Career Planning

Choosing a specialty and planning a suitable career are important components of the development of each P&S student as a physician. At P&S, the career planning program begins at matriculation and continues throughout medical school. There is no “right way” to do career planning. Some students decide on their specialty before medical school and end up pursuing that specialty, and many students either do not know or change their mind. Most students decide on their specialty by the end of the summer of their final year. Students often find it helpful to speak with senior students, residents and faculty in the specialties they are considering. The best way to contact them to arrange a meeting, phone conversation or shadowing experience is usually by email.

Extensive career advising materials are available to P&S students on the Sakai website

The career planning program at P&S includes:

Shadowing opportunities
Exposure to a wide variety of specialties and careers formally through the Advisory Dean Program, the Major Clinical Year and electives, and informally through shadowing, contacting P&S graduates, speaking with faculty and other opportunities
Access to information about dual degree programs
Research opportunities and fellowships
Timely information about residency application and interviewing
Group and individualized advising to meet the needs of each student

The career planning program includes the following activities by year:

Preclinical Years/Fundamentals

Exposure to specialties and careers through advisory dean lunches
Shadowing opportunities
Research, teaching, service and global health opportunities for first year summer

Major Clinical Year

Midwinter class meeting to explain Elective year, its structure and components
Three late winter breakfast panel discussions with Dean Goldman, CUMC chairs of clinical departments and residency training directors to discuss residency application in the specialty
Pizza dinners by specialty in January/February with 4th year students going into each specialty to provide informal discussion and Q and A
Class meeting in May to review residency application timeline and components
Meetings by specialty in June with CUMC residency training directors and students interested in the specialty
Individualized career counseling meeting in first half of year with Advisory Dean
Individualized Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) and career counseling meeting with Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs in second half of year

4^th Year/Elective Year

Class meeting in July to discuss residency application and self assessment
Class meeting in October to discuss interviewing, program assessment and ranking programs
Mock interviews in October through Center for Student Wellness
Daily walk in hours and email contact for career advising

The career advising materials available to P&S students on the Sakai website include:

Exploring career options