How to Apply

Before applying, please refer to the current List of Electives. Not all electives are available to visiting medical students, some of our electives are only offered to Case Western Reserve School of Medicine students.

Download List of Available Electives

Visiting Medical Student Program Application Process

University Hospitals uses the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities Application Service (VSLO), to process visiting medical student applications for students enrolled at U.S. or Puerto Rico LCME accredited or COCA accredited Osteopathic institutions. Our team at UH Cleveland Medical Center determines the availability of an elective and the acceptance of a potential candidate. Only after the American Association of Medical Colleges VSLO Program receives a complete application, will a student be eligible for consideration.

Before applying, please read all of the pages in this section for detailed information and requirements. Failure to comply with application requirements may result in not being accepted for a rotation. We do not process incomplete applications.

Applications for the 2023-2024 academic year will be accepted beginning January 30, 2023. Decisions for visiting students are expected in late March or early April 2023.

If you are applying for the David Satcher Clerkship, please apply in VSLO and send an email to our Visiting Student Coordinator with your name, the elective that you are requesting, and the months you are interested in rotating.

Application Process

To apply, complete and submit a VSLO application for your preferred electives and dates. Please search for our host name University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. Electives for UH Rainbow Babies & Children's, UH MacDonald Women's Hospital and UH Seidman Cancer Center are also listed under University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. VSLO applications must be submitted by or during the application review periods.

Due to the mandatory orientation and related training on the first day, we are unable to be flexible with regards to rotation dates.

Students should refrain from applying for more than two electives in the same department. Please do NOT submit more than nine (9) total applications. You may apply for up to three months or blocks for up to three electives. If you submit more than 9 applications, those applications will NOT be considered.

Electives Offered

Our elective descriptions can be found on our Electives page, on the VSLO website under our hostname (University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center) and at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine Office of the Registrar. Not all electives in the school's Course Catalog are offered to visiting medical students.

Download List of Available Electives

University Hospitals does not offer observerships to Visiting Medical Students with the exception of unique institutional affiliations.

Application Timeline

We have two application review periods and accept visiting applications according to the following timeline:

Begin Accepting Applications for Blocks 1 - 6 (July through December): January 22

Application Department Review Period Begins: March 15
Notification Begins: May 1 (at least 2 months prior to start of elective)

Begin Accepting Applications for Blocks 8-13 (January through June): July 1

Application Department Review Period Begins: October 15
Notification Begins: November 1 (at least 2 months prior to start of elective)

Selection Process

We will begin reviewing applications as they are received to confirm eligibility. Departments will begin reviewing applications as of March 15, 2021. Decisions would be expected in mid to late April. The applicant will be notified by email when an application has been received, accepted or denied. We ask applicants to be patient and refrain from inquiries as to the status of a request until May 1, 2021.

If your primary selection is filled for the dates requested, you are advised to list two alternate date choices. Students must request dates for participation, according to our Academic Calendar. All applications will be considered after all Case Western Reserve University students have been scheduled.

Application Status Update

We will send an email, through the VSLO Application Service acknowledging receipt of your application. On March 15, we will forward your application to the appropriate department for review and consideration. Applicants will be notified according to the timeline specified above depending upon whether they are applying to electives in the first or second part of the academic calendar. Candidates will be notified by email as soon as the hospital decision is confirmed.

Students should NOT contact individual course directors. In addition, due to the high volume of applications, we regret that we cannot take phone calls related to VSLO applications. Please direct email inquiries to our Visiting Student Coordinator. Allow three to five business days for a response. For more information on VSLO, please visit the AAMC website.

Cancellation Policy

All visiting medical students are asked to remember that house staff and attending physician schedules are planned several months in advance. Final confirmation of acceptance into an elective is binding unless unforeseen circumstances make participation impossible. However, in the event of cancellation, please immediately contact the Medical Student Office.

Cancellation of an elective requires at least one-month advance notice.

Elective Rotation Fee

After a visiting medical student is accepted for an elective, the student will be charged a non-refundable processing fee of $150.00 for each elective (total $450 for maximum of three electives). This fee is applied only after acceptance. Starting in 2020, students who have been accepted to a rotation will be able to pay their processing fee through a secure, online website. Please note David Satcher Clerkship students are exempt from this fee.

Information and eligibility criteria for the Visiting Medical Student Program are subject to change.