In This Section

Career Counseling

Career Counseling occurs routinely through a series of scheduled class meetings throughout medical school, through individual career advising, and through informal career exploration. 

Class Meetings

First Year

  • August—orientation, introduction to choosing a specialty
  • January—review of orientation, summer planning
  • May—reflection on M1 year and the path ahead

Second Year

  • August—overview of M2 year
  • December—planning for USMLE step 1, introduction of clerkships
  • January—review of second half of M2 year
  • February—third-year clerkship selection

Third Year

  • May—third-year preparation and orientation
  • October—overview of second half of M3 year
  • January—planning for M4 year, meeting with residency program directors
  • February—fourth-year rotation selection
  • March—meeting with matched M4s

Fourth Year

  • May—fourth-year overview, review of planning for residency applications
  • July—updates regarding residency applications
  • January—review of the Match process
  • March—Match Day
  • April—capstone, review of plans and final requirements for graduation.

Individual Career Advising

Students meet one-on-one twice a year in the first two years then once a year thereafter with their Doctoring College Academic Advisors to review their progress in medical school and to set personal goals. Midway through their third year, students are assigned Specialty Advisors, who are physicians in the specialties for which they plan to apply, who help guide their M4 scheduling and residency application choices.  The offices of Student Affairs and Medical Education are available to counsel students individually throughout medical school.

Informal Career Exploration

Student interest groups representing various medical specialties host events to introduce students to the specialties. Students may arrange to shadow physicians on their own.