• Gryphon Login
  • MyCourses
  • Alumni
  • UCLA Health
  • Contact Us
Prospective Students

Prospective Students

Prospective Students
  • Admissions
    Procedure & Timelines
    • Admissions Timeline
    • Admissions Procedure
    • Basis of Selection
    • Housing Information
    • Interview Process
    • Prerequisites
    General Information
    • Statement of Diversity
    • Mission Statement
    • Curriculum Resdesign
    • Honor Code
    • FAQs
    • Admissions Brochure
    • Admissions Timeline
    • Admission Procedure
    • Basis of Selection
    • DACA Applicants
    • Housing Information
    • Interview Process
    • Competencies
    • Statement of Diversity
    • DGSOM Mission Statement
    • Honor Code
    • FAQs
  • Outreach & Pipeline Programs
    Outreach and Recruitment
    • Conferences and Events
    • Stay Connected!
    Summer Pre-Health and Postbaccaluareate Programs
    • UCLA SHPEP
    • UCLA PREP
    • UCLA RAP
    • Conferences & Outreach Events
    • Summer Pre-Health and Postbaccalaureate Programs
    • Stay Connected
  • Financial Aid & Scholarships
  • Degrees & Programs
  • Curriculum
  • Student Life
    Why Choose UCLA
    • Research
    • Clinical Work
    • Service Opportunities
    • Global Health Impact
    • Why You'll Love LA
    Campus Life
    • Student Organizations
    • Annual Events
    • Day in the Life
    • Around Campus
    • Photo Galleries
    • Medical and Research News
    • Medical Student Council
    • Geffy Guide
    • Search Campus and Health News
    • Service Opportunities
    • Global Health Impact
    • Why You'll Love LA
    • Photo Galleries
    • Day in the Life
    • Around Campus
    • Medical and Research News
    • Search Campus and Health News
  • How to Apply
  • Gryphon Login
  • MyCourses
  • Alumni
  • UCLA Health
  • Contact Us

Prospective Students

Search Campus and Health News

Search Campus and Health News

Search Campus and Health News

  • Health News
  • A Day in the Life
  • Around Campus
  • Medical and Research News
  • Health News
  • A Day in the Life
  • Around Campus
  • Medical and Research News
  1. Home
  2. Prospective Students
  3. Student Life
  4. Search Campus and Health News

Search Campus and Health News

Share this

Around Campus

Title

After medical school, what comes next?

Around Campus

Date
01/17/2017
Article
UCLA graduates Ashley Kita, MD, pictured, and Daniel Croymans, MD, share what came next for them after medical school.

After four demanding and rewarding years of medical school, graduation is an exciting time as students prepare to move on to the next stage of their medical careers. But what comes after medical school?

A wealth of options

The next steps vary widely. Graduates of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA may go on to residencies or internships, perform an additional year of research or pursue a master's degree, among many other options.

Residency is a common next step after medical school. Students in their fourth year begin to apply to residency programs through the Match (National Resident Matching Program). Daniel Croymans, MD, completed a UCLA dual degree, getting a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the UCLA Anderson School of Management in addition to his medical degree, before matching into the UCLA Internal Medicine Program. His immediate goal is to complete the three-year residency and then pursue a career as a provider and physician leader.

"After residency, I hope to improve systems of care, with a long-term goal of helping to transform our healthcare system into one that treats disease and creates a culture that encourages ownership over personal health," he says.

In July, the new Gold Humanism Honor Society inductees began holding monthly chapter meetings to plan the upcoming year's projects and activities.

Ashley Kita, MD

UCLA graduate Ashley Kita, MD

Ashley Kita, MD, another UCLA graduate, completed a surgical internship after graduation and is now in her second year of a head-and-neck surgery residency. Although she loves her career, she says that the next steps after medical school bring a new kind of pressure.

"The hours I have now have been far longer than in medical school, but the stress is much less," Dr. Kita explains. "Learning is no longer formalized, and every experience is an opportunity to learn. Being responsible for patient care has motivated me to learn as much as I can and take extra measures to provide my patients with the best care possible."

Dr. Croymans and Dr. Kita encourage graduates to continue to develop relationships with other residents and professionals.

"Days will be tough," says Dr. Kita. "It's important to find people you can open up to, who help center you and keep things in perspective."

Choosing the right path

Daniel Croymans, MD

UCLA graduate Daniel Croymans, MD

Some students know exactly what career they want to pursue on their first day of medical school. For others, the choice isn't as easy, and many change their minds throughout school. Dr. Croymans notes that completing a residency and getting board certified isn't for everyone. He reminds upcoming graduates that there are many alternate paths. These include healthcare consulting, entrepreneurship, healthcare management or administration, pharmaceutical work and academic or industry research. A medical degree opens many doors to graduates eager to make a difference in healthcare.

Dr. Kita and Dr. Croymans encourage medical school students to learn as much as possible about the options available to them. They suggest students talk with upperclassmen, residents, faculty and practicing physicians to better understand the day-to-day life of different specialists.

Dr. Croymans also encourages students to read up on the physicians who inspired them to go to medical school. "These are great 'virtual mentors' in a way," he says. "Examine the path they took to obtain their current career. This is a good exercise to help you figure out what type of career you might like to have."

Dr. Kita also recommends that students perform a mix of basic and clinical research.

"Medical school can be tough, and it's important to absorb as much information as you can," she advises. "Your experiences will help guide what sort of program you apply to and what sort of career you may want to pursue."

"The only way to really know what option is best for you is to read, chat and reflect on the kind of career and day-to-day job responsibilities you would like to have over the next five, 10 or 20 years," says Dr. Croymans.

By Patricia Chaney

Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest Follow us on Flickr Follow us on Sharecare
Top 10 U.S. Medical Schools
  • Giving
  • Publications
  • Newsroom
  • Weekly Digest
  • Directory
  • Contact Us
  • Diversity
  • Emergency
  • Maps & Directions
  • UC Regents
  • Abuse Free
  • Volunteer
  • Biomed Library
  • Disability Resources
  • UCLA Health
  • Smoke-Free
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Use
Top 10 U.S. Medical Schools
Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest Follow us on Flickr Follow us on Sharecare