As a medical student or a physician, it is important to keep in touch with as many contacts in your field of interest as possible. There are numerous ways of creating acquaintances.
Firstly, keep a very good rapport with your faculty. They will be your best start off point to any future job applications, as they will be writing your Letters of Recommendation even for your residency applications.
Secondly, conferences are a great way to meet new friends from other schools, and network with possible employers and residency directors. There are usually yearly conferences for specific specialty organizations, i.e. Family Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Surgery, Internal Medicine, etc, or medical student associations or other physician associations. These conferences are also a great way to showcase your research or coursework during their poster presentation sessions, if they provide one.
Thirdly, social media that is directly geared towards medical students or physicians can help you gain online contacts and keep you in the loop with current events and projects.
Lastly, attending seminars and annual meetings for specific projects is also a good way to meet people in the health care field who share the same interests as you.
Overall, networking and making contacts are an essential part of any career. I think it plays a more vital part in a physician’s career. So, start early, as early as pre-medical years, and keep the contacts you find as a very integral part of your life with at least annual communication. When it is time to apply for medical school, residency, research position, or a job, at least you will have a few numbers or e-mails to contact for opportunities.
