Pre-Graduate and Pre-Professional Advising at Georgia Tech encourages reflection throughout your career preparation and your actual career. As you dream about your future and explore the full range of health professions, consider keeping a journal—on paper, in a computer file, as a blog or simply for yourself—to capture your notes about various fields and your impressions about how they fit your own interests and skills.
We recommend that you start by thinking about the impact or effect you want to have on the world around you. A brief journal entry on this topic can lead the way for future entries about knowledge you’ve acquired or experiences you’ve had that will help you to make your mark on your community. We urge you to capture your thoughts at least a few times each semester. Here are some questions you might consider:
- What is the impact or effect I want to have on the world or my community?
- What do I hope to learn this semester that will bring me closer to my goal?
- What have I learned or experienced recently that has informed my understanding of my career goal? (Be sure to capture the details of your experience—hours worked, supervisor’s name and contact information, location, etc.)
- What challenges have I encountered recently that make me question my goal?
- How has my goal changed over time? Should I consider a parallel plan to explore other career options?
- What transformative moments have I experienced that have shaped my understanding of my career goal and my readiness or aptitude for it?
Keeping a journal will help you to keep your goal in focus or help you to revise your goals as you gather new information. It will come in handy when you write your personal statement and complete your application for professional school.
You may discover that your goal evolves, or you may encounter challenges that delay your progress to your goal. That’s okay. Pre-Health advisors are always available to discuss your ideas and concerns and to help you design and deliver on a plan to follow your dream.
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