| Get Started |
| Attend your school's orientation to Careers in Medicine |
| Connect with a preclinical advisor or mentor to start exploring your career goals and ask any questions you may have. |
| Start documenting the experiences that you will use to build your curriculum vitae (CV) |
| Understand Yourself |
| Attend career-oriented workshops offered by your school. |
| Work with your advisor to plan your second-year schedule. |
| Work with your advisor to determine whether you'll use your upcoming summer to gain experience or take a break. If using your summer to gain experience, search the Clinical and Research Opportunities database for opportunities. Note all application requirements and deadlines. |
| Take the Physician Values in Practice Scale (PVIPS) to assess your values. Review results with your advisor. |
| Take the Medical Specialty Preference Inventory (MSPI) to assess your interests. Review results with your advisor. |
| Take the Physician Skills (PSI) to assess your skills. Review results with your advisor. |
| Take one of the personality type self-assessments-Myers-Brigss Type indicator (MBTI) or Keirsey Temperament Sorter. Review results with your advisor. |
| Explore Your Options |
| Review your assessment results and use the recommended specialties as a place to start your specialty research. |
| Start researching specialties by reading the specialty profiles and compare specialties using the specialty comparison tool. |
| Consider the competitiveness of specialties that interest you to optimize your medical school career and maximize your residency candidacy. |
| Attend specialty interest groups and panels at your school. |
| Interview physicians who practice in specialties that interest you to get more information. |
| Participate in a preceptorship. |
| Narrow your search to a workable list of specialties as you gather more information and become more assured about which specialties would be a good fit. |
| Work with your advisor to plan your third-year schedule. |
| Explore Your Options |
| Begin clinical rotations and record your reflections about your experience in each specialty using the Clinical Rotation Evaluation. |
| Retake MSPI, PVIPS, and PSI self-assessments to track any changes in results after gaining clinical experience. |
| Review the competitiveness of specialties to realistically assess your qualifications. |
| Meet with a trusted advisor to discuss your 1-3 preferred specialties. |
| If you're having trouble identifying your preferred specialties, complete the Specialty Indecision Scale (SIS). |
| Identify and meet with a trusted advisor in your preferred specialty or specialties. |
| Find out if a research year is recommended for your preferred specialty. If so, seek opportunities. |
| Finalize your specialty choice; decide whether you'll use a parallel plan. |
| Work with your advisor to plan your fourth-year schedule. |
| If completing away rotations, note application process, requirements, and deadlines. |
| Apply for away rotations, if applicable. |
| Prepare for Residency |
| Learn about the residency application and match process-including the application materials and services used-for your chosen specialty. Note requirements, deadlines, and parties responsible. |
| Learn about your school's Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) process. |
| Register for each of the residency application and match services you'll use. |
| Finalize plans for securing letters of recommendation for your residency application. |
| Identify your career and training goals and discuss them with a trusted mentor or advisor. |
| Complete the Residency Preference Exercise (RPE) and review with a trusted mentor or advisor. |
| Write your personal statement. Ask trusted mentors and advisors to review it and suggest improvements. |
| Search for residency programs using the residency and fellowship program search to identify those that best fit your education and career goals. |
| Conduct further research about residency programs to determine your competitiveness. Review your list of desired programs to which you'll apply. |
| Finalize the list of residency programs to which you'll apply. |
| Finalize all residency application materials. |
| Submit your residency application materials to your chosen programs. |
| Monitor and keep your advisor informed of the number of interview invitations you receive. |
| Strategically schedule interviews. Cancel professionally as needed. |
| Prepare and practice for interviews using the guidance and tools on the CiM website. |
| Schedule a mock interview through your advisor or student affairs office. |
| Attend residency interviews and use the Residency Program Evaluation Guide to create your personal review of each program. |
| Evaluate and compare residency programs using your personal reviews of each program and your residency Preference Exercise (RPE). |
| Create and initial rank order list of all the programs you're willing to attend, in the order you'd like to attend them. |
| Finalize your rank order list and submit it to the matching service. |
| Participate in your school's Match Day ceremony and find out where you matched. |
| If you're without a residency position after the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) concludes, work with your advisor or student affairs dean to explore your options. |
| Sign the contract with your residency program. |
| Attend session or workshop about transitioning to residency. |
| Attend a residency or specialty boot camp. |
| Graduate and transition to residency training. |
