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College of MedicineMD ProgramStudent AffairsCareer Advising Program

Career Advising Program

From the first year onward, our Career Advising Program (CAP), housed within the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs, helps medical students explore their passion for service and specialization within the field of medicine in accordance with our mission and goals: to train physicians to serve Washington’s underserved and rural communities by addressing health care challenges and inspiring people to help solve those challenges as a team.

Our Career Advising Program is intended to help each student explore the various medical specialties during their medical school experience while being kept abreast of the important guideposts toward applying to and matching to residency in their chosen specialty.

Students receive career advising through one-on-one meetings with faculty and administration as well as workshops and presentations. An introductory overview begins in the fall of the MS1 year by connecting each student with the Career Advising Roadmap and the AAMC Careers in Medicine resources. Following this introductory overview, students schedule one-on-one meetings to review the Careers in Medicine self-assessments and discuss their evolving career aspirations through each year.

Career Advising Activities

First-Year Students (MS1)

  • Fall: Information Email about the Career Advising Program
  • Year-Round: Optional career advising session with faculty or administrator
  • Spring: Habits of Successfully Matched Students Workshop (MS1, MS2, and MS3 together)
  • Ongoing: “A Day in the Life” online videos
  • EFlo Career Advising site and resource bank

Second-Year Students (MS2)

  • Year-round: One required one-on-one meeting with CAP faculty/administrators
  • Spring: Habits of Successfully Matched Students workshop (MS1, MS2, and MS3 together)
  • Ongoing: “A Day in the Life” On-line Videos
  • January – May: One-on-one follow-up meetings as needed
    EFlo Career Advising site and resource bank

Third-Year Students (MS3)

  • Year round: One required one-on-one meeting with CAP faculty/administrators
  • Fall: Specialty Survey
  • Fall: Residency Preparation Part 1 – overview of the residency application process
  • February: Habits of Successfully Matched Students workshop (MSI, MSII, and MSIII together)
  • Spring: Residency Preparation Part 2 – Personal statements, CVs, and letters of recommendation
  • TBD: Residency Program Director Presentations
  • Spring: Habits of Successfully Matched Students workshop (MSI, MSII, and MSIII together)
  • Ongoing: “A Day in the Life” online videos
  • January – May: One-on-one follow-up meetings as needed
  • EFlo Career Advising site and resource bank

Fourth-Year Students (MS4)

  • Match Week Overview including SOAP Process
  • Introduction to Residency Session
  • Ongoing: “A Day in the Life” online videos
  • EFlo Career Advising site and resource bank

Required Components

During the second, third, and fourth  years, students are required to meet, at a minimum, once per academic year with designated faculty. The purpose of the mandatory session is to review student’s thoughts, concerns and questions regarding career advising and specialty choice interests. The meeting is also a chance to discuss the career advising calendar of programs and other issues students may have in the areas of residency matching and competitiveness. Subsequent one-on-one meetings are determined based on student need.

Recommended Components

During the first year, students may request meetings to explore career interests (Year 1). They may also schedule more than the required meeting in Years 2, 3, and 4 as needed. Additionally, they will have many resources at their fingertips through the MD program’s EFlo Career Advising website as well as workshops that will be provided throughout all four years.

Attendance for every event is tracked to ensure that appropriate information is relayed to each student and that additional support can be identified and provided. Students receive regular communication from the Career Advising Program.

Summary

The Career Advising Program is meant to assist and guide students to identify a specialty consistent with their skills and wishes and help identify relevant residency programs. They will be provided with current, timely, and useful information necessary for specialty selection. Linking them to faculty and administration who can provide the latest advising support information, they will be supported by the availability of an on-going database of resources for specialty choices.