First-Year Orientation
Orientation week provides first-year students with a formal introduction to Brown.
First-Year Orientation
Orientation week provides first-year students with a formal introduction to Brown.
Dear MD Class of 2027
Welcome to The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University! We are looking forward to seeing you at Orientation and getting to know you over the next four years. Orientation officially begins bright and early on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. We cannot wait to begin your medical school journey with you!
These pages will be updated regularly. Please check back in to make sure you have the most updated information. In the meantime, congratulations on your acceptance to the Alpert Medical School!
Most importantly, please activate your Gmail@Brown account as soon as possible, if you have not done so already; that will be the only email address we use to communicate with you. Please follow these instructions to activate your Gmail@Brown account:
- Go to myaccount.brown.edu
- Select Log in and Manage Account
- Type in your username and password (same one you had for your secondary application)
- A profile page appears with all your information. Scroll to the bottom to see your Brown ID number. You will need this number to setup your email account.
- Scroll back up the profile page and on the left side is a list of options; select Activate your Google Account
- Follow the steps
Advice
The "Getting Your House in Order" document for some time-saving tips for incoming medical students.
Carefully consider how you will transition any needed medical and/or mental health care to Rhode Island. Brown University Health Services is a wonderful resources for primary and urgent care for all Brown Students. You may also elect to establish a new primary care physician outside of Brown; please check with your insurance to find a physician in network. In addition, the medical school has a dedicated therapist (Laurice Girouard) who is available to meet with all medical students. For those students who may be interested in other or additional mental health support, zencare.co is a wonderful resource. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of the Office of Student Affairs for further support in this (or any!) area.
Immunizations
Please see this Brown Health Services site, detailing the items that you need to complete in terms of immunizations. You may submit the forms online via their portal; your Brown username and password are the same as those you used to access your secondary application with us. Please note that you cannot access the portal until you activate your Brown email account (see above). The immunization submission deadline was June 1, 2023. Please make your appointments as soon as possible to prevent delays in your matriculation (extension requests: email both ams-records@brown.edu and nursing@brown.edu). Effective June 1, 2023, Brown University no longer requires the COVID-19 vaccine for faculty, staff, students, or visitors. However, please note that the initial vaccine series and booster are still required for AMS students prior to their matriculation at the medical school since our students spend a significant amount of time in clinical settings where full vaccination continues to be required.
Additional Required Training
All matriculating students are required to complete training on Bloodborne Pathogens and HIPAA. Please click here to be taken to these training modules, where you will find additional instructions. These are both due August 4, 2023. Combined, these should take about 90 minutes.
Academic Accommodations
To apply for academic accommodations due to a disability, please visit this website. On this site, the section titled "Accommodations," the process for requesting accommodations is outlined and you will find a link to a form that needs to be completed . Please submit your request for accommodations as soon as possible in order to allow time for processing. You can apply for accommodations now, prior to the start of medical school.
For questions, please contact our Learning and Accessibility Specialist of the Alpert Medical School, Dr. Lorrie Gehlbach at lorrie_gehlbach@brown.edu.
Biography
Each year, we put together a composite of individual student biographies to give to your course leaders, advisors, etc. so they will know a little about you before classes start. These bios may also be shared across other departments at Brown (i.e., clinical departments). All students are required to submit a brief bio (3-5 sentences) via this form by July 11.
Brown ID Card
All students in the MD Class of 2027 must visit the Brown Card Office prior to Orientation to pick up their new Brown ID card.
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Students Who Already Have a Brown ID: You do NOT need to submit a new photo to the Brown Card Office for your new ID. Your old photo is still in their system. If you would like a new photo, you must visit the Brown Card Office in person during normal business hours to have a photo taken.
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Students Who Don't Already Have a Brown ID: You need to submit a photo to the Brown Card Office on or before July 28 which will be used to create your ID card. To submit your photo, please log in to the secure area of Banner, go to the Applicant and Student section, and use the link for Brown ID Online Photo Submission. If you fail to upload your photo prior to July 28, you will need to stop by the Brown Card Office upon your arrival to Providence (69 Brown Street, 5th Floor, Room 511) between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm (summer hours) to have your photo taken.
Student Health Insurance
It is important that Brown University students have access to comprehensive medical care while enrolled with us. All students are automatically enrolled in the University's Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). Participation in SHIP is mandatory unless you are enrolled in another comparable health insurance plan. The effective dates of coverage are July 15, 2023 through August 14, 2024. Each student's account will be charged the $5,029 Health Insurance Fee (assessed entirely in the Fall semester), as well as a Health Services Fee, which covers the cost of basic medical care at Health Services and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). If you choose to waive SHIP, you will need to provide proof of comparable coverage and submit an online waiver form by July 28, 2023. The waiver process is managed by Student Health Services. If you waive SHIP, you can still receive treatment at Brown Health Services. If you choose to waive after the deadline, you will need to email studenthealthinsuranceplan@brown.edu. Any late waiver requests received after the deadline cannot be guaranteed approval, and charges may not be credited.
