Career Guidance & The Match

Navigating the career development process while being a full time medical student can be challenging.  Each medical student’s journey is unique. This toolkit is a “one stop" roadmap for support and resources. 

Philosophy:  The University of Minnesota Medical School provides a comprehensive and customizable approach towards medical student career exploration and support across all four years and three campuses. 

Vision:  Students will have sufficient information and resources to make key career decisions, be able to make informed choices, and be successful in the Match.

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Learn & Explore

  • Self understanding of values, interests, general goals
  • Exploring specialties through research, networking and joining Interest Groups
  • Advisor meetings and Course
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Discern & Choose Your Specialty(ies)

  • Embrace the clinical rotation variety and note personal learnings
  • Narrow your interests; find your people
  • Develop departmental relationships, ask for recommendations

 

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Optimize Your Experiences

  • Engage with process and advising days
  • Use the tools and advisors to develop effective strategy
  • Connect with Specialty Program Directors
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Land a Residency

  • Take action: research programs, apply, interview, rank, match
  • Stay on track with Residency Guide and monthly ResApp newsletters

Career Advising Network: current residents, specialty experts, faculty and academic advisors, student affairs, career development staff, online resources

Academic Advisor

Assist with clinical scheduling, meeting graduation requirements, elective information and general questions. Primarily meet during MS2 and MS3 for scheduling and lane/LIC selection questions.

Career Development Staff

Four year career development programming including early exploration and direct support of residency match process. Connect with anytime and anticipate much information for navigating residency application and match.

Faculty Advisor

Provide individual and group career and professional support of your medical school experience. Available any time and host scheduled meetings every fall and spring.

Specialty Experts

Provide specialty-specific advising on optimizing residency match strategies, feedback on competitiveness, and other specific information about their careers. Many students start connecting during year 2 and 3, though connecting earlier for competitive specialties is normal.

Overview of the Career Development Process and Resources

Learn and Explore, Optimize and Apply/Match, UMN Specialty Pages  

Resources

Resources for Specialty Experts and Advisors

Resources for Alumni

AAMC Careers in Medicine

AAMC Careers in Medicine Development Pyramid

Specialties Page

A page devoted to information and resources to learn more about each specialty

Specialty Experts

Contact info for Specialty Experts in each specialty available as a resource

AMA Career Planning Resource

A guide and tools from the American Medical Association for learning about specialties, choosing a specialty and applying

UMN Match Lists

Past UMN match lists

Faculty Advisors

Contact

Career Development and Residency Match Coordinators
[email protected]

Questions?

Have a question or can't find what you are looking for? Visit the AskMedEd page.