Providing opportunities for medical students from historically excluded and underrepresented groups

The Visiting Student Program at the Ohio State University College of Medicine presents you with an exciting opportunity to experience a one-month rotation at one of America's top academic medical centers. The Ohio State College of Medicine has seven health science colleges and is ranked the 13th most diverse medical school in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. Our goal is to expose students to a multidisciplinary approach to medical practice, provide experience with common problems, diagnosis and management, teach and refine examination skills, and familiarize students with common procedures. The program provides support to the aspiring physician, with the overall aim to further a physician's ability to better address the unique health issues of our increasingly diverse communities.

You can explore a rotation in a great range of specialties, receive exposure to expert faculty mentors and breakthrough medical research, and experience the richness of academic medicine. You'll have the opportunity to be on the front lines of high-level care provided to diverse patient populations - in hospital and community-based settings - and help diagnose and treat conditions both routine and complex. In addition to active participation on the clinical rotation, students will meet with the Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion to facilitate career development and mentoring.

Visiting student scholarship opportunities

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) offers a $2,000 diversity scholarship – $1,000 prior to completion and $1,000 after completion of the rotation – to students from historically excluded and underrepresented groups. Several departments also offer scholarships for Underrepresented in Medicine students. Please check with the department you are looking to complete your rotation with to see if they offer department-specific scholarships (information below). For questions on the ODI scholarship, please email ODI@osumc.edu. 

ODI scholarship application process

To apply for the Underrepresented in Medicine Visiting Students scholarship offered by ODI, students will first need to comply with the requirements listed on the visiting student page and complete the visiting student program application at least eight weeks prior to the rotation via the Visiting Student Learning Opportunity (VSLO) site. Following the completion of the VSLO application, students should complete: 

Phase one

• Submit a letter of intent describing your interest in Ohio State, including specialty and career aspirations, along with your personal history of activity and future plans to address health disparities. The letter should be no more than two pages in length.
• Submit two letters of recommendation that comment on your academic performance and potential to excel in residency. One of the letters should be submitted by an assistant or associate dean from your medical school. Scanned PDF versions of the letters should be submitted confidentially by each author via email to ODI: ODI@osumc.edu. 

All materials should be submitted at least eight weeks in advance to the start of fourth-year rotation to: 

Submit materials

Letters will be reviewed by the participating medical department and ODI to determine eligibility for scholarship selection. The medical department will notify selected students of the status of their rotation, start and completion dates for the visiting rotation, and ODI. ODI will notify students on the status of the scholarship.

Phase two 

After students have been notified and accepted the ODI Visiting Student scholarship, students must: 

• Submit a W-9 form and payment documents to ODI to process the scholarship
• Meet with the Associate Dean of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI will arrange)