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  3. MD & Combined Programs
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  5. Visiting 4th-Year Students

Visiting Fourth-Year Students

Key Application Dates

General Information

  • Only fourth-year (senior) medical students may apply for clinical electives at UC San Diego School of Medicine.
  • We accept applications from students from North American (US, Canada, Puerto Rico) LCME-accredited medical schools and COCA-accredited osteopathic schools.
    • We do not accept applications from students who attend international or off-shore medical schools for this program.
  • We review applications at least 2-3 months prior to the rotation start date. Updates to your application status are made only in VSLO. Please do not call/email the program to check on the status of your application.
  • Do not contact faculty or administrative staff directly to attempt to arrange clinical experiences.
  • We do not offer observerships, shadowing opportunities, research electives, or pre-clinical experiences.

Application Process

Visit the AAMC's Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) website for complete information about our program, including the application process, electives offered and dates available.

Required Documents

  • CV
  • Copy of core clerkship evaluation
    • This evaluation should include your final grade and comments regarding your performance
    • The preferred evaluation is related to your desired specialty. If you do not have a final grade for that particular clerkship, you may upload an evaluation from a different clerkship.
  • Proof of personal health insurance
  • AAMC standardized immunization form
  • Copy of your USMLE Step 1/COMLEX-USA score report
  • Transcript (uploaded by home medical school)
  • COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card
  • Background check: A background check must be completed shortly before the start of the third year of medical school (within the last 18 months). If your school is unable to do so, you must provide a background check. Applicants to electives that rotate partly or entirely at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego need to submit background checks that include the following:
    • National sex offender database search.
    • National criminal database search.
    • County criminal background checks on all counties of residence or work disclosed.
    • Social Security trace.
    • Office of Inspector General excluded parties list.
    • General Services Administration excluded parties list.
  • [Urology applicants] Letter of recommendation from a Urologist
  • [Orthopedic applicants] Completion of a supplemental questionnaire (DOCX)
  • [Rady site screening] Rady Children's Hospital-Sa Diego currently does not allow for visiting medical students to come to their campus for 14 days post-travel to CDC Travel Notices.

Eligible students who attend North American (US, Canada, Puerto Rico) LCME-accredited medical schools and COCA-accredited osteopathic medical schools that do not use VSLO should may complete a paper VSP Application (PDF). Students may use the VSLO website for information on elective courses and dates.

Admission into the Visiting Student Program does not constitute admission or matriculation into UC San Diego School of Medicine. Any expenses required for disability accommodation of a visiting student must be borne by the student's home institution. Please refer to UC San Diego's technical standards.

Visiting Elective Scholarship Program (VESP)

UC San Diego welcomes students from all diverse backgrounds to apply for away clerkships. Before applying to any Visting Elective Scholarship Program, each student must complete an application form in VSLO. The following departments offer scholarships for eligible students applying to rotations in their specialty: