18 May 2001
Hello Again, Future Physicians,
Many of you received the initial email we sent out congratulating you on your accomplishments and acceptance at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. For those of you that did not¡ congratulations!, and fear not, for the important information from that letter is included in this mailing. In addition, as promised in our email, this mailing includes some important paperwork that needs attention.
But first, please allow us to (re)introduce ourselves. We are your Orientation Co-Chairs, Jen and Alex, elected by our classmates to make sure that you all have the best transition to medical school possible (given state and federal law). Think of us as your Orientation Mom and Orientation Dad. Also think of us as really cool. We will be a constant presence during your first week of life at Pritzker ¨C answering all your questions, guiding you through activities, feeding and watering you¡ the list goes on. In the mean time, we will be sending you mailings with helpful information regarding school, housing, orientation week, etc.
Orientation will begin Sunday, September 16th,
at 12 noon and will continue through Friday, September 21st. Classes
will begin the following Monday, September 24th. Accommodations
are being made for students who will be observing the Jewish High Holiday, Rosh
Hashanah, on the 17th and 18th.
Lucky for us, we¡¯re not doing this alone. In fact, almost the entire first-year (soon to be second year) class is involved in your orientation. The excitement for your arrival is already beginning. Two of our peers, Joshua Tepper and Candace McGregor, are your Pre-Orientation Committee Chairs. They¡¯ve put together the information for this mailing and are in charge of keeping you up-to-date all summer long. Their contact information is included along with ours below the byline. Please feel free to contact any of us with questions, problems, or just to say hello (especially Joshua, he¡¯s lonely).
In this mailing you will first and foremost find information about the famed White Coat Ceremony. The ceremony will be held the evening of the first day of Orientation, Sunday, September 16th, at 7:00 PM. During this prestigious ceremony, you will don your White Coat, embroidered with the University of Chicago Crest, and asked to recite along side your fellow classmates and faculty the Oath of Hippocrates. The enclosed form is included for you to send us the names and addresses of friends and family you would like us to invite to share in this momentous occasion. Be sure to make your travel plans well in advance.
Also included in this mailing is the somewhat less famed though equally as *special* 2001 Housing Guide, lovingly compiled by Candace and Joshua. In it you will find helpful hints and candid advice from our class on choosing the right neighborhood and finding a place to live. Along with the housing guide is a Roommate Search From for those interested in sharing their abode.
You will find four important packets from the University in this mailing, Information for Newly Admitted Graduate Students 2001-2002, university housing information from the Office of Graduate Student Housing, a summer billing address response card from the Office of the Registrar, and immunization and insurance information from the student health service. Please pay special attention to the immunization and insurance packet, as this should be completed and returned as soon as possible.
Finally, there is a list of the current first-year class with our addresses and colleges. As we mentioned, most of us are directly involved in planning your orientation, but all of us are here to help. Anybody on the list would be glad to talk to you about their experiences in school thus far and be happy to offer tips and advice.
Please do not hesitate to contact either of us when questions arise. A smooth transition into Pritzker is our gift to you. Let¡¯s face it, you went through enough stress with applications ¨C you deserve a little peace of mind, a lot of fun, and a good-sized handful of fatty snacks. So relax and enjoy your spring ¨C you will be hearing from us again soon!
Yours,
Alex Langerman Jen Gnerlich
[email protected] [email protected]
773.684.7686 773.256.0961
Pre-Orientation Committee Chairs:
Candace McGregor
773.955.3549
Joshua Tepper
773.643.6786