During their time in the MD Program, students have multiple avenues to explore possible career options, including electives and selectives, the FMLE course, ICE-CAP curriculum, extracurricular observerships, shadowing opportunities (particularly those under the Enriching Educational Experiences program), career counselling offered by the Office of Learner Affairs (OLA), and experiences available at each Academy.
Enriching Educational Experiences (EEEs)
The Enriching Educational Experiences (EEEs) Program provides students with opportunities for self-directed clinical placements that focus primarily on early career exploration and help them behaviorally explore different practice settings, specialties and contexts.
For students in the Foundations Curriculum, the EEE Program is situated within the formal curriculum as part of the larger Integrated Clinical Experiences (ICE) Component. For all other students, EEEs remain non-curricular, but are very important for career exploration and development.
EEE activities typically involve one or several half-day placements during which students observe and selectively engage in delegated and graded responsibilities commensurate with their level of experience and knowledge and at the supervisor's discretion. Students must complete at least 36 hours of EEEs by mid-June of second year.
For more details on the EEE Program, visit the Foundations Course websites on Elentra, or the MD Program webpage: https://md.utoronto.ca/career-advising-and-preparation
Career Counselling
Career counselling appointments and group information sessions are offered to medical students in all years by the career counsellors and faculty career advisors in the Office of Learner Affairs (OLA). The goal of career counselling is to help guide students to determine what kind of physician they aspire to become and manage their career development. Career development is a process of self-assessment, exploration, decision-making, and implementation that begins on the first day of medical school and continues through the following four years.
For a full description of OLA’s Career Management programming and resources, or to learn how to schedule an appointment with a career counsellor or faculty career advisor, visit the OLA website: https://meded.temertymedicine.utoronto.ca/office-learner-affairs
Director and Assistant Director, Career Advising System
Career Exploration brings together meaningful personal and clinical experiences, and consolidates during the fourth-year CaRMS application period. Working within the Office of Learner Affairs (OLA), the Director and Assistant Director, Career Advising System are physician resources for students, staff and faculty. They can assist with issues pertaining to the Enriching Educational Experiences Program, the maintenance and development of extracurricular clinical initiatives organized by Departments and Divisions of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, as well as elective and career planning. The Director and Assistant Director work closely with the career counsellors of the OLA.
For more information, visit the Career Counselling section of the OLA webpage: https://meded.temertymedicine.utoronto.ca/about-ola
Faculty Career Lead for Black Learners
The Faculty Career Lead for Black Learners involves mentoring and advising Black Learners with career guidance and navigation, transition to practice, work search and interview preparation, as well as developing content for faculty members to address career-related challenges experienced by Black Learners. The role works within the Career Advising Team at OLA and collaborates with career counsellors to ensure outstanding career advising for all Black Learners.
Faculty Career Advisors
The Office of Learner Affairs works closely with a small group of trained Faculty Career Advisors across many clinical departments who provide 1:1 career advising for medical students. This includes the Clinical Clerkship Electives Advising (CCEA) sessions that occur in the second half of third year as well as Personal Statement review and Interviewing practice for CaRMs that take place in fourth year.