Residency interviews and clinical rotations are critical steps for every aspiring physician. It is the stage in their medical school journey where they choose their specialty, visit different programs, and decide what the next step in their career as a practicing physician will be. For many, these opportunities mean traveling to hospitals and institutions across the country, securing short-term accommodations—and finding a way to cover these costs.
This can be a significant financial burden for students, so the Brown community is stepping up to help.
The HOST (Help Our Students Travel) program has long connected fourth-year medical students with medical school alumni or parents who are willing to offer a place to stay in the cities where students are completing residency interviews. This year, the HOST program expanded to include housing for month-long away rotations, placing its first cohort with medical community volunteers.
The initiative has been a great success, matching 40% of students with alumni and parents across the country during the summer of 2025, reflecting the closeness of the University’s medical community and the commitment of Brown alumni and parents to supporting the next generation of physicians.
For David Painter MD’25, the HOST program was pivotal in his match to the University of Pennsylvania’s radiology program.
“As an applicant to a specialty with only virtual interviews, it was important to get a true sense of a program’s culture, facilities, and people,” Painter said. “The HOST program made it financially possible for me to attend a Second Look event at one of my top choices, which ended up being very informative for my final rank list.”
“The HOST program made me feel like there are Brown alumni across the country who truly care about helping current students navigate the challenging residency application process,” said Painter. “My host not only welcomed me for the weekend but, a month later, reached out to congratulate me on my residency match.”
This is only one example of the many ways that relationships created between alumni and students extend well beyond graduation, strengthening a tradition of support that’s celebrated during Reunion Weekend and other alumni events throughout the year. Brown medical alumni can connect with current students to offer valuable guidance and to stay engaged with the life of the school through roles like the Brown Medical Alumni Association and there are a multitude of volunteer opportunities for all alumni and parents who are interested in giving back.
Painter’s host, Rachel Sargent ’13 MD’17, was interested in participating in the HOST program as a way to pay forward her own Brown experience—and also because she remembers her residency application process well.
“I wanted to give back to my alma mater. I remember how expensive the residency interview process was, and I think it’s incredible that the school organized a program to help its students with accommodations and to connect them with alumni,” Sargent said. “It speaks to the impact of The Warren Alpert Medical School that so many years after graduating, I was happy and even excited to host a student and give back.”