Virtual Specialty Forum

The Careers in Medicine® program is hosting its annual Virtual Specialty Forum to provide equitable access to specialty exposure, where medical students can view resources, chat with residents, specialty representatives, and AAMC staff, and attend a live presentation with Q&A with physicians about their specialty choice.

FOR: Medical students early in their specialty exploration (M1/OMS1, M2/OMS2)

COST: Free!

Event Highlights

Medical students attending the Virtual Specialty Forum will be able to:

• Visit specialty booths and chat live with specialty representatives (e.g., trainees, practicing physicians, medical school faculty)
• Hear physicians share their specialty choice journey.
• Ask medical residents your career- and specialty-related questions.
• Learn about AAMC resources available to support your career journey.

Participating specialties and subspecialties*

Event Logistics

Event Access

Registration is required. The event platform will open when the live event begins on Thursday, March 28 at 1pm ET. To access the Virtual Specialty Forum platform, sign in with the email address you used to register.

The live portions of the Virtual Specialty Forum will occur on Thursday, March 28 from 1‒ 4 p.m. ET.

All booths and their content such as written materials, videos, chat transcripts, and session recordings will be available in the Virtual Specialty Forum platform for viewing from Thursday, March 28 at 1 p.m. ET through April 28, 2024. As such, if you’re only able to attend part of the event live, you have 30 days to access the event platform at your convenience.

Technology

• Use Chrome browser for best experience. 
• Use a computer or tablet for best experience, but the event is also mobile-friendly.
• Chat. The chat feature in each booth is a text-based chat. Simply type your questions or comments into the text box and submit.
• Favorites.You can save content in your own personal digital “Swag Bag” to access later.

What to Know Before You “Go”

Reminders, Tips, and Best Practices for Before, During, and After the Virtual Specialty Forum

Before

• Test your technology and have your login information easily accessible.
• Download and use Chrome browser for the best experience.
• Research the participating specialties by visiting the Careers in Medicine® (CiM®) website and viewing the Specialty Profiles and Specialty Spotlights (sign-in required).
• You might also consider reading about settings and environments in which you can practice a given specialty.

During

• Use your access to specialty representatives wisely and purposefully. Every interaction with specialty representatives can leave an impression. Act professionally and respectfully. For example, rather than address specialty representatives by their first name, instead use “Dr. Jones” or “Ms. Smith.”
• Before you engage with the specialty representatives,
• review the specialty’s booth materials to first explore whether those materials answer your questions.
• skim the public, group chat that has occurred prior to your visiting the specialty booth. It’s possible another attendee has already asked your question and received a response from the specialty representatives.
• Note: Specialty representatives are not expected to discuss or advise medical students regarding specific residency programs in their specialty or the residency application and match process. Rather, specialty representatives will be knowledgeable about what it’s generally like to train and practice in that specialty.
• If you have any technical issues in the event platform, go to the lobby and select the Help Desk.

After

• All booths and their content will be available in the Virtual Specialty Forum platform for viewing for 30 days after the live event ends.
• Review your saved materials or revisit the platform to access specialty booths and resources.
• Follow up with any specialty organizations, should you have additional questions.
• If provided, use the social media links in the booths to follow specialties you’re interested in.
• Visit the CiM website.
• Learn more about CiM and how it can help you find the specialty that best fits you and apply smart to residency.
• Learn how else you can continue to explore specialties early in your med school career.
• Take next steps based on where you are in your specialty choice journey.
• Continue exploring specialties in the most efficient, effective way by following CiM’s four-phase career planning process.

Sample Questions or Topics to Ask Specialty Representatives

The work of the specialty

• What systems, diseases, and patient types do these physicians treat?
• What, if any, procedures do they perform?
• What is the doctor-patient relationship like?
• In what settings is this specialty practiced?
• Do physicians work with a variety of common medical problems or with singular, specialized problems?
• With whom do these physicians most often work (e.g., other specialists and health care team members)?
• What drew you to this specialty? What do you wake up excited about each day?
• What attributes does this specialty share with similar specialties? What differentiates this specialty from similar specialties?

Characteristics of physicians

• What values, interests, skills, and personality types are common among physicians in this specialty?
• Can you describe the culture of this specialty?

Lifestyle

• What is the typical schedule like in this specialty (e.g., number of hours worked per week, on-call requirements)?
• Where is there flexibility in this specialty to pursue personal and professional interests?

Issues facing professionals in the field

• What are the current issues facing physicians in this specialty?
• What research questions are being studied, and what research opportunities are available?
• Is the demand for physicians in this specialty expected to grow or decline?