Creating connections on the Road to Residency

Pictured: Medical students at Road to Residency 2026 (Photo courtesy of DGSOM GME Office)

For medical students preparing for residency, guidance from those who navigated the process can make all the difference. At the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and UCLA Health, the Office of Graduate Medical Education (GME) helps to foster those connections through mentorship, education and programming like Road to Residency.

Founded in 2019 by Lovelee Brown, MD, when she was a resident at UCLA, the half-day conference includes panels, networking sessions and workshops covering topics ranging from residency applications, interviews, financial planning and professional development.  

GME also partners with current trainees annually to create a dynamic conference program that reflects the needs of medical students so they can successfully navigate the transition from students to residents.

“Our programming is aimed at providing practical skills for students of all class years and backgrounds. Many of our attendees identify as first-generation students, and it brings me joy to know that the process of successfully matching into your preferred training program can be demystified,” said Dr. Brown, assistant designated institutional official (DIO) for the UCLA Office of Graduate Medical Education.

Throughout the event, future residents connect with peers, current UCLA residents and faculty leaders. 

“The event has become a source of community, which is exemplified by the students who participated in the program and return to as resident leaders,” added Dr. Brown.

Karla Murillo, MD, MPH, is just one example. As a medical student at DGSOM, she served as the co-president of the school’s Latino Medical Student Association and worked diligently to help her peers advance in their medical careers. In her fourth year, she realized it was time to take the next step in her own career.  

“When I attended the conference last year as a residency applicant, it helped me think beyond the clinical and academic aspects of choosing a residency program,” said Dr. Murillo. 

She added, “More broadly, DGSOM and programs like Road to Residency helped me feel more prepared for the parts of residency that aren't necessarily taught in the classroom. They encouraged me to think about what I needed to feel supported both as a physician in training and as a person.” 

Today, Dr. Murillo is a first-year ophthalmology resident at the UCLA Stein Eye Institute. In August, she returned to the conference, this time as an invited speaker sharing insights and answering questions during the resident panel and networking lunch. 

“It felt very full circle, to now be in a position to provide some of the same mentorship and guidance that was so helpful to me as a medical student,” recalled Dr. Murillo.  

The event has grown to include institutions across North America and has served over 1,000 medical students since its initiation. The most recent event, which took place in August, had 116 attendees from 15 institutions, including the University of California System, Charles R. Drew University, Case Western Reserve University, Georgetown University School of Medicine, and The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 

“Over the years, this conference has generated profound impact for attendees and the numerous resident and faculty volunteers. Not only have we seen a significant increase in the number of students who apply and match at our training programs, we consistently hear that the conference reinforces a sense of belonging and inclusion at our institution, which stands at the heart of our institution’s mission,” said Dr. Brown.  

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For more information about GME’s career development programs and to support its work, visit the GME development page.