Clinical Bridge Year Prep Lab | Graduate School Prep Lab | Professional Readiness Lab
Preparing for your next big opportunity doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
Next Destination Prep Labs bring together Johns Hopkins experts, campus resources, and practical programming into one coordinated experience—helping you confidently navigate important transitions, build the skills you need, and take your next step with purpose.
Start preparing today so you’re ready when opportunity arrives.
Clinical Bridge Year Prep Lab
Prepare for a successful clinical bridge year with guidance on applications, professional development, and making the most of experiences that strengthen your path to graduate or professional school.
The Clinical Bridge Year (CBY) Prep Lab helps junior and senior students intentionally design a bridge year, gap year, or growth year that strengthens their readiness for medical school and health professions education while supporting personal and professional development.
Many students know they want to pursue medicine, nursing, public health, dentistry, physician assistant studies, or other health professions, but are less certain about how to use the time between graduation and their next educational step. A bridge year can provide opportunities to gain clinical experience, conduct research, serve communities, explore healthcare careers, strengthen academic readiness, build financial stability, and develop confidence before applying to graduate or professional programs.
The CBY Prep Lab creates a structured cohort-based pathway that helps students move from uncertainty to action by connecting them with advisors, alumni, employers, researchers, and experiential opportunities while providing a supportive peer community.
Graduate School Prep Lab
Discover whether graduate school is the right fit for your goals while gaining the knowledge, resources, and application support needed to prepare for advanced education.
Nearly 40% of Johns Hopkins undergraduate students pursue graduate or professional education after earning their bachelor’s degree. Whether you’re just beginning to explore graduate school or preparing to submit applications, the Graduate School Prep Lab helps you navigate each stage of the process with confidence.
Through a coordinated series of workshops, campus partnerships, mentoring opportunities, and application support, you’ll learn how to:
Explore
Determine whether graduate school aligns with your goals, values, and future career aspirations while comparing master’s, doctoral, and specialized degree options.
Prepare
Research programs, evaluate your options, understand application timelines, and build a plan that prepares you well before deadlines arrive.
Apply
Create competitive application materials, including resumes or CVs, personal statements, and requests for letters of recommendation with guidance from Life Design educators and campus experts.
Connect
Build relationships with faculty, graduate students, mentors, and campus partners who can support your transition into graduate education.
Graduate School Prep Lab Timeline
August 11–12 | Virtual Summer Workshop Series
Launch your graduate school planning during our two-day interactive workshop series. You’ll explore whether graduate school is the right next step, learn how to research programs, understand the application process, and begin preparing competitive application materials. Additional workshop details and registration information are available on the event page.
September 15 | Virtual Graduate School Fair
Meet representatives from graduate programs, ask questions, explore degree options across disciplines, and begin building connections with programs that align with your interests.
October 19-21| Application Sprint Week
Get dedicated support before application deadlines. Meet with Life Design educators and campus partners to refine resumes or CVs, strengthen personal statements, and prepare application materials before you submit.
Throughout the Academic Year | Industry Series Programming
Continue your preparation through discipline-specific graduate school programming integrated into the Life Design Lab’s Industry Series. Explore graduate pathways, hear from faculty and alumni, and learn what advanced education looks like within your field of interest.
Spring Semester | Graduate Student Mentorship
Students who participate in Graduate School Prep Lab programming may be invited to connect with current Johns Hopkins graduate students for one-on-one mentorship focused on graduate school decision-making, transition, and student life.
Connect With Us
Sign up to receive graduate school resources, upcoming workshop announcements, application reminders, and invitations to specialized events throughout the year.
You can also meet with a Life Design Educator during Drop-In Hours to discuss your graduate school plans, review application materials, or identify your next best step.
Professional Readiness Lab
Develop the career competencies employers value most through workshops, resources, and experiences that prepare you to thrive in internships, your first full-time role, and beyond.