Harvard Medicine News recently caught up with new financial aid director Ryan Callahan, who hasn't had much of a chance to meet his fellow workers in person becausethe coronavirus pandemic began shortly after he arrived at HMS. Here we introduce you to Ryan virtually to learn a little more about him.
Tell us somethingabout the career path that brought you to HMS.
I began my career as an assistant director of financial aid at Boston College. This allowed me to work while receiving my masters degree in higher education from BC.From there I moved on to MIT for more than a decade. I worked as the senior assistant director of financial aid and was later promoted to associate director. Having dedicated my career to working in elite educational institutions, I understand the importance of financial aid in affording families with the opportunities of a private education.
What do you find most rewarding about working in financial aid?
The most rewarding part of working in financial aid is working with students and helping make it possible for them to attend their dream school.I have been very fortunate to work at schools with generous need-based financial aid programs allowing me to help reduce the financial barriers confronting prospective students. Financial aid is a truly unique field, where I may be doing my best work while costing my employer money!
The pandemic has derailed normal office life at HMS, but in the time youve been here, what have you enjoyed most about being at HMS?
I began working at HMS in early February and spent only four weeks in the office before moving to full-time remote work at home.This presented many new challenges for the Financial Aid Office and all areas of HMS.It has been truly amazing to see the way the HMS community has come together to tackle these issues. In the Financial Aid Office, every team member has put it additional time creating new procedures in order to provide seamless service to our students.Before arriving at HMS I was told I would be joining a great team in the Financial Aid Office, but these new challenges have highlighted their talents, experience and dedication to our students.
What do you think are some of the challenges and opportunities ahead on the financial aid horizon?
HMS firmly believes in the importance of our need-based financial aid policy.Thanks to the generosity of HMS donors, our office was able to create a new medical student emergency aid fund. As a result of the pandemic, many of our students and their families will be negatively impacted, and our office will be front and center helping them navigate this difficult time. This new fund will allow us toprovide temporary, short-term financial assistance to students enrolled in the MD program who are struggling with unanticipated or emergency financial situations.
Whats the most important thing people should understand about the financial aid picture at HMS?
I think open communication is paramount right now. It is the responsibility of the office to make all potential resources clear to our students and let them know we are here to help them through all of this. It is critical we keep our lines of communication open to students. We also ask our students to keep us informed and make us aware of any financial challenges. We are acutely aware of the stress financial concerns can place on a student and our ultimate goal is to alleviate those concerns so they can remain focused on their education.
Tell us a little about youfamily life? Background? Hometown?
I grew up just outside of Boston, in Somerville. My mother was a teacher, so the importance of an education was always stressed in our home. My father was the superintendent of recreation in Somerville. Their positions meant I always had to be on my best behavior in both school and at athletic events! I love Boston and am fortunate to raise my family in this area. My wife, Vy, also works in higher education, and we have two amazing daughters, Avery and Lia.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I am at my happiest when I am with family and friends. I am the youngest of three children and my wife is one of five, so we are fortunate to be surrounded by parents, siblings, nieces and nephews. I am an avid sports fan and love all the Boston teams, so the past two decades have been very kind to me! I also have a passion for personal finance and real estate. I am working towards a certificate in financial planning at Boston University.
What are you looking forward to when the pandemic is over and things get back to normal?
I think, like everyone else, I am looking forward to being able to freely see family and friends again. The single thing I am looking forward to the most is being able to watch my daughters hug their grandparents again.
