Specialty Resources

Welcome to the Clinical Specialty Advising page!

We're excited to introduce this important part of your advising support system---Clinical Specialty Advisors (CSAs).

CSAs are faculty advisors who provide specialty-specific focused guidance, mentorship, and expertise to help you explore and pursue the specialties you’re considering. Each CSA serves as a content expert within their specialty and is available to support students throughout every stage of the medical school journey—from early exploration to the Match.

What to Expect

MS1 & MS2 Students
Your primary focus during the pre-clinical years should be building a strong academic foundation while exploring the many specialties medicine has to offer. CSAs will partner with student interest groups and participate in specialty-focused events throughout the year while also helping students make connections for deeper insight and research opportunities. These group opportunities are an excellent way to learn about different fields, ask questions, connect with faculty, and discover research or shadowing opportunities.

We recognize that specialty interests often evolve as you gain new experiences during medical school. Participating in interest group activities and other school/specialty sponsored events allows you to explore options while keeping an open mind about the many rewarding career paths available.

MS3 & MS4 Students
As you enter your clinical years, your CSA will become a key partner in your specialty and residency planning. They will work closely with you to develop a personalized strategy for elective scheduling, away rotations, residency applications, program selection, signaling strategy, and contingency back-up/parallel planning to help you build the strongest application possible.

What Should You Do Right Now?

MS1-Focus on adjusting to medical school and establishing a strong academic routine. As you settle in, take advantage of student interest groups and school-sponsored specialty events to begin exploring your interests.

MS2-Continue focusing on your coursework and preparing for Step. During the fall, you'll have the opportunity to meet with CSAs to discuss elective planning for your third-year schedule.

MS3-During the summer, you'll be asked to identify your specialty interest(s). This information will be shared with the appropriate CSAs so they can begin working with you through both group meetings and individualized advising as you prepare for your fourth year and residency application.

MS4-Work closely with your CSA through both group meetings and individualized advising to develop a competitive residency application, create a thoughtful and strategic program list, and position yourself for a successful Match.

Your Advising Team

Your Clinical Specialty Advisors form a powerful team together with the House Advisors to ensure you feel supported, both professionally and personally, helping you navigate each stage of your training and preparation for a career as a physician that aligns with your interests and goals.

To connect with a Clinical Specialty Advisor, please click the Clinical Specialty Advisor Contacts link below.

Clinical Specialty Advisor Contacts

For detailed information about the specialty, click on the specialty of your interest. Each specialty category page below has been updated -- or will be soon—with:

General specialty information
What it’s like to work in the specialty
Training and preparation are needed for the specialty
Residency application considerations for the specialty
Specialty specific guide
Additional application and general specialty resources
Recorded session(s) by the CSA.

Feel free to review the information and reach out to the CSA directly and/or Dr. Lisa R. Shah-Patel, Director of Clinical Specialty Advising, (lshahpatel@arizona.edu) for any suggestions/questions.

Note: You must be a current student with an active account to access the Contact sheet.

Explore the following links to learn more about these specialty areas.

Thoracic Surgery
Urology
Vascular Surgery

Feedback

As we continue to update our program, your feedback is invaluable. After meeting with your CSA, please share your experience. Responses are anonymous. We appreciate your partnership as we all work together!

Provide CSA feedback through this link!

Advice on Residency Selection and Application

Step I & Step II scores are an important part of your residency application. Doing well on preclinical blocks correlates with a higher likelihood of passing Step I. Your advisor will review the mean Step II scores for the student's preferred specialty, and will discuss how to be the most competitive applicant based on the student's performance.

Letters of recommendation are important for all specialties. Typically, 3-4 letters will be required, usually specific to the individual specialty. While not essential in all specialties, letters from chairs or section chiefs may be especially beneficial if the person knows the student well. If the student is interested in pursuing a residency in a home or away site, a strong letter from that site is extremely valuable.

Some residency programs, depending on specialty, may be influenced by, or require, research. Research in the specific specialty of choice can be preferable, although all research is helpful for the candidate’s application. Your Scholarly Project will allow you the opportunity to submit a thesis and final poster presentation near the end of the fourth year. Quality of the project, not just the quantity of projects, is paramount. The student should expect to be asked about their project(s) during interviews.

In deciding on a specialty, shadowing is extremely valuable and highly influential. Shadowing in various venues is also important, as it helps students decide between academics and private practice, as well as hospital versus outpatient medicine. Students will have many opportunities to shadow, including during PAL Block and Capstone experiences during the first and second years. Shadowing in the third year can help students solidify their specialty selection as they prepare for the fourth year and residency applications.

Please get in touch with our Registrar's Office for shadowing policies and forms:

comphx-registrar@email.arizona.edu

Additional Resources

Many students have found The Undifferentiated Medical Student podcast a helpful resource.
Check out the podcast's homepage now

Clinical Specialty Advising

Specialty Resources

Specialty Categories

Feedback

Advice on Residency Selection and Application

Additional Resources