After Hours

Retreats

A few members of the Boston Combined Residency Program sit down at the table to enjoy a lobster dinner with each other on a warm summer day on the patio. Some members of the team start to grab the lobsters and break them apart.
Lobster Dinner
  • Intern Retreat: A weekend retreat in early fall (for interns only) to relax and reflect after the first three months of residency.
  • Fall Housestaff Retreat: An all-day, all housestaff retreat with full coverage that focuses on different topics each year (leadership, curriculum, teaching skills, etc). Resident input is solicited to plan the activities and discussion topics. There is also time for Academy activities and a Happy Hour.
  • Spring Housestaff Retreat: Another all-day all housestaff retreat. This retreat serves as a forum for reflecting on the year, discussing new topics in pediatrics, and brainstorming ways to improve the residency. The spring retreat also includes the BCRP Olympics, a series of competitions in things like hula hooping between the various chief families, all capped off with a Happy Hour.
  • Rising Junior Orientation: An all-day, intern only retreat focused on preparing interns for the responsibilities of the junior year, including increased autonomy and resident and medical student teaching. Capped with a Happy Hour.
  • Rising Senior Orientation: An all-day, junior only retreat focused on the role of the senior resident, including leadership, how to be an effective teacher and team manager, communication skills, and the like. There is also a Happy Hour and time to socialize as an entire residency class.

Winter Formal

A few of the female residents stand next to each other in dresses, dressed up for the Winter Formal. Each one has their arms wrapped around one another while smiling. A celebratory occasion for the Boston Combined Residency Program.
Winter Formal!

Each winter, the House Staff Association organizes a formal dinner and dance for all residents, significant others and invited faculty, either at the Harvard Club, the Trustee’s Ballroom at Boston University, or other venues around the city. The formal features the annual, hotly contested Resident Class Dance Off between classes. All residents are covered from hospital responsibilities during this event.

Diversity Council Social Events

The Diversity Council hosts events every month or more often. These range from dinners at faculty homes or favorite Boston restaurants, movie outings, ice skating, community salsa dance classes, and more.

House Staff Association Functions

The House Staff Association sponsors frequent evening get-togethers at restaurants, bars and other locations around Boston.

The Spring Show and Housestaff Association Auction

The BCRP house officers produce an annual show: a comedy “spoof” of the faculty and the vagaries of residency. The show is a long tradition and provides an opportunity for housestaff to showcase their remarkable singing, dancing, instrumental, organizational, video production, and comedic talents.

The Show concludes with an auction of items donated by faculty or community businesses. These include everything from books and wine to cooking lessons, a weekend at a summer home, Red Sox and Patriots tickets, or one year, a new Vespa. All proceeds go to the House Staff Association to support residency-wide events throughout the year.

Seven members of the BCRP stand on stage dressed up in playful costumes while singing, rehearsing a comedic performance to the audience. The words of the song they are singing are flowing down the screen behind them. Each one of their costumes are a pair of yellow scrubs, while wearing cowboy and cowgirl hats.
Members of the BCRP dressed up in playful costumes rehearsing a comedic performance

Chief Family Dinners and Events

Each Chief organizes a quarterly (or more often) dinner or social event for the 25-30 residents in their Chief Family. These dinners and events are excellent opportunities to relax, unwind and enjoy each other’s company in a more intimate setting with residents from each class represented. Recent gatherings have included BBQs, cookie-decorating parties, and game nights.

Resident Get-Togethers

Residents gathering together at a Red Sox game behind the bullpen, enjoying their free time! Three members of the BCRP smile from left to right, celebrating their free time and a warm night for baseball.
Residents at a Red Sox game

The residents arrange many other events together including Halloween parties, weddings, karaoke nights, skiing, ice cream parties, apple picking weekends, theme dinners, bowling parties, Red Sox and Celtics games, dessert parties, and more.  In recent years the residents have averaged one or more social events each week!

Sports

Many BCRP residents participate in organized sports. Various groups of residents have organized BCRP softball, basketball, and soccer teams in leagues throughout Boston, and some even won their leagues! One fairly recent example was the Malpractice Dodgers, a team of BCRP residents, alumni, and significant others that played in a league in Hyde Park. Other residents take advantage of hiking and biking trails in Boston and the region or have memberships in local gyms such as the YMCA, Crossfit or Boston Sports Club. Harvard University and Harvard Medical School athletic facilities are available to residents for a small fee, and residents enjoy benefits of discounted memberships at many gym facilities across the city. Harvard Medical School has a gymnasium, squash courts, extensive exercise equipment and an outdoor tennis court.

A group of residents formed "The Malpractice Dodgers." A team that is composed of residents and colleagues who gathered outdoors on a recreational team, building a connection with the community. Members of the team stand together with arms around each other and smile as they finish up their game.
A group of residents formed “The Malpractice Dodgers.”

Fitness

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts offers up to $200 in reimbursement for eligible wellbeing programs, memberships, classes, and fitness products. Qualified expenses include full-service health club or fitness studio memberships, hospital- and non-hospital-based wellness programs such as WW, wearable fitness devices, bicycles and helmets, home exercise equipment, and online fitness classes or subscriptions. After paying for an eligible program or product, reimbursement can be requested either online through your MyBlue account or by completing and mailing a reimbursement form.

Harvard Athletic Facilities. To join the Harvard athletic centers, you must have a Harvard ID. For more info visit: Vanderbilt Hall Athletic Facility and Harvard Recreation

HEAL Activities

Humanities, Ethics, Arts Leaders (HEAL) group of residents organizes bimonthly arts-related events such as writing retreats, visits to the amazing local arts museums, and attendance at the Longwood or Boston Symphony concerts or the Boston ballet