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Visiting Student Scholarship to Enhance Healthcare Workforce Diversity

Credit: Robert A. Lisak

The Department of Internal Medicine's Visiting Student Scholarship Program was first launched in 2017. It offers an opportunity for underrepresented medical students to spend four weeks in a medicine elective at Yale New Haven Hospital's York Street or Saint Raphael campuses (five minutes apart by shuttle).

This program immerses the participating students in clinical medicine and exposes them to clinical and research faculty, medical students and residents and Department and Residency program leadership. Moreover, the students participate in Yale and New Haven community activities and other social engagements.

For the July 2023 - June 2024 year, the Department of Medicine awarded 5 scholarships.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Department of Medicine is no longer accepting visiting student scholarship applications for 2024!

The visiting student electives available for this program are listed on the Yale MD Program website; please note which electives are open to Visiting Students!


Program Benefits

  • Scholarships will include up to $2,000 for reimbursement of travel and housing (funds are usually provided during the elective) and reimbursement of the $200 application fee
  • Welcome and orientation to Yale and New Haven
  • A resident and faculty member that will serve as a mentor and advisor
  • An opportunity to meet with the respective Program Director (Traditional, Primary Care, and Medicine/Pediatrics) as well as other department leadership
  • Students will have the opportunity to speak with current residents for advice on succeeding during their clerkship

Application Process

The steps to apply for the scholarship are as follows:

  1. Submit your VSAS application
  2. Review the Visiting Student Scholarship Program: An Initiative to Enhance Healthcare Workforce Diversity webpage for more information and to confirm you are eligible
  3. Complete the Visiting Student Scholarship Program Application; please be sure you upload a CV that includes USMLE Step 1 and/or 2 completion and score and a personal statement

We accept applications on rolling basis. All students will get a confirmation email that we have received your application but we do not consider applications until 1) you’ve been accepted by Yale and 2) you’ve matched with an elective. Applications will then be reviewed by a committee using holistic criteria.

For further assistance, contact Cayetana Navarro.

Internal Medicine Visiting Student Scholarship Team