Quick Guide to Career Counseling

Quick Guide to Career Counseling


You have the career you've always wanted, what next?

What you Should be Doing Every Year


Working as hard as you can to get the knowledge base you need and the best grades you can

Utilizing Careers in Medicine (CiM) website to crystallize your career http://www.aamc.org/students/cim/

Winter Break Suggestion, Annually


Review Summer Opportunities Booklet and select several to apply for

Updating your resume/CV

Attending Career Night

Attending the Residency Fair

Meeting regularly with your advisor(s) and Mentor(s)

Get acquainted with the Student Affairs Council Members

Summer Break Suggestions, Annually


Preview next year booklist and see your peer advisor for loaners; buy what you want to own

Request a letter of recommendation (LoR) from your summer supervisor

Use break time for a clinical or research exposure experience (or a combination in an area of interest)

Year 1

  • White Coat Ceremony – getting contact info from your cloaker for possible mentoring

  • Meeting with your Freshman Faculty Advisor (FFA) within two weeks of assignment and at least monthly thereafter, and your Student Advisor within four weeks and at least once per semester

  • Selecting a Medicine & Society preceptor in an area of interest

  • Refining your time Management, organizational, and study skills

  • Join specialty interest groups in your areas of interest and attend meetings

  • Make an appointment to check in with your Student Affairs Program Coordinator to develop a four year strategy pla

Year 2

  • Meeting early with your Freshman Faculty Advisor to see if you need more than an abbreviated USMLE review

  • Narrowing your area of interest using CiM and specialty interest groups

  • Reviewing and doing questions in prep for Step 1

  • Interviewing faculty in your proffered specialties to see what life is like

 

Winter Break Suggestion, Year 2

  • Write down your prep plan for Step-1

  • Participating in service learning if you are doing well in school, especially in an area of interest.

Year 3

  • Deciding which specialty and faculty you’ll request during the senior advisor match process

  • Do the CiM Indecision Scale if still undecided

  • Requesting a special schedule for Sr. yr. if you need one (consult SA or AA)

  • Reading on all service patients and doing questions nightly in prep for Step 2

  • Talking to OME about individualized Step 2 prep if you had trouble with Step 1 or need to boost your Step score

  • Finalizing your CV/resume and drafting your personal statement and unique characteristics for the MSPE

  • Meet with your Student Affairs Council (SAC) Advisor

  • Executing your Step 2 prep plan

  • Investing away electives (especially those with funding opportunities) and planning a challenging 4th year

  • Schedule your MSPE Exit Interview

  • Investigating residency programs websites and surfing FREIDA for info.

  • Registering for ERAS using your ERAS token

  • Attending all SA sponsored workshops

Year 4

  • Preparing your ERAS application for spending by September 1 (even if not completed)

  • Registering for NRMP

  • Scheduling your mock interview

  • Registering for and taking Step 2 CK and CS (adhering to deadlines)

  • Meeting with your MSPE writer to review your Unique Characteristics

  • Creating a spreadsheet of important characteristics of residency programs in prep for interviewing

  • Discussing your interviews and Rank Order List (RoL) with your assigned SAC member

  • Meeting the NRMP RoL certification deadline

  • Enjoying Match Day, Honors and Oath and Commencement!