Career Guidance & The Match

Navigating the career development process while being a full time medical student can be challenging.  Each medical student’s journey and career development experience is unique. To help provide a “one stop shop” for support and resources at your fingertips, we have created this online toolkit as a guide and roadmap for success for each step along the way. 

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 both 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.

Overview of the Career Development Process and Resources

Learn and Explore

  • Use these resources and information to help with laying a foundation for a successful and holistic approach towards specialty discernment. Year-specific guides: MS-1, MS-2

Specialty Pages 

  • Access a wealth of information about medical specialties and career paths.  The pages include UMN specific resources and links to additional resources to help support exploration.

Optimize and Apply/Match 

  • Learn specific information about ways to maximize matching success, tools, data and other resources. Year-specific guides: MS-3, MS-4

Career and Professional Development Sources of Support

Role

How they support career development

When to see them

Academic Advisor

Assisting with MS-3 and MS-4 scheduling, ensuring graduation requirements are met, providing information on electives, and general questions.

Any time, but primarily during the MS-2 and MS-3 year for scheduling purposes and lane/LIC selection and questions.

Career Development Professional Staff

Providing career development programming and resources for all 4 years of medical school.  Information on the Careers in Medicine and other online resources, leads and organizes the student Career and Professional Development Advisory Board, and provide direct support of the residency match process.

Any time.  Expect significant direct contact during early MS-4 year to help with the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) process and information on the residency match.  

Faculty Advisor

Providing individual and group career and professional advice throughout your medical school experience.  Additionally, they write the summary paragraph of the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) and advising support for the residency application process.

Any time.  Faculty Advisors are a key resource for career development throughout your medical education.

Specialty Experts

Providing specialty-specific advising on optimizing residency match strategies, feedback on competitiveness, and other specific information about their careers.

It depends on your commitment to a particular specialty.  Most students begin connecting with specialty experts during MS-2 and MS-3 years for advising.  If you are interested in a highly competitive speciality, it can be useful to meet with them sooner. 

Resources for Specialty Experts and Advisors

Resources for Alumni

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

Career Vital Signs

Quarterly professional development newsletter full of info and resources for all four years

Contact

Career Development and Residency Match Coordinators
resapp@umn.edu

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