Class Day and Summer Updates for Postbac Premed Students

Dear Postbac Premed Students,

I write to you knowing that we are reaching the stage in this pandemic where we are all being affected on very personal levels. While some of us are still in New York City and the surrounding metropolitan areas, many have left for homes throughout the U.S. and the world. Regardless of where we are, at this point, it is likely that most of us know people who have been directly impacted by this highly contagious disease. I am thinking about all of you, and especially those of you with family members on the frontlines as health care physicians and other providers—we are so grateful for everything they are doing. I am also mindful of those of you who have been assisting with our city’s response through your clinical positions, and all of you who will be part of the upcoming response to this global health crisis. I wish you all strength and comfort in the weeks ahead. 

These last weeks have forced everyone at Columbia and GS specifically to rapidly adapt to a new learning format, new ways of connecting with each other, and new and changing access to resources and opportunities. We have also had to face a very difficult and shifting financial future for each of us as individuals, but also for our School, our University, as well as the country and the world. I assure you that our team is working hard to address and adapt to our shared new reality and is dedicated to supporting you to the best of our ability. As I have said before, the resilience and dedication of our GS family is unparalleled and I know that we will continue to lean on each other and lift each other up as we make our way through this crisis.

There is much we do not know about the weeks and months to come, and over the course of the coming weeks we will have to adjust and adapt as the situation develops. When we do have information to share, I will reach out and we will do our best to answer your questions. There are two important updates that I can provide now. First, on the summer term and our support for students taking courses over the summer, and second, on Commencement and Postbac Premed Class Day for our beloved 2020 graduates. 

I know how critical the summer is for students in the Postbac Premed Program—for working, pursuing clinical and research experiences, and for so many of you, continuing your studies. I also know that the plans you may have made for summer are now, likely, no longer possible in the way that you originally conceived. As you may have heard, the University has made the decision that all Summer 2020 courses will be hosted online. While in some ways this seems like a continuation of our current online approach, it actually marks more of an evolution. The decision to move the entirety of the summer session online has allowed faculty members and administrators to begin planning a robust offering of courses designed specifically for online instruction. This will allow for the introduction of courses that have not previously been offered in the summer and some innovative approaches to remote learning.  Since faculty have more time to plan these online courses and incorporate pedagogical best practices, and because students have time and options about enrollment, the conditions seem appropriate to restore our regular grading practices.

I am particularly attuned to the impact that the shift to online instruction and the cancellation of many clinical opportunities may have on Postbac Premed students. Our amazing premedical advisors are prepared to work with all Postbac Premed students to understand all the summer offerings and chart the best path forward. I hope for many of you this shift will be an opportunity to make progress toward completing the program requirements, so you can continue on your path toward the medical profession. The full list of summer courses will be shared soon, but I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some courses that I think will be of particular interest to our Postbac Premed students this summer. They include Professor Brent Stockwell’s Biochemistry class, Virology with Professor Vincent Racaniello, and History of Pandemics with Professor Kavita Sivaramakrishnan.

While we cannot replace the lost opportunity for clinical and research experiences, we do hope that you will instead take the opportunity to complete coursework over the summer. We realize that this comes with a cost and that traditionally there is little institutional aid available for Postbac Premed students. To assist with the financial impact of this shift, we are offering a one-time grant of $1000 for any student who takes six points or more during the summer session. We hope that this will support you in pursuing coursework over the summer to continue on your path to medical school and a future in medicine. There is no application for this $1000 grant. Any Postbac Premed student who registers for six points or more will receive the grant. 

For our May 2020 graduates, President Bollinger announced last week that Columbia University will be hosting a virtual Commencement ceremony and degree conferral in May. As such, I am pleased to announce that we will host a virtual Postbac Class Day ceremony for all students who are eligible to apply for their Certificate in Premedical Sciences. The event will be held on Friday, May 15, as originally planned. However, the start time will be moved to 11 a.m. EDT to make the event accessible for students in as many time zones as possible. Please closely monitor your inboxes for upcoming emails from the Postbac Premed Program Office and event vendor, MarchingOrder, with urgent instructions for students to register and participate.

In addition to this virtual ceremony, I am firmly committed to holding an in-person Class Day for our 2020 graduates as soon as it is safe to do so.  We recognize that our Class Day is such a treasured day for our graduates, their families and friends, and our faculty, Postbac Premed advisors and staff of GS who have supported you and have been your biggest champions during your time studying at Columbia.  As there is still a great deal of uncertainty, it is too early to definitively announce the details, but I look forward to sharing more when I can and to celebrating with you in person.

In closing, I would like to thank and celebrate all the faculty, staff and students who have risen to meet this challenge and figured out novel ways to connect and support each other. Your commitment and ingenuity are truly extraordinary and I am so proud to be your dean.
 

Sincerely,

Lisa Rosen-Metsch
Dean, Columbia University School of General Studies
Professor of Sociomedical Sciences
Columbia University