Puzzling—and Fun—Approach to Relieving Stress
Going through a medical school interview can be stressful for the applicant. So can waiting to be interviewed. At Einstein, the admissions office has introduced a nifty way to calm interview day jitters: jigsaw puzzles.
Prospective students and current students piece together a puzzle in the admissions officeNoreen Kerrigan, associate dean for student admissions, conceived of the idea when she came across a puzzle she had at home. She decided to bring it in and to set it out in the admissions office “to lighten the mood and inject some fun into an otherwise formal atmosphere for prospective students.”
Students who came to interview at Einstein between September 2015 and April 2016 were the first to have the chance to unwind, helping to piece together a variety of challenging puzzles depicting landscape scenes and the iconic “Einstein with tongue out” photo.
“What started as an entertaining stress buster meant primarily for prospective students quickly caught on,” noted Ms. Kerrigan “Through word of mouth among current students, the puzzles also became popular with those seeking a fun distraction during their daily study break.”
She added, “We gained quite a following around campus, and we noticed that current students were engaging with our applicants, chatting while they worked on the puzzle together. That boosted the welcoming vibes and fostered a cordial, relaxed atmosphere for the applicants.”
Over time, some serious puzzle talents began to emerge among current students and other members of the Einstein community who were long-time puzzle fans.
Heidy Wang, then a first-year medical student, is an avid puzzler since childhood. “Over the course of four puzzles, I’ve become close friends with the admissions office staff and a help to interviewees from time to time,” she said. “We connect as new friends while we work on a puzzle together.”
Joan Lazarou, admissions coordinator at Einstein, enjoyed partnering with students to complete the puzzles, some of which prove quite challenging. “The Einstein puzzle is a black and white photo, so it was gradations of black, gray and white. It took two months to complete.”
“I find it very relaxing; it’s a perfect break from work,” said Elodie Picarda, a postdoctoral researcher in microbiology & immunology.
Jordan Chinai, a sixth-year M.D./Ph.D. student, started stopping by after hearing about the puzzles from another student. “Personally, I think it’s a great idea,” he said. “It’s given me a chance to meet some of the applicants and the staff in the admissions office.”
In April, the puzzles were put away following the last interviews for potential members of the class of 2020. The picturesque icebreakers will be stored until September, when the next interview season begins.
Posted on: Thursday, August 11, 2016