Chloe Alviz had tried out multiple pre-health clubs during the start of her time at UCLA, but she struggled to find the right fit.

When searching for career resources, the fourth-year human biology and society student found the panels she attended through various pre-health clubs rarely represented her intended career as a genetic counselor, a job in which practitioners provide information about how genetic conditions may affect a patient and their family. Instead, she said such panels were dominated by professionals from other careers, such as nurses and doctors.

Many UCLA students aspire to pursue careers in healthcare, and according to data from the UCLA Student Affairs Information and Research Office, a large number of these students gravitate toward a medical degree. However, this means graduating seniors like Alviz who are interested in other health-related professions – such as dentistry, pharmacy and genetic counseling – said they have had to find their own communities and resources.

Erin Tabornal, a fourth-year human biology and society student, said that while she was considering both medicine and dentistry when she was in high school, she was initially swayed more toward the medical field.

“I think at UCLA since there are so many pre-meds, it’s easy for anyone trying to go into healthcare to feel pressured to follow the crowd,” Tabornal said.

But Tabornal said she soon switched to dentistry because she was attracted to the idea of being her own boss through a private practice. She added that with two parents who are dentists, she’s always been surrounded by dentistry, but that it wasn’t until she started shadowing dentists in high school that she began to consider the field.

Tabornal said these experiences allowed her to realize how creative dentistry is and it ultimately led her to pursue the profession.

“I just love working with my hands, and the ability to change someone’s smile and give them that … long-lasting confidence really swayed me towards dentistry,” said Tabornal, who is currently co-president of UCLA’s Pre-Dental Society.

Though she will be taking a gap year to work on her dental school application and spend time with her family, she said she looks forward to taking the next steps in her career.

Like Tabornal, Mackenzie Lee, a fourth-year biochemistry student and president of UCLA’s Pre-Pharmacy Society, said she was inspired to pursue a career in pharmacy by her family.

In addition to her sister being a pharmacist, she said her childhood trips to the local pharmacy with her grandparents connected her with the profession on a personal level. As a child of immigrants, translating her grandparents’ consultations introduced her to the role of community pharmacy, she added.

Lee, who is headed to the UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy in July, added that she is interested in pursuing either clinical or industry pharmacy in the future as a way to influence her community for the better.

“It definitely is a field that I feel I’m able to really connect and empower patients and the community as a whole in a way that is most comfortable and best suited for myself,” she said.

Other students, such as Alviz, said they found their career interests through clubs. Alviz said she was first inspired to pursue genetic counseling after attending a Genetic Counseling Student Interest Group meeting during her freshman year.

She added that she is interested in the career because it combines her interests in education and science and allows her to be an advocate for patients.

“Genetic counseling involves … that kind of rapport that you build with your patients, too – being there for them in their most vulnerable moments, having that intimacy,” Alviz said. “Really being an advocate for them and making sure that they have the resources that they need.”

Alviz, who is now president of the group, said her friends also played an important role in her exploration of genetic counseling, encouraging her to pursue the career path. She added that classes and extracurricular activities that explored topics such as laws around genetic testing allowed her to gain a better understanding of how genetic counseling can help others.

She added that her club attempts to create a space for pre-genetic counseling students by hosting panels with genetic counselors of different specialties and providing opportunities to shadow working professionals.

Alviz, who will be taking a gap year to focus on community service, said that students should pursue what they love in college while focusing on developing skills related to their intended career in these settings.

Tabornal added that students should try new activities and use their time at UCLA to explore their passions.

“My advice would just be to not be afraid to try new things, whether that be going out of your comfort zone to join new clubs,” Tabornal said. “Try to find what you’re passionate about outside of … school because having those hobbies and other interests will help you become more well-rounded.”