Discover Your Career in Healthcare Conference

2024 Discover Your Career in Healthcare Conference

Monday, March 4^th – Wednesday, March 6^th

4PM – 6PM each day

Career Connections Center, Reitz Student Union 1^st Floor (Virtual options for select sessions)

Are you interested in a career in healthcare but unsure about with area of healthcare would be a good fit for you? The Discover Your Career in Healthcare Conference will allow you to experience first-hand what it is like to be a healthcare professional in different fields through interactive workshops and authentic networking opportunities. The Discover Your Career in Healthcare Conference is open to students (and alumni) from all majors, and will provide insights on topics such as navigating school and work in the healthcare field with disabilities, gaining valuable experience, hands-on skills workshops, and more.

Suggested dress for the conference is business casual. Attendees may wish to bring a notebook or laptop to take notes.

Attendance at the opening session is not required in order to attend other sessions but is highly encouraged.

This event is for University of Florida students, faculty/staff, alumni, and invited employers only.

Email UFCareerCenter@ufsa.ufl.edu with any questions.

2024 Schedule

Day 1 (Monday, March 4th): Empower and Excel

Opening Session – 4PM – 4:50PM, Exploration Room, Career Connections Center

Presented by Manager for Career Pathways – Healthcare & Health Sciences, Brendan Daigle, and Founder and Director of the Medi-Gators Program, Alyson Moriarty, our opening session will welcome attendees and give an overview of the conference. Additionally, it will provide valuable information regarding the pre-health process, including recommended experience, graduate school timeline and preparation, and gap year. Light refreshments will be provided.

Option 1: Students with Disabilities in Healthcare Discussion Panel – 5PM – 6PM, Exploration Room, Career Connections Center

In this session, we will discuss navigating education and career and resources to support students with disabilities on their professional journeys. Panelists for this session include experts in disability resources for students in the healthcare field and current healthcare students with disabilities.

Option 2: First-Generation in Medicine Discussion Panel – 5PM – 6PM, Room G-320, Reitz Union

Join us to hear from first-generation students pursuing careers in medicine and a resident physician as they gather to share their unique journeys and experiences. Each panelist brings a distinctive perspective – from overcoming financial hurdles to breaking cultural barriers, Angela (third-year medical student), Benjamin (second-year medical student), Kendyll (third-year medical student), Dr. Boateng (anesthesiology resident), and some of their colleagues will discuss the triumphs and tribulations that have shaped their paths.

Day 2 (Tuesday, March 5th): Practical Skills Building

Option 1: Suture Lab – 4PM – 6PM, Exploration Room, Career Connections Center

Join Army Medical Recruiting for a hands-on experience in learning suturing techniques. In this two-hour workshop, you will have the opportunity to practice with medical supplies used in wound closure.

Due to limited space, pre-registration is required for this session. Attendance is capped at 30. Please register HERE. Your registration will be confirmed with a follow-up communication. If you are placed on the waitlist, we will contact you day-of if you have been moved from the waitlist.

Option 2: CPR Lab – 4PM – 6PM, Room G-320, Reitz Union

Acquire life-saving skills in this interactive training provided by Gator CPR. Learn the fundamentals of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and be equipped to respond to cardiac emergencies, whether at home, work, or in a public space.

There is a $7 fee per person, and attendees must register through this link in addition to the conference registration. Persons who have not registered through the above link and paid the class fee will not be admitted to the session.

Day 3 (Wednesday, March 6th): Preparing for the Future

Block 1, Option 1: Clinical Experience – 4PM – 4:50PM, Exploration Room, Career Connections Center

Gator CPR joins us again to provide insight on ways to gain practical healthcare experience. They will discuss options for getting valuable patient experience before you graduate. Attendees will learn the advantages and disadvantages of three traditional options: Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Scribe, and Medical Assistant. These opportunities are excellent for students needing clinical experience for professional school and can be beneficial for students in other areas of healthcare to help you stand out in graduate school or job applications.

Block 1, Option 2: Research for Pre-Health Students – 4PM – 4:50PM, Room G-320, Reitz Union

In this session, learn the basics of research and why you should consider it as part of your preparation for graduate or professional school. We will discuss various kinds of research you can do as a student at UF, how and where to find opportunities, and things to consider as you look for those opportunities. This session is great for all students, from first-year through seniors. Join us to find out how you can benefit from participating in research!

Block 2, Option 1: Interprofessional Case Study Panel – 5PM – 6PM, Exploration Room, Career Connections Center

Stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), seizures, and tumors – these are just some of the various conditions that Neurocritical Care experts at UF Health treat. This panel, led by Pouya Ameli, MD and featuring a physician assistant and a nurse, will walk attendees through a patient case, from assessment and diagnosis to treatment and critical care. Students have the opportunity to interact and ask questions during the case as well as network with the panelists after the case.

Block 2, Option 2: Medical Student Lecture: Orthopedic Surgery & Fracture Healing – 5PM – 6PM, Room G-320, Reitz Union

Are you interested in “being a medical student” for an evening? Join us for a medical school lecture focused on orthopedic surgery and fracture healing led by second-year medical students, Tim & Sravya. Just as their professors at the UF College of Medicine taught them, Tim and Sravya will teach the lecture using case-based learning, considering the anatomy, cell function, histology, physics, and statistics impacting an orthopedic case. Learn, ask questions, and prepare for your journey to a health professional program!