The Office of Academic Support provides career development through the Careers in Medicine program of the AAMC. This is web-based program assists students during all four years of their medical education through self-reflection, values clarification and in-depth information on various specialties. Check it out here: http://www.aamc.org/students/cim/start.htm Email jcrum@mcw.edu if you need an access code! Once you create a code it is good for life!
While some students begin medical school knowing what specialty they will pursue, many students change their minds several times. Still, for others the idea of choosing a specialty seems far off. Careers in Medicine (CiM) offers you a structured program designed to help you think systematically about your options.
As you work through the CiM program, you'll gain the tools to make an informed decision, based on guided self-reflection and the information you'll gather about the many career options available to you. CiM uses a four-phase career development model: • Understanding Yourself You'll ask yourself the important questions: "Who am I?" "What do I like to do?" "What's really important in my work and life?" The goal of this phase is to achieve a greater understanding of yourself and to address the question: "What do I want to do in my medical career?" • Exploring Options You'll explore the variety of specialties as well as the other career options available to you in the field of medicine. As you meet and talk with physicians in various specialties, you'll begin to learn about what physicians do in these areas, gaining a real-world perspective on their specialties. • Choosing a Specialty Once you've collected enough information on all of the possibilities, you will then compare what you have learned about yourself in the first phase with the information you've gathered about the specialties and other medical career options you're considering. CiM will then help you select a specialty you will pursue during residency. • Getting into Residency In this phase CiM will guide you through applying for and being accepted into a residency program. You'll find valuable information and tips about the residency application process, interviewing, and the Match, along with things to consider in completing medical school and beginning residency.