Career Advising

Career development is a process of self-assessment, career exploration, career-decision making and implementation. Individual career advising sessions with one of our staff Advisors are held throughout the year with all students. Our goal is to provide timely information and resources as you progress through medical school and plan for your career. You can always reach out to an Advisor for support anytime.

Career Advising in the Student Mentoring Program is modelled after the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Careers in Medicine (CiM) program. Students are encouraged to explore CiM website. Access is provided at the beginning of your first year of medical school.

CiM uses a four-step career planning process:

1. Understand Yourself (Years 1-2)
2. Explore Options (Years 2-3)
3. Choose a Specialty (Years 3-4)
4. Prepare for Residency (Years 3-4)

For each step there are assessments, articles, and specialty information pages that supplement the career exploration process. Talk with your Advisor about how to make CiM work best for you.

The AAMC recommends exploring specialties early in medical school. Reflection, research, and time are key components of deciding on a path in medicine. With over 120 specialties, it can be challenging to start to learn more about each area. The following pages are intended to be quick references for early exploration of specialties and are based on CiM content. If you find something interesting, or your specialty is not listed, connect with your Advisor to learn more about shadowing, research, and other opportunities.