"Taso and Helen, I can't thank you both enough for introducing me to the world of medicine.  I went into the externship with an interest in medicine, but by no means was I fully committed to the field.  I thought that my time with the two of you and all the other physicians, trainees, and medical students was invaluable in that it helped solidify my desire to pursue medicine as a career.  My road was not straightforward but in the end, I am thrilled with my career choice and could not have gotten here without my experience during the externship.  Thanks, again!"

”The opportunity to spend time with Drs. Pittas and Delichatsios, as well as arranged days in the operating room with cooperating surgeons, gave me exposure to the breadth of clinical medicine, from primary care to medical subspecialties to surgical specialties. While I was way too young to choose a path within medicine, the opportunity confirmed my decision to enter medicine. Dr. Pittas and Dr. Delichatsios are both mentors of the highest order, and incredibly dynamic people who have a lot of insight. Plus, they are fellow Techies to boot!”

"It was hands-down the best shadowing experience I had. I still vividly remember rotating with Dr. Pittas, a pediatric endocrinologist, and a general surgeon at Tufts, and with Dr. Delichatsios. Although I already had a pretty clear idea to go into medicine, the experience was new and very reassuring at the same time. I also brought it up many times during med school interviews. Now I am a premed advisor for MIT undergrads and constantly mention this wonderful opportunity to work with you guys, but with preface that the spot is competitive. Hope you guys are able to accommodate more students now or in the future!"

"I feel extremely privileged to have been given an opportunity to peer into this unknown world, and I would like to thank all of the people I met for allowing me into their practices and for sharing some small part of their lives. I can only aspire to some day be as compassionate and caring as you are."

"The externship experience was a wonderful thing, and I am so glad I got to experience it. It affirmed my love for medicine and health-technology"

“I've reflected on the experience at various times as I've made my way through my medical career, and everyone's willingness to teach during the externship, and the variety of practices I got to see still stand out in my mind as particularly valuable aspects.”

"This wonderful externship allowed me to gain greater insight into the different field of medicine and the daily life of a physician. I learned in depth about common chronic conditions like diabetes and heart diseases and their effects on patients' life. The experience further increased my urge and desire to become a doctor.  You have helped me tremendously in this journey for me to reach my dream. I truly appreciate everything. We will keep in touch!"

"The externship was probably the most valuable thing I did in 2014. I had not had very much exposure to medicine prior to the externship, so I am really grateful for the opportunity I had to see so many different areas of medicine. Opportunities like this are really hard to come by--very few alumni are as generous with their time as you guys are each year. If I had not had this opportunity, I don't think I would be completely sure about my decision to enter medicine. If I ever make it to medical school and become a physician, I will definitely do something like this for the undergrads to pay it forward."

"I loved my externship experience.  It gave me (the first and only doctor on both sides of my family) a chance to actually see what medical school and doctoring was really about.  I think it made my application stronger and gave me something to talk about on interviews.  It was fun to experience different aspects of medicine too (medical vs surgical)."

"Thank you immensely for taking the time out of your busy schedule to organize such an exciting two weeks for me! I am especially grateful for how you tailored the activities to my interests and made last minute changes in order to incorporate an entire day in the Oncology clinic. I hope this externship continues for many years."

"Thank you so much for letting me participate in this two week internship. Just by nature, I'm usually more of a skeptical person, so I was unsure about what to expect from this program. I was honestly blown away; it was an amazing experience. I'll be sure to ask you guys for anything if I need help, and I will definitely do my best to keep in touch! Once again, thank you so much for putting so much time and effort into making this opportunity possible, it really has left a huge impact on me and helped me make an informed decision. I am also sure that it will continue to impact people in the years to come."

"Though this is long over-due, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the amazing opportunity you helped provide for me this IAP. It was such a privilege to learn more about careers in medicine and surgery. This was truly a life-changing experience; I feel this January helped me tremendously toward deciding the future trajectory of my career. I really appreciate all the effort you put into organizing this externship. I am so grateful to have had this unique opportunity, and I wish you all the best in the future!"