Career Advising | Office of Medical Education | The University of Vermont(title)

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 the academic journey.

Student Advising in the Curriculum

Careers in Medicine Specialty Panel Series

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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 reqired) and allow exploration of specialties through presentations and Q&A sessions with clinical faculty.

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

Advising during Foundations and Clerkship

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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 (PDF) 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. 

Specialty Advising during Advanced Integration

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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 (PDF) 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. Students can secure a drop-in session with any of the Deans for Students (Outlook). In addition, 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.

Student-to-student resources Peer Support

Two students having a discussion at a Speciality sibs meet and greet.

Larner Connect

In our Larner Connect (formerly known as the 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.
Students at the Foundations Celebration

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.
Students playing a video game at a meeting for the Neuro student interest group

Student Interest Groups (SIGs)

Contact Student Affairs for more information or click below to view the Student Interest Groups webpage.

Contact

Katherine Dolbec, M.D.

Assistant Dean for Students, Office of Medical Education • Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine

Katherine.Dolbec@med.uvm.edu