New students at Harvard Medical School will be starting the upcoming semester off campus due to the coronavirus concerns.Harvard Medical's incoming classes of medical, dental and graduate students will be taking their classes remotely to start the 2020 fall semester, according to a letter released jointly by deans at the school.The letter also states that HMS-directed external education programs that would have been held on campus will also be held remotely to start the new semester.The school hopes to be able to hold in-person research and clinical experiences for its returning medical and graduate students.Two weeks ago, Harvard Provost Alan Garber announced that Harvard University would be open for the 2020 fall semester, but he also acknowledged that schools in the Harvard system have different approaches to learning and research. As a result, the university's individual schools would likely differ on how they choose to start the upcoming semester.The education programs at Harvard Medical School are unique, as they run for 12 months and emphasize hands-on learning. "At HMS, we have undertaken an intensive planning process over the last several weeks, working together to better understand and discuss the unique needs and timelines of our medical, graduate and external education programs, which differ from many of the course schedules at Harvard College and the other professional and graduate schools," the letter reads. "Throughout this process, we have sought to balance health and safety with the educational aspirations of our students and the need to sustain the health care workforce."Program leaders at Harvard Medical School will soon be contacting current and incoming students, as well as faculty and staff, to provide further details and preparations relative to their respective programs. Topics will include considerations for start dates, travel, housing, visas and financial aid and support. "We are confident that we can uphold the excellence that is the signature of a Harvard education," the letter reads. "We are also committed to assisting our teaching faculty in designing online courses that meet these high standards and in supporting technologies that bolster our teaching and learning initiatives."Harvard Medical School hopes to have all its students back on campus by January 2021.