Career advising for fourth-year medical students
As a Year 4 medical student at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), you will decide upon a specialty, choose to take elective courses in the medicine you are interested in exploring, travel to other medical schools or out of the country for learning experiences, interview for residency, learn where you'll be for the rest of your training, and finally, graduate.
Here's a few strategies we recommend to help you cultivate a competitive specialty:
- Be in close communication with your advisor to set up your Year 4 schedule.
- Plan a home school sub-internship in your specialty choice early in Year 4.
- Timing of USMLE Step 2:
- Most students should plan to take Step 2 early in Year 4, ideally by the first week of September, as this timing maximizes preparation and ensures scores are available before residency applications open.
- Step 2 scores are crucial for residency applications, so consult your clinical advisor and Student Affairs for guidance based on your academic record.
- Talk with your advisor and Student Affairs for more information and advising based upon your academic record.
- For competitive specialties, plan for two to three away electives and prioritize programs for your applications.
- Strength of program: Consider faculty/alumni connections and whether the program is academic or community-based.
- Geographical considerations: For competitive specialties, apply nationally to mitigate geographic bias. Plan at least one away elective outside the Western region to demonstrate your willingness to relocate.
- Ensure you have access to the chief resident or program director during your away elective. Contact the program to confirm you meet screening criteria, typically including USMLE Step 1 scores.
- Be confident in your preparation from UNR Med. Most UNR Med students "shine" and perform very well while on away electives, which is why our Match looks so good each year!
- Remain in constant contact with Career Advising regarding your application strategy, interview preparation, rank order lists and parallel planning. When applying to a competitive specialty, it is imperative that you are aware of your match risk and are open to discussions regarding a parallel plan.
Strategies for success
- Metrics aligned with specialty
- Interview preparation
- Proactive communication with the Career Advising team
- High level of professionalism
- Leadership
- Open to and seeks out feedback
- Seeks information and diverse viewpoints