(Courtesy of Touro University) Students at Touro’s Lander College for Men (LCM) had the opportunity to learn firsthand what it takes to succeed in a variety of professions at its week-long Alumni Career Series, held this month. Twenty-seven alumni in 13 different fields presented to a group of 175 students, who gained a true understanding of the years of study and practical experience required to train for a profession.
Alumni who are currently employed in the fields of medicine, dentistry, accounting, nursing home administration, real estate, finance, computer science, education, law and more shared their personal career journeys, tips for success in their fields, how they achieve work-life balance and how to manage religious observance in the workplace.
“The Alumni Career Dinner Series is a fantastic opportunity for current students to hear from successful Touro alumni about a career that interests them,” said Jodi Smolen, director of career services at Lander College for Men.
Accounting panelists offered advice for acing the CPA exam, securing internships and getting through tax season.
Computer science students discussed with panelists the merits of graduate-level training, how to stay current in an ever-evolving field and which skills are critical for success in the field.
“Don’t think that your writing courses aren’t important. In addition to technical skills, you must be able to communicate well in order to get ahead,” said Ilya Epshteyn, Lander College for Men, 2002, senior manager at Amazon Web Services.
Newly minted physicians shared their career journeys, from studying for the MCAT and securing research internships to getting into and through medical school to residency matching and life as a doctor.
“It was awesome to be able to hear from people just like us about the medical school process and what it’s like being a practicing doctor in today’s world. These are guys who had the same teachers and rebbeim as we currently have and so they’re the best examples of what we can, and God willing, will accomplish. Hearing about the pre-med process from professors and advisers can only get you so far, but hearing from guys who just went through it is the best way to prepare ourselves,” said Aharon Price, a pre-med student and junior at Lander College for Men.
Dov Brodkin, another pre-med student, shared: “Becoming a physician is a journey that takes many years and requires a lot of planning. The value of this program was the macro-level perspective that the alumni were able to provide, along with their ability to dispel fact from fiction. The importance of perspective is a necessity that is becoming increasingly hard to come by in today’s digital age, which is why the Alumni Dinners are so important.”
For more information about Touro’s Lander College for Men, visit lcm.touro.edu
