FAQ#19: What is Doc Opera?

Ok, so I should have seen this one coming. ;-)

Doc Opera is the Case School of Medicine's fundraiser for the Cleveland Free Clinic. The show is entirely written, produced, and performed by medical students from all three Case programs (UP, CCLCM, and MSTP.) The songs are spoofs of real songs with the lyrics re-written to reflect medical school themes, and most of them also have dances that go with them. For example, "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred became "I'm Too Busy," and it was about a surgeon who didn't have time for anything or anyone else. "Still" by the Ghetto Boys became "Die Carcinoma." "Summer Nights" from Grease became "Med School Nights," and so on. There were also some medical school-themed skits that had been filmed ahead of time, and they were shown in between the live numbers. One of my favorite numbers was "Keeping Up is Hard to Do," which is a spoof of "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" by Neil Sedaka. Several of the Case SOM faculty were dancing in that one, and it was really cute. There was also one song performed by Docapella, which is the Case SOM acapella group, and they did "The Sound of Science" to Simon and Garfunkle's "Song of Silence." If you've never heard an acapella group perform, it's really neat. The singers make the harmony themselves as well as the melody, so the band didn't play during this song at all.

Most of the Doc Opera performers are UP students, but there were several MSTP students along with about half a dozen of us from CCLCM who were involved this year as singers, dancers, and members of the band. I think that next year we are going to try to have our own number like the MSTP students did this year. The MSTP students did a really cute spoof of Beck's "Loser." At one point, the lyrics say:

"And the clinic kids, as it has been said,
Hate us for our brains but want us in bed."

They are talking about CCLCM students when they say clinic kids. All I can say is that our supposed amorous intentions toward the MSTP students sure is news to me!

Anyway, Doc Opera is really fun, and it's for a really good cause. You can see some pictures by clicking on the link I included above. If you come to any of the Case programs, you should really think about performing or helping out behind the scenes. They used to hold the show in March, so last year we got to see it during the Case/CCLCM second look weekend. Unfortunately, you current applicants won't get to see it during your second look weekend because now the show date has been permanently moved to December. This had to be done because the second-year UP and MSTP students take the USMLE (step 1 of the medical boards) early starting with this year's class. Those of us in the CCLCM program still take Step 1 in June, but all of the other Case students are doing it in March.