Fourth-year medical students from U.S. schools may choose to take an away rotation at UC San Diego School of Medicine, especially if they are interested in learning more about our UC San Diego Internal Medicine Residency program. The Visiting Elective Program provides support for fourth-year students who are underrepresented in medicine and/or from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The scholarship program provides up to $2,000 and is designed to:
- Expose fourth year medical students who are underrepresented in medicine or interested in working with underserved populations to an academic training program.
- Promote student interest in applying to an academic residency training program
- Provide faculty and housestaff mentorship during the clinical elective experience
Clinical electives are four weeks in length and are available, space permitting, to U.S. visiting students. VESP participants are assigned a faculty advisor and have the opportunity to network with UCSD faculty, housestaff, and students. A diversity dinner with faculty and housestaff is held during the visiting clerkship. In addition, all participants are invited and encouraged to attend various seminars and lectures including those offered by the
UCSD Office of Diversity and Community Partnerships and the
UCSD Cross Cultural Center.
Eligibility
Eligible participants are full-time, fourth-year medical students in good standing at accredited U.S. medical schools. Students remain registered at their own schools while participating in the four-week elective at UC San Diego. Students must have applied and be accepted to the desired UC San Diego Department of Medicine’s clinical elective program through the AAMC Visiting Student Learning Opportunity (VSLO) before the scholarship is processed, and eligible students need to participate in a Department of Medicine clerkship.
At the moment, eligible Department of Medicine clerkship rotations include, sub-Internship in Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care, Cardiology, Nephrology, Endocrine, Rheumatology, Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases and Hematology-Oncology.
Application
Before applying to the scholarship, each student must complete an application form through the American Association of Medical Colleges’ Visiting Student Learning Opportunity (VSLO)'s
Online Application. For more information, please visit the UCSD's Visiting Student webpage.
To apply for the scholarship, please send a completed application (link below) and a current transcript with grades to
j1hale@ucsd.edu. Applications will be reviewed once all required documents are received.
UCSD Visiting Elective Program Application 2019-20.pdf
Selection
- Scholarships (up to $2,000 each*, to be used toward visiting student elective fees, transportation costs and lodging) will be awarded on the basis of:
- Interest in pursuing a career in academic medicine
- Interest in working with underserved populations
- Leadership
- Community Service
- Academic achievement as indicated by transcripts and letter of recommendation.
*Funds are awarded upon completion of the elective. Receipts must be submitted for reimbursement.
Deadline: The scholarship applications are reviewed on a rolling basis between July - December.
For further information, please contact:
Luis Castellanos, MD, MPH
lrcastellanos@ucsd.edu