The Office of Career Guidance (OCG) is in the Office of the Dean and works closely with the Office of Clinical Studies and the Dean of Students. The OCG advises and counsels medical students from the beginning of their educational process at SGU through graduation and into the early alumni years. All students have access to the OCG website and staff. Counseling is provided on an individual basis and is private and confidential.
For students interested in postgraduate training in the US, the OCG is committed to helping each student secure a residency training position upon completion of the MD program. The OCG provides support, tools and resources throughout medical school. As students enter clinical training, the OCG helps to optimize their residency application strategy, supporting them during the process of ultimately finding a residency that is the right fit for them. This commitment includes offering pathways to choosing a specialty, preparing strong residency applications, applying to the right programs, learning best practices for residency interviews and understanding all the ways to attain residencies.
During the basic science terms, the OCG offers the mandatory OCG-1 talk for students in Term 1. The importance of the basic science years with preparation for the USMLE Step 1 examination for those interested in medical licensure in the US is discussed. These talks also introduce students to available review programs as well as the OCG website and how to access valuable information there. During Term 5 the OCG-2 talk is presented and is also mandatory for students. An in-depth discussion about the USMLE Step 1 and what to expect of the clinical program is presented with input from the Student Government Association - Clinical (SGA-C).
In the clinical years, the OCG informs students of various deadlines pertaining to external examinations and residency applications. Building upon the OCG talks presented in students’ Basic Sciences year, the OCG continues with additional live webinar presentations intended to give in-depth guidance on the residency application process. The OCG provides multiple presentations of the OCG-3 talk, encompassing these topics, in the winter of each year for third year students to discuss the residency application and interview process. Each year several presentations are given at SGU’s major hospital affiliations, which can include live webinar sessions offered on-line to allow students to ask questions. The OCG also maintains a robust website, which is frequently updated. Students are advised to visit the website on a regular basis to be informed about any changing regulations.
The OCG counsels students about the road to a US residency via the NRMP/ERAS as well as the occasional opportunity to sign outside the match (also known as All Out programs). SGU places great value on its relationship with all participating hospitals. In addition, the OCG has advisors who provide advice concerning the postgraduate training application process for Canada, the UK and EU countries.
In March each year the OCG website has a Current Available Positions (CAPS) section as a resource for residency programs to list their available positions. Graduates and students who are looking for a residency position post-match should review this site frequently. The OCG offers a webinar about the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) prior to the match for students and grads who had a difficult residency application process, only a few interviews or were ineligible for the NRMP. A live SOAP webinar Q&A is held the Monday of match week to assist students in the process. After the match, the OCG has a live webinar with a panel to discuss options available to unmatched students such as obtaining an MPH, an MBA and doing additional elective rotations or research. After an unmatched student participates in this webinar, appointments are made with a senior OCG advisor to discuss what is best for the student to improve their chances of getting a residency in the next NRMP cycle. Students are encouraged to call upon the expertise of the OCG Advisors and its website (refer to Section I for contact information).
OCG helps students with residency selection and procurement, the National Resident Matching Program (Match) and Electronic Residency Application Assistance (ERAS). Please refer to the OCG website:
https://mycampus.sgu.edu/group/office-of-career-guidance/home
For OCG Support and Guidance Contact: careerguidance@sgu.edu