Student Services

Office of Medical Education

Career Advising @Larner

Advisors and mentors play an essential role in guiding students through medical school. Workshops, discussion groups, activities, and meetings with mentors and faculty members take place throughout all four years. These activities are designed to facilitate the career planning process and provide guidance from a student’s first day through the residency application process and the Match.

Student Advising in the Curriculum

The Careers in Medicine Specialty Panel Series 

The Careers in Medicine Specialty Panel Series is held each fall to introduce first-year students to the AAMC's Careers in Medicine Program (AAMC login required) and allow exploration of specialties through presentations and Q&A sessions with clinical faculty.

• Fall Careers in Medicine Specialty Panel Schedule

Additionally, events sponsored by clinical departments occur throughout the year and are posted to the Larner Medical Student Events Calendar.

Advising during Foundations and Clerkship

Upon matriculation, each student is assigned a Primary Advisor who is available to provide support and information, as well as to guide discussions on academic progress, career choice, and student wellness. Primary Advisors are connected to the student’s assigned Professionalism, Communication and Reflection group, and students are required to set up at least two formal advising sessions each year. The PCR curriculum incorporates Careers in Medicine Self-Assessments to help guide students toward choosing a specialty. 

Mentoring continues through the Clerkship Year with PCR-3.

Specialty Advising during Advanced Integration

In December/January of the Clerkship Year, students choose a Specialty Advisor in the specialty of their choice. The role of the Specialty Advisor is to assist with the fourth-year elective selection and to provide specialty-specific guidance during the residency application process.

Specialty Advising Directors have been identified in each specialty to serve as the first point of contact to students who are interested in pursuing that specialty. Specialty Advising Directors may serve as specialty advisors themselves or refer students to other faculty members within their department.

Students who have not decided on a specialty are encouraged to meet with one of the Deans for Students for guidance and resources. Secure a drop-in session with any of the Deans for Students online.

     NEW >> The Recording of the 11/30/2023 Group Advising Session for students considering 3 or more specialties 

              >> The Recording of the 12/7/2023 Group Advising Session for students deciding between 2 specialties

              >> The Recording of the 12/14/2023 Group Advising Session for students who have chosen a specialty

              >> Dr. Dolbec's slideshow from the sessions.

The Specialty Profiles section of the Careers in Medicine website allows students to explore more than 160 specialties and subspecialties in the United States, including training requirements, salary, and workforce information.

Peer Support

LCOM Connect (formerly Big Sib Program): Each first-year medical student is matched with a student from the second-year class who serves as a friend, mentor, information source, and support system.

Specialty Sibs: Clerkship students will have the opportunity to pair with Advanced Integration students who are pursuing the same specialty in which they are interested.

Peer Support via Student Interest Groups: Contact Student Affairs for more information or see Student Interest Groups.

AAMC Careers in Medicine Resources and Services

Choosing a medical specialty is one of the most significant decisions a medical student will make. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has developed an outstanding program, Careers in Medicine, to help with this process. Across all four years of medical school, there are tools to help students identify career goals, explore specialty and practice options and choose a specialty, as well as select and apply to residency programs when the time comes.

The Careers in Medicine program is structured to support medical students through a four-step career planning process (AAMC login required):

• Understanding yourself
• Exploring your options
• Choosing a specialty
• Getting into residency

Getting Started:

• Learn more about AAMC Careers in Medicine: Log in to your account (Note: Use your AAMC user name and password, which is the same information you have used for AMCAS, MCAT, and programs that use the AAMC Login).
• Connect with Alumni in your area of interest with the Alumni Directory.
• Curriculum Vitae resources:
  • Larner College of Medicine Faculty Affairs Resources
  • UVM Graduate Writing Center
  • Careers in Medicine Writing a Curriculum Vitae (AAMC login required)
    
• Read the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society's monograph, Medical Professionalism: Best Practices (available online and in PDF format)
• If students are interested in pursuing residency within the state of Vermont, students can visit the Vermont Department of Health Agency of Human Services Board of Medical Practice Licensing website to explore the Vermont licensure process and requirements.