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College of MedicineMD ProgramStudent AffairsCareer Advising Program

Career Advising Program

The career advising program is designed to support medical students throughout their journey, from their first day of classes to the residency match process and beyond. The program helps students explore specialties, prepare for residency, and make informed career decisions through events, resources, and personalized advising.

First Year: Explore

  • Build a bridge from medical school application to first-year experience
  • Understand how your identities will integrate into your physician identity
  • Attend Student Interest Group (SIG) and Registered Student Organization (RSO) events focused on developing understanding of specialties and pathways
  • Complete career advising modules, including:
    • Medical school from a career decision lens
    • Overview of the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), used in the residency application process
    • Residency application components, including what to consider during pre-clerkship years
    • Links to resources for additional exploration

Second Year: Learn

  • Learn more about the specialties and consider which specialty or specialties would be a good fit for you
  • Identify what is most important for you as you transition from classroom to the clinic through the Association of American Medical Colleges’ (AAMC) Careers in Medicine: Personal Assessments
  • Ask more in-depth questions about the specialty or specialties that interest you most and take advantage of leadership opportunities at SIG/RSO events
  • Explore additional resources including:
    • Specialty advice from clinical education directors
    • Specialty guides for medical students
    • Match statistics and Residency Explorer

Third Year: Refine

  • Meet with the Career Advising team and Clinical Education Director (CED) in related specialty (required)
  • Receive specific guidance on the residency application cycle, personal statements, CVs, and letters of recommendation
  • Complete specialty surveys to help plan for away rotations and fourth-year scheduling
  • Review Match results
  • Access additional resources for residency data

Fourth Year: Apply

  • Get expert help to craft standout personal statements and CVs
  • Learn how to request strong letters of recommendation from clinical preceptors
  • Prepare for and practice interviewing
  • Form a “Match Team” to advise you through the application, interview, and match process, assisting with:
    • Development of your personal application plan
    • Required meetings at key points in the process
    • “On-call” meetings to help with questions