Acceptance, Processing, and Approval of Visiting Medical Students

Visiting Student – a medical student from another allopathic or osteopathic medical student in good standing applying and accepted to complete an approved USACOM elective.

 

Advanced Practice Providers (APP) – health care provider who is not a physician but performs similar activities as a physician.  Examples include physician assistants or advanced practice registered nurses.

 

Graduate Medical Education (GME) – period of education in a particular specialty (residency) or subspecialty (fellowship) following medical school.

 

Visiting Student Learning Opportunity (VSLO) – Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) platform that enables medical and public health students to apply for learning opportunities at locations away from their home institution.

 

Home Institution – a student’s medical school.

 

Hosting Institution – medical school or institution, other than a student’s home institution, wherein they will complete a rotation.

 

 

4.1.1         The COM will only accept M4 visiting medical students for approved M4 electives at the institution.  M1 – M3 medical students will not be accepted for visiting student rotations at the institution and/or USA Health.

 

4.1.2         This policy does not apply to graduate medical education learners (GME), advanced practice provider (APP) learners, premedical students, K-12 students, or other non-medical student health profession learners.  Please refer to applicable USA Health or COM policies for the appropriate processes for these learners to visit the institution.

 

4.1.3         A M4 visiting student will be allowed to do one away rotation at the University of South Alabama.

 

4.1.4         The COM will allow M4 visiting students for away rotations during Blocks 1 through 6 of the M4 Block Schedule calendar in each academic year.

 

4.1.5         The Office of the Dean, the Division of Medical Education, the Office of Student Affairs, and USA Health will collaborate to monitor clinical resources and conditions to ensure an optimal learning environment and experience for all students. The College of Medicine has authority to cancel visiting student rotations at any time based on these reviews.

 

 

4.2.1      M4 course directors will be responsible for reviewing their course annually prior to the start of an academic year and completing the following based on the adequacy of space, faculty, and clinical resources:

 

4.2.1.1    Determine the total number of medical student learners allowed per available rotation block. 

 

4.2.1.2   Approve visiting students on the specific rotation.

 

4.2.1.3   Designate the number of slots available for visiting students on the selected rotation.

 

4.2.1.4   Establish criteria for visiting students in collaboration with and approval by the COM.

 

4.2.2      M4 visiting medical students must use the AAMC VSLO platform to apply for approved COM M4 electives. Visiting students must complete and submit all required documentation through VSLO.

 

4.2.3      The COM will begin accepting applications for M4 visiting students once the COM M4 students have completed their course scheduling for the academic year.

 

4.2.4      M4 visiting student applications will be forwarded to the M4 course director for review and selection of those students approved to enroll in the course.  A course director may consult with departmental leadership in selecting M4 visiting students.

 

4.2.5      Course directors, or their designee, will notify the COM Clinical Education Supervisor and Coordinator, or their designee, of the approved M4 visiting students.  The visiting students will then be notified of their acceptance.       

 

4.2.6      Affiliation agreements between the home and hosting institutions must be reviewed, approved, and executed prior to a M4 visiting students rotating at the hosting institution if required by either institution.

 

4.2.7      All M4 visiting students will receive training and orientation in applicable policies and procedures at the start of the rotation.  An M4 visiting student will adhere to applicable USA Health policies and procedures for medical students while rotating at a USA Health site.