The Geisel School of Medicine has welcomed new students from the medical, Master of Public Health (residential and hybrid), and Health Care Research MS programs to the medical school community. For many, this marked their first steps into the medical and healthcare professions.
MD orientation, where the transition to medical school—and ultimately to becoming a physician—begins, is a much-anticipated weeklong event mixed with excitement and apprehension. Immersed in Geisel’s inclusive community, medical students learned about what to expect during their medical education, service-learning opportunities, and met classmates and faculty. They also learned which of the four houses they will be affiliated with in Geisel’s learning collaboratives—small student-centered collaborative communities (houses) that’s support medical students' personal and professional growth throughout medical school.
Dean Jennifer Hunt welcomed the MD Class of 2030 on their first day. “My journey of becoming is also beginning—becoming the 17th dean of Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine,” she said. Offering words of encouragement, Hunt noted that while there will always be another first day, and each one needs to be ephemeral to be ready for the next, there is no last day although many moments may feel that way. “You’ll forever be on the journey of becoming. You will have countless first days ahead … the first day of becoming a resident, the first day of becoming an independent, capable, and trustworthy physician.”
She concluded saying, “It is with absolute delight that I celebrate our first day together. It is with absolute pride that I envision the future you that I can see, and the glorious career in medicine that you will have.”
Roshini Pinto-Powell, associate dean of admissions, said this journey is one that the Geisel community takes together and encouraged the new medical students to embrace the challenges ahead as opportunities for learning and personal growth. “Character development is at the heart of our mission,” she said. “One of the greatest strengths of the medical school is our close-knit community. Collaboration and teamwork are as crucial in medicine as the knowledge you gain.”
Team building field games—friendly competitions between the four learning collaboratives’ houses—along with a scavenger hunt and wellness and social activities—provided a needed respite during the intensive week.
“Integrating wellness and social activities directly into orientation sends a message to matriculating students that personal wellbeing is not separate from academic success but is the foundation of it,” Erin Anderson, case manager for student wellbeing, said.
“By introducing these habits early, medical and professional graduate schools can normalize seeking balance, building peer support networks, and prioritizing mental health before the intense pressures of the curriculum set in. This proactive approach helps establish resilient coping mechanisms that physicians and health science professionals can rely on not just during their training, but throughout their careers.”
Medical and Health Sciences Orientations Photo Gallery (Photos by Derik Hertel, Rob Strong, Taboka Ncube & Sophia Scull):
In a separate orientation and intensive learning week for MPH and MS Health Care Research students on their first day, Dean Hunt said, “It is such a pleasure … to give my warmest welcome to this incredible class of scholars, advocates, and change makers.” At this key time in public health, she encouraged the MPH and MS cohorts to reflect on their passion for a life of service, their drive to improve the human condition, and their conviction to change the world. “You know in your soul that there is a better way. And you're on the path to finding it. We believe this about you.”
This year’s intensive orientation included more learning sessions than previous orientations.
“A Month in the Life,” a poverty simulation designed to help students better understand the historical, political, and social determinants of health, offered a glimpse into the structural barriers that shape health and wellbeing and encouraged students to look beyond individual explanations toward a broader understanding of how systems influence opportunity and the health of communities at the heart of public health. “The lessons from this experience are not separate from your coursework—they are the foundation upon which much of your learning will be built,” said Alicia Battle, assistant dean, Public Health Programs. “Today marks the start of a community that will challenge, support, and inspire you as you prepare to improve the health of the populations you will one day serve.”
Public health, when well done, is a team effort. “Meaningful solutions are rarely developed by one person alone—they emerge when people with different experiences, perspectives, and expertise come together with a shared purpose,” she said.
During a team-building scavenger hunt, students got to know each other while familiarizing themselves with campus, and an ice cream social provided an opportunity for MPH and MS students to get to know their fellow MD students and others in Geisel’s community.