Visiting Student Learning Opportunities
Learning Opportunities During Medical School
Medical students have a wide array of diverse opportunities to support their medical education. These opportunities vary from observerships, summer research programs, opportunities in the clinical settings and away rotations, away electives, clinical rotations, or visiting opportunities.
Offered by participating host institutions, the opportunities are available in teaching hospitals, community clinics, and urban or rural sites and are open to preclinical, clinical, or final-year students, as determined by the host institution.
The AAMC Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) merged two existing visiting student programs: the Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS®) program that focused exclusively on U.S. domestic away electives and the GHLO® program that facilitated international mobility into the United States, from the United States to electives abroad, and from one non-U.S. location to another.
Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS®)
The program’s centerpiece is its Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS®). The VSAS application service provides a pathway by which qualified students may browse and apply to preclinical, clinical, public health, and research opportunities at a host institution.
For Students
For Institutions
Additional Opportunities for Medical Students
The summer between your first and second year is a valuable time to explore specialties or bolster your research experience in a specialty you’re already considering. Then, carve out some time during your second year to participate in specialty interest groups and physician panels organized by your school.
Looking for ways to enrich your medical school experience? Search for fellowships, internships, summer programs, scholarships, and grants currently available in the United States and abroad.
Many medical schools and graduate schools offer courses related to public health or population health, but students may want additional training or experiences to enhance their ability to address the health needs of populations as well as individuals.