Orientation Schedule
August 1-4, 2023
Please note this is a draft schedule so be sure to visit regularly for updates!
Peer Mentoring
The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University (AMS) has a tradition of pairing first-year medical students (M1's) with second-year (M2) pals--i.e. Al's Pals. Al's Pals is a student run program, and our goal is not only to assist M1's in getting settled into AMS and Providence, but also to build lasting friendships and community between and among the classes. More information to follow at Orientation.
Community Mentor
As part of the Doctoring Program, you will spend a half day 6-7 times per semester with a community-based physician mentor, practicing with your mentor's patients the clinical skills you learn in class. Mentor site placements in Year 1 are random, unless you indicate that you are willing/able to commute to your site. Mentor placements range from about .5 miles to 40 miles from AMS. Most sites outside of Providence do not take more than 20 minutes by car. We advise that you have access to a car at least one day per week to travel to your mentor site, but recognize that this is not possible for all students.
In July, you will receive an optional survey, to be completed only if you opt to commute to your mentor site in which you may indicate your specialty preference for a mentor (which will be strongly considered given mentor availability but not guaranteed). If you do not opt to drive to your site, you will receive a mentor placement in the Providence area accessibly by shuttle or bus. Year 1 placements will be assigned in late August.
In your second year of Doctoring, you will be assigned to a different mentor. You will also have the opportunity in Year 2 to indicate preferences for your placement (i.e., geographic location, clinical setting, Spanish-speaking population, or mentor specialty).
Computer Requirement
All exams are administered electronically on ExamSoft; therefore, students are required to have an iPad or other device (e.g., laptop, tablet, etc.). You can view ExamSoft's minimum system requirements for iPads, Macs, and PCs via their website.
Individual tech support from the Office of Medical Education will be available to students during orientation. It's perfectly acceptable to bring what you have and then wait until orientation (or later!) to make a decision on what works best for you. Discounts at the Brown Bookstore are available to you as a medical student (with your Brown ID).
Diagnostic Equipment for Doctoring I
It is required that each student have their own stethoscope for the Doctoring course by the end of August for vital signs practice. For your convenience, a medical equipment representative will be on hand during the Community Resources Fair on 8/3 at 11:45-12:45. You will be able to purchase any Doctoring equipment at that time, should you wish.
- Recommended equipment includes a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, tuning fork, reflex hammer, oto-ophthalmoscope. Please note that the only items on this list that will be used during your first semester in Doctoring is the blood pressure cuff and stethoscope.
I-9
If you have any plans to work - IT fellow, peer tutor, etc. - more info available soon.
Lockers
Students will receive their combined locker/mailbox 4-digit number during Orientation. The lockers/mailboxes are located on the second floor of the Medical School building, in the academy suites. Students will need to provide their own combination locks. Your address will be: Your Name, Brown University, The Warren Alpert Medical School, Box G-XXXX (insert your 4 digit box number), Providence, RI 02912. More information on mail services is available here.
MD27 Calendar
The MD27 Class Calendar is available online. Please add it to your favorites
Note, this is a live calendar and subject to change!
Parking and Shuttle Information
The Alpert Medical School of Brown University has a parking garage adjacent to the building. Parking spaces can be purchased once you have your Brown ID Card. If you wish to acquire a University parking space in the garage, you will need to first register your student and vehicle information on the Transportation Office's webpage. Once completed, you can visit the University's Transportation Office. Please bring your Brown ID, along with a valid vehicle registration and insurance card, and inform the staff that you are a student at the Alpert Medical School and that you are there to get your parking assignment for the garage. You will be issued a University sticker for your vehicle and an access card that will be required for you to get in and out of the garage. By registering for University parking, you will be responsible for compliance with all University parking regulations, which may be found on their webpage. Please note that the garage has a maximum number of available reserved spaces, so parking may not be available.
There is ample bike storage and shuttle service running to and from the Medical School from various locations on campus and the hospitals. More information is on the Transportation Office site.
Wellness Center Access Form
To receive access to the 4th-floor Wellness Center and adjacent fitness room at 222 Richmond Street, students must complete the online release form here. Students will need their Brown ID number to complete the form, and it will take 48 hours to process.