School of Medicine Orientation
IMPORTANT Orientation Week Information from the Office of Student Affairs
On behalf of the Orientation Committee, I would like to congratulate you on your acceptance to Saint Louis University School of Medicine. We have planned a week full of activities to help you feel more comfortable in your new environment. This week will give you the opportunity to get to know your classmates, meet some members of the faculty, explore parts of St. Louis, and have fun in the process.
PLEASE, PLEASE Fill Out the Online Survey for Social Events.
You can follow the links to a draft of the 2011 Orientation Schedule and an Invitation to the White Coat Ceremony. Other pertinent materials in an Information Packet will be mailed to you in early June, and also included on this website.
Sunday, July 31 is the White Coat Ceremony, sponsored by the School of Medicine and the Medical Alumni Association. Entering students will be given their first white coats, the symbol of the medical profession. The ceremony is meant to foster professionalism and humanism in medicine. Parents, spouses, and family are invited to attend the ceremony at 1:30 pm on August 1 at St. Francis Xavier College Church (North Campus Map 1; #51 ) and a reception for everyone follows. Entering students need to get to the Church by 12 Noon to be fitted for their white coat. So, if you live near St. Louis, or if your parents are accompanying you here that week, PLEASE, PLEASE invite them for this very special occasion. See the Online Invitation for Parents with directions and maps. Tell your family and friends about this wonderful occasion. A paper copy of the invitation and map will be sent to you in June. University Maps can also be found on our website at www.slu.edu/campusmap, and Printable Versions (pdf) for download are included on the 2010 Orientation website. This is one very special occasion; the beginning of your career in the medical profession. Bring cameras!
Convocation begins on Monday, August 1 at 8:30 am. We are hoping to have our new Student Education Union ready by this time, so stay tuned for further information on the locale of the Orientation activities. Please park in the Hickory East Garage, 1214 S. Theresa Avenue (Garage #13). For this day, the appropriate attire is “nice casual”; wear comfortable shoes, as the activities of the day require a lot of walking. You will be registered, have official pictures taken for your medical school I.D. card, be given an introduction to the School, receive health insurance and housing information, and you will be assigned a locker. Please bring a combination lock or padlock for your locker that day. The rest of the week will be casual (shorts, T‑shirts, etc.) and will provide a variety of other information about medical school life and the curriculum, financial aid, and extracurricular student organizations. It will offer some great social events and activities, all to acquaint you with your new environment and your fellow colleagues. New this year is a Community Service Day on Friday, August 5. Groups of students will participate in a variety of community service activities and finish the day at our Official Welcome Picnic and Softball Tournament. Please check the “Draft” Welcome Week schedule. Some social events are free and others have nominal costs for tickets and/or transportation. Please complete the online survey when it is available to help us plan for these events.
We encourage you to arrive in St. Louis early enough to find housing so that you will be able to participate in and enjoy Orientation. PLEASE NOTE… Housing information and the Draft Schedule for Orientation activities is available on the School of Medicine website. You may also call Mrs. Susan Aslin, Administrative Assistant, Office of Student Affairs for housing updates and lists of students seeking roomates at 314-977-9827. We look forward to welcoming you to St. Louis and hope that we can make your transition to your first year of medical school as smooth as possible. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to meeting you.
Dr. James Swierkosz, Assistant Dean of Students