The Office of Student Affairs offers counseling and provides a number of programs designed to address students' needs and concerns with regard to the following issues:
ACADEMIC Counseling: Relates to issues that may affect a student's overall academic performance.
The academic curriculum can be, at times, be very stressful for students, especially those just beginning medical school. The Office of Medical Education has a number of resources available to help students through these times. Students requiring assistance with their academic needs should not hestitate to contact the Office of Medical Education at (901) 448-5506.
CAREER Counseling: Offers advise and strategies as it relates to a student's career choice, including residency placement.
You wanted to become a doctor so you applied to medical school and were accepted into the UT College of Medicine. Now the question remains: "What kind of doctor will you become?" With such a large number of specialties available how will you know which specialty best suits you and how do you go about obtaining a residency in that specialty? These decisions do not need to be made right away. A specialty choice isn't usually made until the beginning of the fourth year and other decisions may not be made until you finish your residency training. But we certainly don't suggest that you wait until the last minute to begin the thought process. Visit our career counseling page.
Career Planning Timeline
M-1 Year
Brief orientation during August orientation week.
2nd semester class meeting for introduction to Careers in Medicine (CiM) program and overview to four year career planning.
Begin CiM Phase I (Self-Assessment)
M-2 Year
Beginning 1st semester and running through 2nd semester, AMSA sponsored lunches featuring invited community specialists.
2nd semester CiM follow-up, complete CiM Phase I and begin CiM Phase II (Career Exploration) working with faculty advisors.
2nd semester preparation for 3rd year focusing on specialty interest during the third year core clerkships.
M-3 Year
1st semester meeting with COM alumni during Fall alumni week (November).
1st semester Career Day (December) during which individuals may select up to four specialty breakout sessions to pursue in depth specialty information.
2nd semester meeting with faculty advisors to discuss CiM Phase III (Decision Making).
2nd semester Strolling Through the Match (April) during which time the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) and the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) are reviewed in depth with staff from the Office of Student Affairs.
1st semester CiM Phase IV (Implementation). Meeting with authors of the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) and final discussion of specialty choice.
PERSONAL Counseling: Relates to personal issues that may inadvertently affect a student's overall academic performance.
Medical school can be both exciting and rewarding but it also can be very stressful for some. Even still, these stresses coupled with relationships, family and finances can prove to be overwhelming for others. To help students cope with these and other challenging issues, there are a number of "non-academic" support groups standing by. Sometimes just talking can make a difference; sometimes more intervention is required. In either case, students can be assured that their conversations are kept strictly confidential and not made part of their student record. The Office of Student Affairs maintains an "open door" policy and encourages students to seek the help they need.
Last updated: April 8, 2008 Office Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm | To report problems with this page, call Debbey Hester, (901) 448-5531 An EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA/ADEA employer
"The University of Tennessee, College of Medicine has its roots in Nashville as the Nashville Medical College. That college as organized in 1876, and in 1879 was acquired by the University of Tennessee as its medical department. The Memphis Hospital Medical College was also found in 1876 but, because of the yellow fever epidemic in Memphis, did not actually hold classes until 1880. In 1909 two Nashville schools merged and were operating as the joint Medical department of the University of Nashville and the University of Tennessee. It moved to Memphis in 1911 and merged with the College of Physicians and Surgeons to become the University of Tennessee, College of Medicine... "
