Informational interviewing

Your goal for conducting informational interviews with several health professionals–in different specialties and at different stages in their career–is to gain a better understanding of what it might be like to be in that particular field of health care. These interviews may occur over the phone or in person depending on the specific circumstances.

Journaling

Keeping a journal can help you take periodical reflective pauses to understand the meaning, implications, and consequences of what you are experiencing in your classroom and in your activities. We are not talking about a daily journal, but rather of a collection of occasional entries triggered by an incident, a reading, a patient, and so forth. Journaling is not only a way to record the facts that you observe and your feelings about them, but it is also an important step in becoming a reflective practitioner.

Academic job search exploration

Given the competitive and tight nature of the current academic job market you may consider exploring many types of academic positions. In general it is important to examine what kind of academic positions you are interested in. Do you, for example, want your focus to be mostly research  or mostly teaching? Do you want to work in a small liberal arts college, a large research institution or a community college? What kind of postdoc opportunities exist in your field and how expected is it that you have one?

Research

You do not have to engage in research to go to medical school or other health profession schools.  However, you may find beneficial to get some exposure to any type of research--bench, social science, qualitative, etc. While it certainly can help your application to have some research in your background, it’s not mandatory.

Academic job search preparation

The academic job search includes several preparation components. While preparing written materials is important, online and social media preparation should not be overlooked. Academic job search presentation generally includes: 

Documents 

CVs: A CV is the most requested document in the academic search. CVs are not just historical documents highlighting the depth and breadth of your academic and related experience. Strong CVs are also targeted to the audience they are trying to reach. 

Volunteering, employment and gap year resources

Working or volunteering in medically related areas will help you gain a better understanding of medicine and healthcare practice, while demonstrating that you not only have a passion for your chosen health profession, but also have a concern for your community. Volunteering is an indication of your ability to give of yourself to other individuals, especially those who might be educationally or economically disadvantaged. Community service will also increase your cultural competence, a definite asset in our diverse (global) medical practice environment.

Building Your Brand on Campus

The key to successful recruiting is building and maintaining a strong presence among Michigan students. In addition to posting positions, participating in career fairs, and offering campus interviews and information sessions, consider the following strategies to engage students and enhance your brand. Above all, be creative in your approach and highlight what sets your organization apart!

Writing your curriculum vita

A CV, or academic resume, is often your introduction to a search committee. As such the CV plays an integral role in outlining your fit for a position by showcasing relevant academic, professional, and service experiences. A strong CV tells your story to your intended audience in a way that is easy to read and garners key information. As you craft you CV remember: 

Application readiness

Although many students apply to medical school the summer between their junior and senior year, many others decide to wait one or more years. We recommend you assess your application readiness prior to applying. While the list below is not 100% inclusive, remember that these and other can be sound reasons to delay application. Please give yourself permission to wait to apply if you need or want to:

Academic job search execution

At this phase in the process you most likely should be searching for, applying to, and interviewing for academic jobs. 

Strong job searches be they academic or not rely on several different means to find and apply for positions. Although job posting systems and conference/meeting job placement activities are useful the best searches also heavily rely on Community in the search. 

Job Posting Websites

Academic360: A meta site of resources for an academic job seeker.