Longitudinal Career Development Program

UIC letters with a UI College of Medicine logo banner in the background

University of Illinois College of Medicine offers a four-year comprehensive career development curriculum modeled off of the AAMC Careers in Medicine 4 Phase Model. The career development team is centered in the Office of Student Affairs and includes deans, faculty specialty advisors, and dedicated staff. The goal of career advising is to provide guidance and support for students as they choose a specialty and apply to residency programs. An overview of the career advising curriculum throughout medical school is listed below:

Showing different phases
  1. Phase 1: M1-M2 Years
    • Excel in Basic Science Curriculum
    • Engage in activities to build medical school CV
    • Explore speciality interests
  2. Step One
    • 6-8 weeks of dedicated study
  3. Phase 2: M3 Year
    Consists of:

    • 7 clinical rotations
    • 4 weeks of electives
    • Speciality decision-making
  4. Phase 3: M4 Year
    • Study and sit for Step 2
    • Finalize speciality choice(s)
    • Get strong letters of recommendation
    • Consider away rotations
    • Apply to residency
    • Interview with residency programs
  5. Match Day & Graduation
    • M4 spring

Phase 1 (Pre-Clinical): M1 - M2 Years

  • Individual Meetings – Students explore specialty interests through one-on-one meetings with their Physician House Advisor (PHA), clinical faculty advisor, Office of Student Affairs (OSA) staff, and/or Student Affairs Deans.
  • Curriculum Integration – Longitudinal professional development courses during Phase 1 introduce students to core career planning topics, including specialty exploration through peer advising and faculty panels, self-assessment using AAMC Careers in Medicine tools, CV development, and preparation for summer opportunities.
  • Explore Specialty Options-Students have the opportunity to join specialty interest groups, shadow clinical opportunities, and become involved in research, service, and other extracurriculars.

Phase 2: M3 Year

  • Road to Residency Workshop Series-topics include long term residency application preparation, M4 elective selection/schedule planning, Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Society, Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS), Preparing your Residency Application, the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), Away Rotations, and USMLE Step 2.
  • Small Group Advising-Students attend small group specialty advising sessions with residency program directors and faculty to understand specialty specific application guidelines.
  • Specialty Career Advising-Students are connected with a specialty faculty career advisor.
  • Schedule Planning and Residency Application Advising– Students continue meeting individually with their physician house advisors/career advisors and Office of Student Affairs team members to discuss elective scheduling and residency application strategy.

Phase 3: M4 Year

  • Road to Residency Workshop Series-Longitudinal didactic series- including program director/specialty advisor panel, resident panels. Topics cover residency application preparation, program selection, interview preparation, and rank lists.
  • Individualized Career Counseling – Specialty advising with Office of Student Affairs staff and faculty advisors for M4 electives/schedule planning, USMLE Step preparation, program selection, rank list order. Application Support for Curriculum Vitae (CV), personal statement, MSPE noteworthy characteristics, and application platform specifics. Mock Interviews with faculty.

Current Students

UICOM students have access to additional career development resources through the Blackboard Career Advising Course.