M4 Electives
Visiting Students
OPPORTUNITIES
A limited number of electives are available to students from other United States, Canadian (accredited schools by the LCME) and international medical schools, who have finished their M3 year of clinical work. International medical students should review our policy on medical students from international medical schools. However, VCU School of Medicine students have first priority and we try to accommodate extramural students at the time and in the discipline requested. Due to the timing of preparing the schedules of our own students, we can take no action on applications from extramural students for the upcoming year until around the middle of July 2010 and international students not until around the first of August 2010. We do not offer electives during the months of May, June, July and August. Also, we need the following information along with the application, picture, Dean’s Letter of good standing, proof of taken USMLE Step 1 and passing, proof of HIPAA training from your school, VCU Certificate of Immunization Form [PDF]—need proof of TB skin test within three months prior of arrival and proof of varicella status (two vaccines or a positive titer), proof of health insurance (need copy of your card), proof of malpractice (foreign students coverage needs to be $2,000,000/$2,000,000), two letters of recommendation and current transcript.
ELECTIVES
Our electives are of one month duration, or multiples thereof. Generally speaking, we encourage visiting students to conform to this schedule if at all possible, but exceptions will be considered and all electives must be taken at VCU Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia.
IMMUNIZATION RECORD
All visiting medical students have to fill out our VCU Certificate of Immunization Form [PDF] and return wih your application and other materials to the Elective Coordinator. (Do not mail to our Student Health Services.) Your immunizations have to be approved by our Student Health Services before starting elective here.
Reminder that we need proof of TB skin test three months prior to arrival and proof of varicella status (two vaccines or a positive titer).
EXPENSES
We offer no stipends. A non-refundable processing fee of $100.00 for each elective you would like to do here will be required. Students are responsible for the cost of their meals, securing living accommodations and rental fee for those that need pagers ($10.00). However, we will be happy to send you our housing list and the telephone number of our dorms on campus. You will need a car to reach most other housing. Also, any student that will be doing our Emergency Medicine elective will have to pay and additional $15.00 for their ER I.D.
MALPRACTICE INSURANCE
Professional liability coverage is required and must be verified by the student’s home school or by the student for their school’s coverage. VCU/MCV School of Medicine does not offer malpractice insurance to visiting medical students. Foreign medical students malpractice insurance coverage needs to be $2,000,000/$2,000,000.
HEALTH COVERAGE
Health coverage is required and must be verified by the student’s home school or by the student (copy of health card).
EVALUATION
We ask that you provide your Dean’s Office with our address listed below and have them forward an evaluation form to the Electives Coordinator because we do not have grade sheets for visiting students.
APPLICATION
Please note that we do not take applications from the following international schools:
- Ross University
- Spartan Health Science University
- American Caribbean
- St. George’s
- All other schools located in the Caribbean
Send your completed application [PDF] to:
Nancy Jackson
Electives Coordinator
VCU School of Medicine
1101 E. Marshall Street
VCU/MCV Campus Box 980565
Richmond, VA 23298-0565
E-mail: nbjackso@vcu.edu
We cannot always accommodate all students who apply to us for an elective at the VCU Medical Center of Virginia Commonwealth University. Therefore, unless special circumstances exist, we limit all visiting students to a maximum of two months here. If your plans change and you cannot come to VCU School of Medicine, please notify us.