Originally posted here:
'We Are Here to Help Them' | Harvard Medical School - Harvard Medical School
- "Shift Happens" - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Getting Started With Your Personal Statement - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- I started this blog 1 year ago. I'm ready to become a medical doctor. - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Poll Results: "What is your GPA?" - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Why Ross University School of Medicine? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Why Ross University? (Continued) - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Filling out applications with the last 4 years in mind. - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- "Active and Passive Euthanasia" - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- 300 Word Personal Statement - First Draft - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- 300 Word Personal Statement - 2nd Draft - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- "Where did you do EMT training at?" - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- "is this jonathan that went to brazil in the summer of 2006?" - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- First Application is Away - Ross University - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- AMCAS—The American Medical College Application Service - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The Student Doctor Network - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Crime Incident - Public Safety Announcement: STUDENTS - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- AMCAS Deadlines & Delays - Answered - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Headstart on Secondary Applications - The Student Doctor Network - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The Complete Medical School & Admissions Guide - Revisited - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Interview Status - Ross University - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Finished my first interview. - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- "You have a 95% chance of acceptance..." - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- "I was just wondering if I have to go to medical school i will have to start college allover again." - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Interview Feedback - Allopathic Medical Schools - Ross University School of Medicine (Dominica Caribbean) - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- ACCEPTED! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Step 1 Revisited - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- A Few More Thoughts On Moving - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Update - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Closing In - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Internet/Computer Hell - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Back On The Net - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- 1 More Day - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Loan Deferment Blog - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Graduated! - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- What Happened? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Interesting Case - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- What Made Me Stupid? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Blah. - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Call - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Medicine in the Media - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Was Medical School Worth It? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Off I Go... - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Is It Worth It, Part 2 - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Oriented - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- GLBT in Medical School - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- GLBT in Residency Applications - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- I Survived - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Reflections on the First Week - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- All Good Things Must End - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The Lone Coyote is Back - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Pre-med student switches gears to teach in Chicago school - Chicago Tribune - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Old-school barbecue coming to spot near Fort Worth medical district - Fort Worth Star Telegram - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Nursing home drug use puts many at risk - Boston Globe - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Dr. Anita Figueredo, first female surgeon in San Diego, dies at 93 - Los Angeles Times - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Stimulus funds pay for monkey research in NC - MiamiHerald.com - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Medicine as an economic engine - Buffalo News - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- UM medical school feels the squeeze - MiamiHerald.com - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL ADVISER Bell's palsy not as serious as it appears - Detroit Free Press - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Baylor medical school works to get back on track - Houston Chronicle - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- From community college to Amherst College and Yale Medical School - WalletPop (blog) - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Man questions merit of coke monkey study - UPI.com - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- School Board has questions it wants answered about onsite medical clinic - Terre Haute Tribune Star - March 9th, 2010 [March 9th, 2010]
- Stimulus Funds Pay for Monkey Research - NewsMax.com - March 9th, 2010 [March 9th, 2010]
- Babylon schools head: Teen's collapse unrelated to athletics - Newsday (subscription) - March 9th, 2010 [March 9th, 2010]
- Cost Of Medical School Rises In Recession - NPR - March 9th, 2010 [March 9th, 2010]
- Flu Shots in Children Help People of All Ages - New York Times - March 9th, 2010 [March 9th, 2010]
- A prescription for improving science education - Scope (blog) - March 9th, 2010 [March 9th, 2010]
- Live kidney donors do not die sooner: study - Reuters - March 9th, 2010 [March 9th, 2010]
- UW football player suspended after alleged assault - Seattle Post Intelligencer - March 10th, 2010 [March 10th, 2010]
- More Comparative Studies Needed to Guide Physicians Study finds less than a ... - ModernMedicine - March 10th, 2010 [March 10th, 2010]
- Conservationists worry about Mo. med school plan - KOAM-TV - March 10th, 2010 [March 10th, 2010]
- Dr. William D. Lynn - Baltimore Sun - March 10th, 2010 [March 10th, 2010]
- Suspect in North Dallas shootings became reclusive after parents died, family says - Dallas Morning News - March 10th, 2010 [March 10th, 2010]
- Drinkers Gain Less Weight - Harvard Crimson - March 10th, 2010 [March 10th, 2010]
- Long-Term Health Risks Low for Kidney Donors - WebMD - March 10th, 2010 [March 10th, 2010]
- School resource officer remains in critical condition - Middletown Journal - March 10th, 2010 [March 10th, 2010]
- New Lucian Leape Institute Report Finds That U.S. Medical Schools Are Falling ... - PR Newswire (press release) - March 10th, 2010 [March 10th, 2010]
- Dual degrees program expands for Mayo Medical School students - Post-Bulletin - March 10th, 2010 [March 10th, 2010]
- Comparative Effectiveness Research is a Must - TopNews United States - March 10th, 2010 [March 10th, 2010]
- Long Beach OKs medical pot ordinance - Contra Costa Times - March 10th, 2010 [March 10th, 2010]