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Research, Observerships, and Extracurriculars Course

Build the experiences that sets your residency application apart.

This 4-week online course is designed for medical students, IMGs, and early career healthcare professionals aspiring to secure US residency opportunities. In this course you'll learn how to find the right observerships, get involved in research, choose impactful extracurriculars, and present everything confidently on your CV.

Course Overview

Duration: 4 weeks (live and interactive)
Format: 90-120min per session, live lectures + Q&A + guided exercises (recordings will be provided to those who cannot make it)

Week 1: Unlocking Global Opportunities & Introduction to Research

Kick off the course by discovering what top US institutions look for in residency candidates. Explore how observerships, research, and extracurriculars fit into your medical training journey and how to spot meaningful opportunities that actually make your application stand out.

Week 2: Observerships From A to Z – Planning, Execution, & Long-Term Strategy

This session will walk you through the practical steps of finding, applying, and securing observerships. We'll also dive into visas, letters of recommendation, and what it looks like to build a "portfolio of experiences".

Week 3: Articulating Observerships & Experiences on Your CV

Learn how to present observerships, research, and extracurriculars in a way that highlights impact and relevance. You'll learn how US residency programs evaluate CVs and common mistakes to avoid in your CV. A live CV workshop with peer review and live feedback on sample CVs will help you translate your experiences into strong entries.

Week 4: High-Impact Extracurriculars That Boost Residency Applications

Find out which extracurriculars truly make a difference and how each speciality values different experiences. Through specialty-based breakout discussions, you'll learn to tailor extracurriculars to your career path and design an action plan with three meaningful extracurriculars to pursue in the next six months.

Course Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will:

Know how to identify and secure observerships, research, and extracurriculars that matter.
Understand what top US institutions seek in candidates
Be able to effectively showcase experiences on their CV.
Build a personalized roadmap aligning observerships, research, and extracurriculars with residency goals.
Understand how to conduct research ethically, and how to use artificial intelligence in research.

FAQs

How long is the course?

The course runs for 4 weeks, with an average of 2 sessions per week. It’s structured to guide you step-by-step without overwhelming your schedule.

When does it start?

It starts on December 26, 2025.

How will this benefit healthcare students?

This course is designed to give healthcare students a strong advantage by helping them:

Secure clinical observerships and hospital shadowing opportunities
Build a competitive CV and extracurricular profile
Understand what experiences truly matter for medical school and residency
Learn how to communicate professionally with hospitals, physicians, and institutions
Access strategies that have worked for hundreds of students in getting real opportunities
Stand out among applicants with meaningful, well-structured experiences

Will the sessions be recorded if I cannot attend live?

Yes, while we highly encourage students to attend live to get the full interactive experience and have their questions answered in real time, all sessions will be recorded. You will have access to the recorded videos in case you cannot make it on time or need to revisit the material later.

Will it prepare me for research?

Yes, even though the course focuses on observerships and extracurricular activities, it does prepare you for research opportunities by teaching you:

How to reach out to researchers and physicians effectively
How to write professional emails that get replies
How to position your interest in research on your CV
How many students used these methods to secure research positions after the course

Will the course teach research from the beginning or only help me find research and observership opportunities?

The course will teach you research from the very beginning, step by step, and it will also guide you on how to find research opportunities and observership opportunities. You will learn the full pathway, from understanding research fundamentals to securing opportunities.

Will I get an opportunity after taking the course?

Students will be mentored to confidently find opportunities on their own, and to know exactly where to look and how to apply. Outstanding students may also be referred to selected research or extracurricular opportunities through our network.