M.D. Year 1

Developing a specialty as a first-year medical student at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) can provide you with valuable insights into your career goals and help you identify the areas where your passion and determination can truly shine. By aligning your interests with specific specialties, you can set a strong foundation for your professional journey.

Here's a few strategies we recommend to help you cultivate a competitive specialty:

• Develop a strong academic performance: Year 1 of medical school lays the foundation for a strong USMLE Step 1 performance. Take advantage of all resources offered by UNR Med, your instructors and administration.
• Plan to do research: Research experience will be a benefit for you no matter what specialty you decide to pursue. For many competitive specialties, programs will use research experience to help separate medical student applicants.
• Explore at least one of the specialties: This will be the last big chunk of time available to you until Year 3. Use it to your advantage. Contacts made in these specialties may be a source of future research opportunities or a letter of recommendation. These weeks of exploration may also help you with your final decision on your specialty choice.
• Find a clinical mentor in the specialty: Seek out a mentor in your area of interest. A mentor can provide valuable insights, share their experiences, and guide you on how to prepare effectively for your chosen specialty.
• Make connections with Student Affairs: Our team is here to support you! We’re available to answer your questions, help you make connections and provide guidance as you navigate your decisions about specialties.