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School of Medicine Columbia

Visiting Students

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia welcomes senior medical students interested in applying to the visiting student program.

We accept applications for senior medical students from any United States or Canadian medical school fully accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the American Medical Association (AMA) or by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

Students are scheduled on a space-available basis. A maximum of two four-week electives may be scheduled.

Currently, international students are NOT eligible to apply. We do not offer observerships for visiting students.

USC SOM Columbia processes applications through the AAMC's Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) program. The service allows students to browse and apply for electives.

The applicant applies during the third year of medical school.  The elective catalog opens for viewing on March 8, 2024. We begin accepting applications on April 1, 2024. Application decisions will be processed in early May and no later than four weeks prior to the elective's starting date. The applicant will be notified when departmental approval has been received by the Visiting Student Coordinator.

Our electives are four weeks in duration.  Not all electives are available for these rotations.  Visiting students who request a rotation are not guaranteed a rotation, as prioritization is given to our students.

Block Start Date End Date
1 July 8, 2024 August 2, 2024
2 August 5, 2024 August 30, 2024
3 September 2, 2024 September 27, 2024
4 September 30, 2024 October 25, 2024
5 October 28, 2024 November 22, 2024
6 November 25, 2024 December 20, 2024
7 January 6, 2025 January 31, 2025
8 February 3, 2025 February 28, 2025
9 March 3, 2025 March 28, 2025

All Visiting Students must

  • be currently enrolled and in good academic standing as a candidate for the M.D. or  D.O. degree at their home school.
  • have completed all required clerkships at their home school prior to initiating elective work at USC SOM Columbia.
  • provide a criminal background report and malpractice liability insurance.
  • have their own personal health care insurance and provide current documentation of immunization status.
  • must pay a non-refundable processing fee of one hundred and seventy-five dollars ($175) per elective, after the rotation has been offered and accepted. An email will be sent.
  • notify us as soon as possible if unable to attend an approved elective
  • secure their own housing. Students in the past have contacted local hotels and/or have utilized Airbnb. Students may also try furnished apartments or traveling professionals.

 


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