Academic Advising

The goal of Academic Advising is to ensure each student optimizes their path to the MD degree by taking full advantage of the resources of Stanford University and the School of Medicine. Each student is assigned a primary academic advising dean with whom they will work closely throughout medical school. Students are required to meet with their primary advising dean, either in-person or by teleconference, a minimum of two times annually.

Academic Advising includes specialized programs that support key aspects of the student experience, including career exploration and residency planning.

Career Advising & Residency Planning

Through the Center for Medical Student Career Advising, students receive dedicated support to explore specialties, plan their career path, and prepare for residency.

Specialty-specific advisors and structured resources guide students through career decision-making and the residency application process. Students receive individualized guidance on specialty selection, application strategy, and key milestones from experienced faculty advisors.

  • Specialty-specific advising from faculty experts
  • Guidance on residency applications, including ERAS and Match
  • Support with personal statements and application strategy
  • Advising on visiting electives and program selection
  • Post-interview guidance, including rank order list decisions

Contact Academic Advising

For general advising questions or scheduling support, please contact Ray Jackman, Associate Director for Academic Advising.

Phone: (650) 724-9622
Email: rayj@stanford.edu

Our Team of Advising Deans

  • Yasmin Owusu, MD
  • Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry; Assistant Dean for Academic Advising
  • yowusu@stanford.edu
  • Darren Salmi, MD
  • Clinical Associate Professor, Pathology; Assistant Dean for Academic Advising
  • dsalmi@stanford.edu
  • Sumit A. Shah, MD, MPH
  • Clinical Associate Professor, Medicine, Division of Oncology; Assistant Dean for Academic Advising
  • sas7@stanford.edu
  • Michael Gisondi, MD
  • Professor of Emergency Medicine; Assistant Dean for Academic Advising
  • mgisondi@stanford.edu
  • Preetha Basaviah, MD
  • Clinical Professor, Medicine - Primary Care and Population Health
  • Assistant Dean for Advising - Inclusive Learning
  • pree@stanford.edu
Schedule a Meeting with Your Academic Advising Dean
  • Student Life Advising
  • Anita Honkanen, MD, Associate Dean for Student Life Advising & Wellness, (honkanen@stanford.edu), provides a confidential resource to help student resolve personal issues that are affecting their academic life. Dr. Honkanen is a point of contact for students who wish to discuss sensitive or personal topics or to obtain advice of a non-academic nature.
  • Learning Strategies
  • Lisa Medoff, PhD, Learning Strategies Specialist, (lmedoff@stanford.edu), supports students registered through the Office of Accessible Education, as well as any student who would like to improve study skills, time management, organization, and/or test-taking skills. Students may work with Learning Strategies services to create a study plan for an exam, discuss their learning style and test-taking strategies, or figure out how to prioritize tasks to reduce stress.