Beyond the Classroom
Preparation for a career in the health professions involves more than classroom learning. First-hand experience in a health-care setting is vital to success. Internships and mentorships can provide these experiences, and also give you the opportunity to develop important skills and demonstrate your “intangibles” to potential recommendation writers.
Shadowing is a valuable career-development aid that gives you on-the-job experience in your chosen field. These real-time experiences allow you to ask questions and see professionals in action where they work.
Some of your volunteer work can – and should be – outside the medical setting. It gives you an opportunity to show that you truly care about others, are willing to give your time and energy, and that you have compassion and empathy for others.
Together, these real-world experiences will help you decide if you are pursuing the right career. Compassion and a desire to serve others, as well as enjoying work in a medical setting, are all essential to a successful health career.
Through the close mentorship of professors, undergraduate research fosters independent learning and complements pre-health coursework in meaningful ways. This allows you to develop critical-thinking skills and be an integral part of the research process.