Visiting Elective Program Scholarship
As a fourth-year medical student, the expenses that arise, such as ERAS application fees, interview prep, and moving, all add up quickly. The UC Davis VEP Scholarship allowed me to take that extra step and do an away rotation at my top-ranking residency program. I was also grateful that this program and its staff went above and beyond by connecting me with mentors and supporting me with other resources, such as meal reimbursement, when the cafeteria suddenly closed. Seeing how well the staff welcomed me helped me make an easy decision during residency match ranking.
Sylvana Marquina, M.D.
VEP Scholar, 2023-2024
UC Davis Health Department of Family Medicine
The Office of Student and Resident Diversity (OSRD) aims to address the barriers preventing the full participation of learners from economically and educationally adverse backgrounds and geographically underserved communities while supporting residents' and fellows' interests in serving underserved communities. Whether you are completing your medical training at UC Davis or another institution, we are committed to making you feel welcome here!
Fourth-year medical students from other schools may choose to participate in an elective rotation at UC Davis School of Medicine, especially if they are interested in matching into a UC Davis residency program. The Visiting Elective Program Scholarship provides support to fourth-year students who have the potential for leadership in addressing the barriers preventing the full participation of medical students from economically and educationally adverse backgrounds and geographically underserved communities.
Students in the program will receive:
- Reimbursement of travel costs to and from Sacramento and must be completed within a week of rotation dates (up to $500)
- Reimbursement of food costs (up to $500)
- Reimbursement of the UC Davis application processing fee ($300)
- Reimbursement of housing expenses (up to $1500)
- Unique networking opportunities with OSRD and student interest groups
Eligibility:
Eligible participants are full-time, fourth-year medical students in good standing at an accredited U.S. medical school. 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. Scholarship Applications will only be considered with a complete VSLO application.
- Submit a VEP Scholarship application here. In your Letter of Intent of your application, describe your path to medicine, your demonstrated interest in serving underserved communities, and your interest in practicing at UC Davis Health and/or Northern California. Note: Applications submitted as incomplete applications and applications submitted past the deadline date may not be considered.
Away Rotation and Scholarship Eligibility
Please note that acceptance into an away rotation and eligibility for a scholarship are separate processes.
Rotation Eligibility: The Office of Student and Resident Diversity (OSRD) does not make decisions regarding acceptance into away rotations. These decisions are made independently by the host clinical departments, based on their own eligibility criteria and application review processes.
Scholarship Eligibility: The VEP (Visiting Elective Program) Scholarship, offered through OSRD, provides financial assistance and mentorship resources to eligible students completing an approved away rotation. However, not all departments offer VEP scholarships, and scholarship availability, eligibility criteria, and amounts may vary by department.
If you apply for both a department-sponsored scholarship and the VEP Scholarship through OSRD, you may only receive one award during your rotation.
Refer to the list below to see which departments currently offer VEP scholarships.
If you have any questions regarding the VEP Scholarship, contact hs-osrd@ucdavis.edu.
What are the benefits of receiving a Visiting Elective Program (VEP) scholarship at UC Davis?
- Access to mentorship and experience at UC Davis School of Medicine residency programs
- Reimbursement for travel, food, and lodging for rotation, reduction of the cost to obtain experiential learning during medical school
- Experiencing Sacramento and gaining a better understanding of the diverse communities and resources available
- Engaging in networking opportunities with faculty, residents, and staff at UC Davis School of Medicine
What are the scholarship application requirements?
The VEP scholarship application requires submitting your contact information, background, and a section to include your Letter of Intent (1 page maximum). Supplemental materials may be submitted to hs-osrd@ucdavis.edu with "VEP [your name]" in the subject line.
1. In your Letter of Intent section, describe your path to medicine, your demonstrated interest in serving underserved communities, and your interest in practicing at UC Davis Health and/or Northern California
When is the next rotation?
Visit https://health.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/registrar/visiting.html for upcoming rotation and application deadline dates.
Does applying for VEP rotation before or after residency application affect my chances for residency with UC Davis Health?
No.
