Medical School Career Services
Career Services provide all students in the Medical School personalized and innovative services, programs, and resources focused on Career Assessment, Career Exploration, Career Decision-Making, and Career Preparation that achieve students’ career goals and success. The career counselor also assists you in preparing your CV and personal statements as well as providing one-one-one interview coaching for your residency program interview preparation.
MCW Career in Medicine (CiM) - Four Year Program
M1 Career Self-Assessment
- Clarifying personal interests, abilities and values relating to potential specialties
- Exploring preferred work environment, practice characteristics, and clinical apprenticeship experience
- Career Day: Learning AAMC CiM assessment tools, exploring various specialties, and developing career plan
- Interpersonal and professional skills development
M2 Career Exploration
- Information gathering regarding career options (e.g., specialties and subspecialties, academic medicine, public health and other medical careers)
- Exploring career options via courses, clinical rotation, research, volunteer, summer experiences, post-match panel, etc.
- Clinical Apprenticeship experience
- Elective Day: Learning different specialties and elective decision making, information interview with faculty, physicians, and resident by different specialty
M3 Career Advising/Decision Making
- Advising and support for career decision making via referrals to clinical advisors in area(s) of interest and post-match panel
- Career Development Program: Learn AAMC CiM residency program resources and developing CV/personal statement
- Residency Days: Learn the process of residency application (i.e., Clinical advisor program, Away electives, ERAS, etc.)
- Continued professional skills development with clinical focus
M4 Career Search/Preparation
- Obtaining letters of recommendation
- Career development programs: Application materials and interview skills
- Mock interviews: Receives feedback and improves interview skills
- Evaluating or alternating M4 elective experiences to prepare for specific residency training programs
MCW Career in Medicine (CiM) - Three Year Program
M1 Career Self-Assessment and Career Exploration
- Clarifying personal interests, abilities and values relating to potential specialties
- Exploring preferred work environment, practice characteristics, and clinical apprenticeship experience
- Information gathering regarding career options (e.g., specialties and subspecialties, academic medicine, public health and other medical careers)
- Exploring career options via courses, research, volunteer, post-match panel, etc.
- Learning different specialties and elective decision making, information interview with faculty, physicians, and resident by different specialty
- Career Day: Learning AAMC CiM assessment tools, exploring various specialties, and developing career plan
- Interpersonal and professional skills development
M2 Career Advising/Decision Making
- Advising and support for career decision making via referrals to clinical advisors in area(s) of interest and post-match panel
- Career Development Program: Learn AAMC CiM residency program resources and developing CV/personal statement
- Residency Days: Learn the process of residency application (i.e., Clinical advisor program, Away electives, ERAS, etc.)
M3 Career Search/Preparation
- Obtaining letters of recommendation
- Career development programs: Application materials and interview skills
- Mock interviews: Receives feedback and improves interview skills
- Evaluating or alternating M4 elective experiences to prepare for specific residency training programs
- Continued professional skills development with clinical focus
Download MCW Career in Medicine (CiM) - Three Year Program (PDF)
Career Services Resources
Clinical Advising Program
MCW’s required Residency Advising Program provides an opportunity for rising Milwaukee M3 students and rising Green Bay/Central Wisconsin M2 students to work closely with a clinical faculty member to individualize their senior schedule, build a solid and cohesive residency application, and develop a professional identity under the guidance of a faculty role model. In addition to scheduling, Residency Advisors and their mentees are encouraged to discuss various topics related to medical student success and specialty preparedness.
Resources
The process:
- Network with potential faculty members or check the past residency advisor list you feel would be a good fit.
- Initiate contact with faculty members to serve as an advisor.
- Schedule a meeting with the faculty member to establish a relationship, confirm whether they are willing to be your advisor, and discuss expectations.
- Complete the Residency Advisor Selection Form by January 31.
- Notify MCW Career Services of any changes to your advisor(s).
Program Information
Considerations for Medical Students while selecting an advisor:
- Do they have time for you? How many students are they already advising?
- Can you discuss your questions and concerns about your specialties of interest?
- Do you have a good rapport?
- Are they knowledgeable in your specialty interest area?
Medical Students should be prepared to:
- Schedule regular meetings with your residency advisor
- Discuss electives and away rotations relevant to your specialty of interest
- Identify resources to support specialty decision making
- Discuss Step 2CK goals and timeline
- Review clinical rotation performance, CV, and personal statement
- Discuss residency program selection and application strategies
- Discuss letters of recommendation
- Cultivate continued professional identity development and professional networking skills
- Report the number of interviews granted; discuss any concerns regarding being matched
- Review and discuss your rank list
Residency Advisors should be prepared to:
M3 Year
- Help students reflect on their experiences and begin to select a specialty
- Help students network with professionals in their specialties of interest
M4 Year
- Review student qualifications for their specialty of choice
- Help undecided students identify the source of their indecision
- Present current, relevant match outcomes data to aid in decision making
- Help brainstorm alternative and backup plans as appropriate
- Review CV and personal statement and provide guidance for revision
- Practice tough interview questions to prepare the advisee for interviews
- Check in periodically throughout the application and interview process to ensure sufficient interviews are scheduled
- Review the rank list to help ensure a successful match
- Monitor advisee’s overall well-being regularly and refer the student to resources that support their wellness
Contact Us
If you have any questions, please contact Career Counselor, Dr. Nai-Fen Su
Nai-Fen Su, PhD
Career Counselor
(414) 955-4977