HMX for HMS Students
What is HMX?
HMX offers online learning from Harvard Medical School faculty.
Your faculty have helped create online courses called HMX Fundamentals that are available to you, as a student admitted to HMS, on an optional basis over the summer to help you feel well prepared for your HMS courses.
You will have course access starting in early summer after you confirm your HMS enrollment. During your first year, your professors will use and reference content from HMX courses as part of a “flipped classroom” approach, so we recommend taking a look at your own pace.
Each of the lessons (topics listed below under each course) typically takes about 2 to 3 hours to complete, depending on your starting level, how much you use the discussion forums, and your attention to the content.
How to register
Registration and enrollment information will come via email. You can also email onlinelearning@hms.harvard.edu with questions.
Courses
Learn about the HMX Fundamentals courses offered.
HMX Fundamentals Immunology covers principles that are important for understanding innate and adaptive immunological responses. Topics covered include innate immunity and inflammation, microbial recognition and responses, antibodies, lymphocyte development and diversity, T cell activation by antigens, T cell-dependent B cell responses, helper T cells, cytotoxic T cells, failures of the immune system, and novel immune therapies.
HMX Fundamentals Genetics provides an overview of key concepts behind the evolving fields of human genetics, genomics, and precision medicine. Topics covered include the central dogma and genetic variation, Mendelian inheritance of disease, chromosomal aberrations, the genetics of cancer, common complex traits, human population genetics, genome sequencing and editing, and pharmacogenomics.
HMX Fundamentals Pharmacology offers a grounding in foundational pharmacology concepts; students will gain a basis for understanding how drugs and other therapeutics are used in the treatment and prevention of diseases and disorders. Topics covered include drug classes, modalities, and routes of administration; pharmacokinetics, targets of drug action, pharmacodynamics, drug toxicity, and drug discovery and development.
HMX Fundamentals Biochemistry focuses on the foundational principles and themes in biochemistry, spanning from the molecular up to the whole organism, with a focus on how chemical processes intersect with human disease. Topics covered include the rules of energy, how energy is harnessed, how energy is transformed, cellular specialization, compartmentalization of biochemical pathways, and the chemistry of life.
HMX Fundamentals Physiology covers principles that are important for understanding multiple organ systems, showing how this knowledge comes into play in patient care. Topics covered include partial pressure, movement of body fluids, flow through tubes, compliance, supply and demand, transmural pressure, dynamic and steady state conditions, acid–base, homeostasis, and exercise physiology.
Testimonials
Learn how HMX courses have helped other HMS students get ahead.
“I think it is a fabulous tool for making a bridge to starting medical school…it nicely ties things you might have seen at some point before in your undergrad to medicine. It helps make that connection from studying things purely in a scientific discipline to studying things in a medical context.”
Jordan Said
HMS MD Candidate, 2021
“What’s particularly special about the HMX curriculum is that it’s not so much a focus on listing all of the facts, it’s really a focus on getting a good framework and understanding why things are happening and what the big picture is.”
Jakub Glowala
HMS MD Candidate, 2021
“One of the great parts about HMX is you don’t just learn about the basic science, there’s also this integration with the patient cases…it helps you get a glimpse of what doctors do and what medical school can be like.”
Ashwini Joshi
HMS MD Candidate, 2021
“For me, HMX was pretty helpful, because I had taken time off after undergrad, and was apprehensive about how up to speed I was…it gave me confidence and familiarity. When I saw the same material in the classroom I had some context to go on, and that was really helpful.”
Elliot Akama-Garren
HMS MD/PhD Candidate, 2025
“I think I’ve appreciated how much I’ve learned now, going through the formal medical school physiology curriculum and immunology curriculum, and reflecting back on some of the topics that I learned in HMX and realizing that those foundational ideas of what I learned there are still sticking with me.”
Chris Richey
HMS MD Candidate, 2020
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are these courses for?
Incoming students in the HMS Pathways program, the HST MEMP program, the HSDM program, and the HMS Immunology MMsc and PhD programs all have access.
Are these courses required?
HMX courses are optional for pre-matriculation students, though it is recommended to explore the course material prior to coming on campus to refresh your knowledge and understand where you may need additional study. Each course includes a pre-test so you can get a sense of which topics you need to focus on most. During your first year, your professors may use and reference content from the HMX courses as part of a “flipped classroom” approach, so we recommend taking a look at your own pace over the summer.
Will I be graded on my performance?
These courses are solely for your own educational benefit; no grades will be recorded or reviewed by HMS faculty.
What is the time commitment?
Most people can expect to spend around 2-3 hours per lesson (or 20-30 hours per course), but this depends on your baseline knowledge and how carefully you go through each course. You can work at your own pace during the summer.
How can I get help?
Each course has an “Ask a Question” forum moderated by advanced HMS students where you can ask questions about course content and see your peers’ questions (you will have the opportunity to post anonymously).
How long will I have access?
You will receive an email with information about how to access the course material during the summer, and will retain access to the courses throughout your time at HMS.
Questions?
For questions regarding HMX, please contact onlinelearning@hms.harvard.edu.