation. The Class of 2019 brings with it diverse backgrounds and experiences, as well as a record of academic achievement and service around the world. It is the medical school’s 219th class since it was founded at Dartmouth in 1797.

“I am very pleased to welcome this new group of students to Geisel,” said Duane Compton, PhD, interim dean of the Geisel School of Medicine.  “Collectively, they have a remarkable record of scholarly achievement, yet each individual in the group brings a unique and powerful perspective.  I know that the faculty and staff are eager to work with them.”

The 90 MD and two MD-PhD students represent a small percentage of the almost 6,000 who completed applications to Geisel via the American Medical College Application Service.  About one-third of the class already hold advanced degrees, including 23 master’s degrees, one law degree and two PhDs. Most have participated in research and one-third of the class has authored a published scientific paper. Nearly half the class has participated in research and health-care activities in more than 30 different countries.

While classes don’t officially start until next week, the first-year medical students will spend this week in a variety of orientation activities, including team-building exercises and time to get acquainted with each other, as well as with Dartmouth, the local community, and a few of the many community service opportunities.

The Class of 2019 will be the first at Geisel to participate in an expanded Health Care Delivery Science (HCDS) and Population Health course that will span the first two years of the medical curriculum and be led by some of the nation’s leading HCDS faculty.  The content covers the knowledge and skills for critical appraisal of medical evidence, analysis and improvement of systems of care, understanding the context in which medicine is practiced, and the skills necessary for teamwork, collaboration, and leadership.  The HCDS curriculum continues with integrated experiences in the core clinical clerkships and a capstone experience in Year 4.

“Just as biomedical and clinical science courses build proficiency in addressing the clinical challenges of individual patients, this new Health Care Delivery Science course will develop in students the knowledge and capabilities to address issues that compromise the health of communities and populations, and to tackle problems that reduce the effectiveness and value of healthcare services,” said Greg Ogrinc, MD, MS, Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education at Geisel.

Interesting facts about Geisel’s Class of 2019:

  • The 92 students were selected from almost 6,000 applicants to Geisel
  • Dartmouth is the most represented college with nine graduates
  • 27 students were born outside the United States, with six born in China and five in Canada
  • Members of this class have already earned 23 master’s degrees, one law degree, and two PhDs – one in Molecular and Cellular Genetics and the other in Developmental and Molecular Biology
  • Most of the class has participated in research, with one-third listed as an author on a scientific paper
  • Members of the class have worked or interned with the Centers for Disease Control, National Institutes for Health, World Health Organization, and the American Association of Medical Colleges
  • 11 members of the class are emergency medical technicians
  • Six members of the class were captains of intercollegiate athletic teams, including one who won back-to-back NCAA Division III hockey titles. Two students also played professional hockey in Europe.