Visiting Elective Scholarship Program (VESP)

The Visiting Elective Scholarship Program supported by the UCSF Department of Medicine’s Residency Diversity Committee was established to provide scholarship support to fourth year medical students who are underrepresented in medicine interested in applying to the UCSF Department of Medicine’s clinical electives. The scholarship program is designed to:

• Expose fourth year medical students who are underrepresented in medicine to an academic internal medicine training program
• Promote student interest in applying to an academic internal medicine training program
• Provide faculty and house staff mentorship during the clinical elective experience
• Make good faith efforts to have an all inclusive pool of qualified applicants

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 UCSF Department of Medicine faculty, housestaff and students. A diversity dinner with faculty and house staff is held during each rotation. In addition all participants are invited and encouraged to attend various seminars including monthly Medical Effectiveness Research Center for Diverse Populations (MERC) seminars, Department of Medicine Grand Rounds and others.

VESP participation is not affiliated with the internal medicine residency match program and participation in the Program does not guarantee a spot in the match.

WHO CAN APPLY?

• Fourth year U.S. medical students who are underrepresented in medicine are encouraged to apply.
• Student must be in good academic standing at an accredited US medical school
• Requirements for the Department of Medicine’s clinical electives must also be met:
  • 4th year standing
  • completion of all core clerkships in medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry and OB-Gyn

APPLICATION

• Completed VESP application
• Letter of recommendation from a faculty member in Internal Medicine (can be the same as the letter submitted to the Department of Medicine’s clinical elective program)
• A personal statement of up to 1,500 words.
• An official academic transcript
• Recent CV
• Students must also apply to the Department of Medicine’s clinical elective program

SELECTION

Fifteen scholarships ($1,500 each, to be used toward visiting student elective fees, transportation costs and room and board) will be available for the 2006-07 academic year. Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of:

• Academic achievement as indicated by transcripts, letter of recommendation, etc
• Leadership
• Interest in pursuing a career in internal medicine, especially academic internal medicine
• Interest in serving underserved populations

DEADLINE

Application must be received 10 weeks prior to the elective start date.

MORE INFORMATION

For further information about Visiting Elective Scholarship Program or to receive an application, please contact:

Visiting Elective Scholarship Program
Rene Salazar, MD
UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine
400 Parnassus, Box 0320
San Francisco, CA 94143-0320
salazarr@medicine.ucsf.edu

Also visit the following websites:

UCSF School of Medicine Visiting Student Program

UCSF Department of Medicine Residency Diversity Committee

UCSF Department of Medicine

UCSF Medical Effectiveness Research Center for Diverse Populations