Is Stanford fairly typical in terms of medical schools about how it treats students?
WOLFE: We avoid some formal protocols. For example, some housestaff arrive at Stanford and are surprised because there isn’t a hierarchy based on the length of the white coat- longer coats for professors, shorter coats for others. Q: Well, don’t faculty leaders sometimes take the position that they had to work exceptionally hard in medical school, that’s all part of the program, so the students should also learn to suffer? CROSS: I think some faculty members might say that – but after they get to know the students well, I think that they would have a different perspective. These students are working incredibly hard. They’re outstanding. It’s a question of helping them channel their efforts effectively. Q: Anything else you’d like to say to practicing physicians? CROSS: I’d like to make a pitch for every clinical doctor who possibly can to involve just one medical student in some way in your activities. We have money to support med scholars for research; we have community service. Facul
