For Prospective Residents
The Office of Student and Resident Diversity (OSRD) aims to increase the diversity of our residency programs while supporting residents' unique needs. Whether you completed medical school at UC Davis or another institution, we are committed to making you feel welcome here!
Diversity in Medicine Visiting Elective Program
Fourth-year medical students from other schools may choose to take an away rotation at UC Davis School of Medicine, especially if they are interested in matching into a UC Davis residency program. The Diversity in Medicine Visiting Elective Program provides support for fourth-year students who are underrepresented in medicine and/or from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
"I was initially nervous to spend a month in a new city where I did not know anyone, but everyone in the Office of Student and Resident Diversity made me feel as if I was one of their own students from the very beginning."
- Ciera Oshodi, 2017 VEP Scholar
Students in the program will receive:
- Reimbursement of travel costs (up to $500) to and from Sacramento
- $500 food allowance
- Reimbursement of UC Davis application processing fee ($300)
- Housing for the rotation (subject to availability)
- Unique networking opportunities with OSRD and student interest groups
Eligibility: Eligible participants are full-time, fourth-year medical students in good standing at accredited U.S. medical schools. Students remain registered at their own schools while participating in the four-week elective at UC Davis. Each student must complete an application form through the American Association of Medical Colleges’ Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) Application Service.
Application process:
- Apply for your chosen electives in VSLO at aamc.org/vslo.
- Fill out the Visiting Elective Program application at bit.ly/UCDVEPapp.
- Send a Letter of Intent (1 page maximum) and any supplemental materials to hs-osrd@ucdavis.edu with "VEP [your name]" in the subject line.
- In this letter, please explain your path to medicine, your demonstrated interest in serving underserved communities, and your interest in practicing at UC Davis and/or Northern California.
Application deadlines:
- For rotation start dates in July-September: Friday, May 10, 2019
- For rotation start dates in October-January: Friday, June 28, 2019
- For other rotation start dates: at least three (3) months in advance of start date
Students are encouraged to apply to the program by the deadlines above for full consideration.
NOTE: While you must be accepted into a rotation in VSLO to be a Visiting Elective Program scholar, you can apply to VEP before your rotation is confirmed.
If you have any questions about the Visiting Elective Program, please contact Shea Hazarian at sahazarian@ucdavis.edu.
Other Visiting Student Resources
The following academic departments offer their own scholarship programs for visiting students. Please click on the program to learn more.
- Emergency Medicine - Visiting Underrepresented Scholar Program
- Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery - Diversity Medical Student Visiting Clerkship (PDF)
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Diversity Medical Student Visiting Clerkship (PDF)
For more information on applying to a fourth-year elective at UC Davis, visit the Office of the Registrar's Visiting Medical Students page.
Residency "Second Look" Programs
OSRD collaborates with individual residency programs to showcase how each program promotes diversity, equity and inclusion as part of the larger UC Davis Health community. Some programs hold Diversity Day events concurrent with residency interviews, while other programs hold Second Look events after initial interviews. If you are a residency applicant interested in one of these programs, please reach out to the residency program directly.
If you are a representative from a UC Davis residency program, please visit our Info for Residency Programs page.
Countdown to the Match
Wishing a warm welcome to all of our new UC Davis residents! Check out some of the resources available to you on our Current Residents page.
Match Day: Friday, March 20, 2020
