Career Planning & Internships
Allied Health students are highly encouraged to volunteer or conduct internships in the areas they plan on pursuing.
Which career is right for me?
- Visit the Mayo Health Careers Navigator to learn more about career paths in the health sciences.
- My Health Career Navigator provides resources and information about health care careers and paid summer internships in health-related fields.
- The Occupational Outlook Handbook contains job descriptions, education & training requirements, job outlook, earnings, and links to professional associations.
- Take a career aptitutde test using the Focus 2 icon on my.stmarys-ca.edu
Career Planning
- Refer to the AHS Google Drive Folder and learn more about your chosen area(s) of interest including the prerequisites for graduate programs.
- Research graduate/training programs for those occupations in the by looking up programs using US News and World Report Graduate School Rankings
- Discuss these options with your academic advisor to decide on the best direction. Amend your four-year academic plan as needed to meet graduate program prerequisites.
- Visit Career Services for assistance in perfecting your resume and seeking internships.
- Look up job opportunities on Handshake and meet with your advisor to connect with SMC alum to gain relevant experience.
- Sign up for Linked in and connect with LinkedIn SMC for potential internship and shadowing opportunities.
- Conduct an internship or volunteer to gain experience and exposure to the work environment relating to you career path (see below).
On Campus Health-related Volunteer Positions
-
Peer Advocacy for Wellness- Proactive health prevention and promotion at the Wellness Center, please contact Margaux Schindler (mbs12@stmarys-ca.edu)
Paid Health Positions- apply in Nov for summer positions
- Handshake provides job listing to SMC students and alum.
- Health Career Connection- to find resources on health careers and apply for a summer internship in the Bay Area; Apply in November
- Explore Health Careers is a comprehensive website that includes news, career information, paid internship opportunities, profiles of various professionals and more.
- Pathways to Science is a clearing house of summer programs, internships, graduate programs and tips for making the best out of your STEM experience.
- Covid contact tracer - add your name to the registry today by following the link below. You will need a letter from Dr. Rubin (email rar7@stmarys-ca.edu)
- Scribe- Scribing is a great gap year opportunity, but some have also managed during school semesters. A Medical Scribe is essentially a personal assistant to the physician; performing documentation in the electronic health record, gathering information for the patient's visit, and partnering with the physician to deliver the pinnacle of efficient patient care.
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Program at USF - University of San Francisco offers a university-based EMT training program in the Bay area, which focuses on professional skills, and cultivates a cognitive and emotional development needed to be a safe and effective emergency medical technician. Their education is based on a Jesuit tradition of cura personalis (care for the whole person), and offers a deep and rich student experience being in the medical care.
- Become a licensed phlebotomist (CPT-1)
- Medical Interpreter
- Medical assistant
- Emergency medical technician
- Emergency medical technician (another program)
- EMT training
- Peace Corps volunteer
- Emergency room technician
- Surgical tech
- Lab assistant
- Certified Nursing Assistant
- Lifelong Americorps is a paid postbach position with a commitment of 1 year consisting of improving access to care and services.
Clinical Volunteer Opportunities
- Volunteer Opportunities at local hospitals and clinics
- John Muir
- Kaiser
- Alta Bates Summit Medical Center (volunteer & shadowing program)
- California Pacific Medical Center
- Oakland Children's & UCSF Benioff Hospital (on hold)
- Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital
- Stanford Hospitals and Clinics- covid volunteer ops
- Volunteer Services Alameda Health System (Health Advocates at Highland in Oakland)
- Berkeley Free Clinic
- Asian Health Services
- San Francisco Community Clinic
- Suitcase Clinic
- La Clinica
- Rotacare
- Peer Health Exchange- This is an opportunity to teach health education in local public schools. To speak to someone about getting involved on campus, please contact sasherschapiro@peerhealthexchange.org
- Volunteer Match- to find local volunteer opportunities at hospitals, clinics, and hospice
Premed Internships
- Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute
- Health Career Connection (apply Dec)
- National Institute of Health Research and Training Opportunities
- Summer Undergraduate Research Programs
- UCSF Summer Research Internship Program
Internships
- InternshipPrograms.com - Large internship database featuring opportunities in a wide variety of sectors across the US and other large cities across the Globe.
- Internships.com - Extensive listings of internships from 7,000 companies, with additional tools to help you clarify your internship goals and fine-tune your internship search.
