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Altom's suicide highlighted the pressures on PhD students, problems of isolation in graduate school, and sources of tension between graduate mentors and their students. His case prompted many US universities to insist that PhD students have an advisory committee in addition to a supervisor, to whom
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services, paid for by the department. Harvard students have access to "as many visits as medically necessary" for mental health services if seen at university health services (unless they opt out of the
Student Health Fee), and up to 52 visits per plan year when enrolling in the Student Health
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and the university's administration, a fund was created to reimburse members "of any copays and other out-of-pocket medical expenses" incurred under the
Student Health Insurance Plan; in 2024, it holds $ 530,000. The collective bargaining agreement also forces the university administration to
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in 1998, citing in his suicide note "abusive research supervisors" as one reason for taking his life. Altom was studying a complex natural product and felt enormous pressure to finish the molecule before starting his academic career.
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He, F.; Bo, Y.; Altom, J. D.; Corey, E. J. (1999). "Enantioselective Total
Synthesis of Aspidophytine".
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Insurance Plan. As part of the
Collective Bargaining Agreement between the
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The molecule whose synthesis Altom was attempting to complete,
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in 1999. The article was dedicated to Altom's memory.
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Harvard
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni
22:(6 October 1971 – 15 August 1998) was an American
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145:. The President and Fellows of Harvard College
124:. The President and Fellows of Harvard College
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185:"2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement"
26:student working in the research group of
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106:Hall, Stephen S. (November 29, 1998).
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166:. Harvard Graduate Students Union
16:PhD student who committed suicide
190:. Harvard Graduate Student Union
164:"Health Care Reimbursement Fund"
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37:. He killed himself by taking
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259:Suicides by cyanide poisoning
108:"Lethal Chemistry at Harvard"
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264:Suicides in Massachusetts
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143:"Mental Health Coverage"
87:Cornell gorge suicides
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122:"Student Health Fee"
35:Harvard University
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238:Categories
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93:References
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