<p>Hello there! So I know that Harvard has an abundance of undergraduate research opportunities available, but I was wondering if Harvard undergrads could also work in a research laboratory at one of Harvard's professional schools such as the School of Public Health, Med School, or Dental School? And if so, would it be close enough that I could walk to every day? Or do I need to get on the bus or something? Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Harvard College is in Cambridge and the Harvard Medical campus is about 3.5 miles away in Boston. You can take the subway between them, but it takes about 40 minutes.</p>
<p>In principal an undergraduate could do research at any of the professional schools, but he or she would have to take the initiative to find the opportunity. That said it would be far more convenient to secure a research position in one of the many biology labs in Cambridge affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.</p>
<p>I did my PhD in one HMS lab and am doing my postdoc in another. My PhD lab was at Mass General, and we had about two undergraduate thesis students per year, and most of our thesis students spent plenty of hours a week in the lab, even during the semester. My postdoc lab is at the HMS campus, and we really only have undergrads come for the summer.</p>
<p>In general, it’s not that much of a pain to get from Cambridge to the medical school (there’s a shuttle bus called the M2 that runs several times an hour, and it’s a pretty consistent ~25-30-minute ride), but it does impact the amount of time you can spend in lab, especially if you’re already busy with school and other commitments.</p>
<p>In case other students are interested in research at other Harvard professional schools, most of them (law, business, design, divinity, education, government) are within walking distance of the undergrad campus, some even just across the street.</p>
<p>I’m an undergrad and I work in a lab at the medical school. As an above poster said, it’s a bit of a commute (20 - 40 minutes depending on traffic, but you can try be smart about it and avoid traveling during rush hour and usually be closer to 20), but it’s entirely possible. All it took was a single e-mail to the PI of the lab. </p>
<p>*should have mentioned: the commute can be done by a free bus run by Harvard. </p>
<p>Awesome! That’s so convenient, and the bus route is direct right? Like I wouldn’t have to get off at one stop and then link to another bus?</p>
<p>No, it’s a Harvard shuttle – it runs from the library on the Cambridge campus to the main research building on the medical school campus. </p>