In Phase II you start to think about which specialties intrigue you. You'll need to get more information, and contact physicians in the various specialties. By the end of this phase, you'll probably have a pretty clear picture of the specialties that attract you most, but try to defer any specific decision a while longer.

Belolw are some tools below to help you in your career exploration.

• Choosing a Career - article by Maxine Papadakis, MD, Associate Dean for Student Affairs
• Resources for Choosing a Specialty
• FREIDA - the AMA's database of information on residencies, specialty statistics, and physician workforce information.

While you are exploring your career options, you may find the below information about the transition from second to third year useful as well.

• The Lottery - Information and advice on the clinical core lottery.
• USMLE Step 1 - This site contains everything you need to register for Step 1. It also has a practice test. Frequently asked questions about Step 1. National Board of Medical Examiners administers the USMLE exam.