The White Coat Ceremony begins the year for an incoming class, after which the majority of students follow the Pathways program, which builds core scientific skills and concepts before clinical exposure begins in the 2nd year of study. Students are graded as pass or fail throughout, rather than receiving detailed traditional grades. Some medical students register for joint degrees with other schools, achieving an MS & PhD, for example. Harvard is affiliated with 15 of the most prestigious hospitals and research centres in the world, meaning that students have access to the highest level of clinical training. There are a huge range of clubs to join, across a range of spheres. That might mean joining clubs that suit your hobbies or your sporting interests, but could also mean joining an organisation like the Student Affairs Committee, that exists solely to promote the professional journey of students at HMS. Courses are very difficult, and exams are likewise very tough. Given the exacting standards demanded of applicants, it’s not surprising that the exams are difficult. Students are therefore expected to work very hard, and the mixture of clinical work with the world-class difficulty of examinations means that resilience and determination are essential for any Harvard Medical School student, no matter how able they are academically.