I have questions about a specific department of interest, who can I contact?
For questions regarding day to day activities and learning outcomes, contact the departmental coordinators in their respective departments. To see available residency programs, visit https://health.ucdavis.edu/gme/residency_programs.html
Do I have to apply for both rotation and scholarship?
Yes, you will need to apply for your chosen electives in VSLO at aamc.org/vslo. Your scholarship application will not be considered without a complete VSLO application.
Fill out the VEP scholarship application at apply.pathways.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
Where can I find which residency departments offer a VEP rotation?
Visit VSLO at aamc.org/vslo.
Can international students apply for the VEP scholarship?
International students are not eligible, per the Visiting Medical Student eligibility of enrollment policies: https://health.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/registrar/visiting.html
2024 - 2025 Award Recipients:
2023 - 2024 Award Recipients
2. Shirley Cheng, University of Hawaii Burns School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Surgical Oncology
3. Emmanuel Brito, UC Riverside School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Orthopedic Surgery
4. Devra M Asah, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Surgery Trauma
5. Grace Jun, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Urology
7. Kathy Le, UT HSC San Antonio Long School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Otolaryngology
8. Andres Armijo, Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Surgical Oncology
9. Grant Akalonu, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Psychiatry
10. Aldana Garcia, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, UC Davis Health Dermatology
11. Xinna Chen, A.T. Still University - School of Osteopathic Medicine, UC Davis Health Emergency Medicine
2022 - 2023 Award Recipients
1. Tien Nguyen, Washington State Univ Elson S - Washington State-Floyd Tri-Cities School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Pediatric Surgery
2. Grace Wei, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, UC Davis Health Dermatology
3. Serena Choi, University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Ophthalmology
4. Morgan Haynes, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Dermatology
5. Yen Luu, University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Dermatology
6. Bilal Karim, Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, UC Davis Health Child Neurology
7. Ky Ngo, University of Washington School of Medicine - U Washington-UW, UC Davis Health Surgery
8. Shadi Shams, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, UC Davis Health Child Neurology
9. Jasper Shu, Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, UC Davis Health Anesthesiology
10. Nancy Abarca, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, UC Davis Health Neurology
2021 - 2022 Award Recipients
1. Desiree Morris, Kerkorian SOM UNLV, UC Davis Health Dermatology
2. Edgardo Alonso, UCSF SOM, UC Davis Health Internal Medicine
4. Kristine Vo, U of Hawaii - Burns SOM, UC Davis Health Otolaryngology
5. Linda Kerandi, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, UC Davis Health Psychiatry
6. Raymond Martinez, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, UC Davis Health Hematology/Oncology
7. Jennifer Cortes, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, UC Davis Health Combined Family Medicine–Psychiatry
8. Ashkan Khosravi, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Carolinas Campus, UC Davis Health Rehabilitation Medicine
9. Philomena Nwanze, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Combined Family Medicine - Psychiatry
Departmental Scholarship Availability
Not all departments currently offer scholarships for their Visiting Elective Program (VEP). The departments listed below have their own established scholarship programs for visiting students, and award amounts and eligibility criteria varies.
If you apply for both a department-sponsored scholarship and the VEP Scholarship through OSRD, you may only receive one award per rotation. All scholarship decisions — including availability, eligibility, and selection are made by the individual clinical departments.
- Emergency Medicine
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
- Ophthalmology
- Dermatology
- Pathology
For more information on applying to a fourth-year elective at UC Davis Health, visit the Office of the Registrar's Visiting Medical Students page.
OSRD collaborates with individual residency and fellowship programs to showcase how each program promotes diversity, equity and inclusion as part of the larger UC Davis Health community. Many programs participate in OSRD's annual Graduate Medical Education Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Open House, and some programs hold Diversity Day events concurrent with interviews. If you are an applicant interested in one of these programs, please reach out to the residency or fellowship program directly.
If you are a representative from a UC Davis residency or fellowship program, please visit our Info for GME Programs page.
Welcome to our new UC Davis residents and fellows! We are so excited to meet you. Check out some of the resources available to you on our Current Residents and Fellows page.
