What did you do other than going to the conferences?
In preparation for your residency applications, many students think of attending Mid-Year conference. What else? Here are a few suggestions you can consider:
Third-year students, plan your rotations wisely and strategically to align with your goals. I would think about preceptors who can write you a letter of recommendation and who are connected with a residency program. In my experience, I saved my priority spot for an ambulatory care rotation with a preceptor who was a residency director. She later wrote one of my three letters of recommendation. I also selected a rotation affiliated with a program that I was interested in and the professor who attended my final patient case presentation was in my interview panel for that program.
Shadow a resident! One of my top recommendations for students is to get a taste of what their life would be and the rotations they would have during the residency. The more they understand what it truly means to be a resident, the clearer and more realistic their perspective on residency becomes. This understanding helps them determine whether residency is the right fit and the program aligns with their goals, increasing the likelihood that they will commit to and complete the program. The last thing we would want to see is someone matching with a program only to later withdraw after realizing that residency is not for them.
Seek out networking events to gain insights from your peers and to practice your interpersonal skills! These may include residency showcases hosted by your state or your school. If you serve as a board member of a professional organization, consider organizing a career round table or resident panel for the students — I guarantee most students will appreaciate it! In my experience, I enjoyed the career round table at my school so much I wished it were offered multiple times throughout the year. No only is it interesting to hear the career path of alumni and preceptors but it is also valuable to exchange contact information for future networking, especially when your career interests may evolve.
Collaborate on a project with a professor or a resident! It can be research, a presentation or a poster. Nearly all residency programs include a project component such as continuing education presentation or research poster. Completing a project beforehand helps familiarize you with the process and proves that you have foundational skills you can apply and further develop on during residency.
During your internship, other than the daily tasks, create learning opportunities with your preceptor (e.g., a new idea to improve workflow, index for counseling on new migraine therapy). You also want to make note of a tough situation with a co-worker or an interesting clinical case. These experiences will be helpful in answering behavioral interview questions.