- Internships-USA (CEI Internships) - Access over 2,000 organizations offering internships and summer jobs in 12 different fields (username=UCBerkeley, password=GoldenBears)
- Vault Online Internship Database - Sign-in via Handshake
- Bay Area Volunteer Information Center - Lists Bay Area nonprofit organizations that need volunteers to support their services. Sometimes the best way to get experience and learn new skills is to volunteer.
Networking Opportunities
- Handshake- Join to access the SMC Alumni Directory for potential internship and shadowing opportunities.
- LinkedIn SMC provides a listing of alumni that can be contacted for potential internship and shadowing opportunities.
Graduate School Resources
- The US News and World Report provides graduate school rankings, entrance exam stats, and graduate salary data.
Allopathic Med (MD)
- AAMC Resources for students: https://students-residents.aamc.org/
- Medical College Admission Test (MCAT): https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/taking-mcat-exam/
- Learn about programs and academic prerequisites: https://apps.aamc.org/msar-ui/
- MD-PhD dual degree training: https://students-residents.aamc.org/choosing-medical-career/careers-medical-research/md-phd-dual-degree-training/
- Apply to US and Canadian allopathic medical programs: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/applying-medical-school-process/applying-medical-school-amcas/
- Apply to Texas schools: https://www.tmdsas.com/medical/homepage.html
- Apply to Ontario schools: https://www.ouac.on.ca/omsas/
Osteopathic Med (OD)
- AACOM Resources for prospective students: https://www.aacom.org/become-a-doctor
- Learn about programs and prerequisite coursework: https://www.aacom.org/become-a-doctor/us-coms
- Medical College Admission Test (MCAT): https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/taking-mcat-exam/
- Apply to programs: https://aacomas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login
- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdXKVgSSZmoVDIkCFLJsWsw?view_as=subscriber
Nursing
- AACN Resources for prospective students: https://www.aacnnursing.org/Students
- Discover Nursing: https://nursing.jnj.com/schools/#no-filters
- Learn about programs and prerequisite coursework: http://www.nursingcas.org/explore-schools/
- Apply to programs: https://www.nursingcas.org/
Occupational Therapy
- AOTA Resources for prospective students: https://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Considering-OT-Career.aspx
- Learn about programs: https://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Find-School.aspx
- Apply to programs: https://otcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login
Optometry
- ASCO Resources for prospective students: https://optometriceducation.org/students-future-students/
- Learn about programs: https://optometriceducation.org/students-future-students/member-institutions-and-affiliate-members/
- Program prerequisites chart: https://optometriceducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ASCO-Prerequisites-April-2018.pdf
- Optometry Admission Test: https://www.ada.org/en/oat
- Apply to programs: https://www.facebook.com/OptomCAS
- YouTube Channel
Pharmacy
- AACP Resources for prospective students: https://www.aacp.org/resources/student-center
- Pharmacy is Right for Me: https://pharmacyforme.org/
- Learn about programs: https://www.aacp.org/resources/school-locator
- Learn about prerequisite coursework: https://pharmacyforme.org/admissions-requirements/
- Apply to programs: http://www.pharmcas.org/
Physical Therapy
- APTA Resources for prospective students: http://www.apta.org/ProspectiveStudents/
- Learn about programs: http://aptaapps.apta.org/accreditedschoolsdirectory/default.aspx?UniqueKey=
- Learn about prerequisite coursework: http://www.ptcas.org/ProgramPrereqs/
- Apply to programs: https://ptcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login
Physician Assistant
- PA Focus: http://pafocus.org/what-is-a-pa/
- Learn about programs: http://directory.paeaonline.org/
- Apply to programs: https://paeaonline.org/caspa/
Public Health
- ASPPH Resources for prospective students: www.aspph.org/discover/
- Learn about programs: programfinder.aspph.org/
- Apply to programs: sophas.org/
- Speech Path/Audiology
- ASHA Resources for prospective students: https://www.asha.org/students/
- Learn about programs: https://www.asha.org/Students/Planning-Your-Education-in-CSD/
- Apply to programs: https://csdcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login
Vet Med
- AAVMC Resources for prospective students: http://www.aavmc.org/students-applicants-and-advisors
- Learn about programs: http://www.aavmc.org/college-specific-requirements/college-specific-requirements-college-specifications
- Learn about prerequisite coursework: http://www.aavmc.org/data/files/vmcas/prereqchart.pdf
- Apply to programs: http://www.aavmc.org/students-applicants-and-advisors/veterinary-medical-college-application-service