Physicians Medical Forum
Visiting Elective Scholarship Program (VESP)
at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland
The Visiting Elective Scholarship Program (VESP) supported by the Physicians Medical Forum (PMF) was established to encourage African American/Black fourth year medical students to apply for a fourth year clinical elective offered through Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland (dba UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland).
PMF’s mission is to encourage the recruitment and retention of Black/African American physicians, and thereby help to eliminate health disparities, improve access to care, maintain diversity within the profession, and improve the quality of life and medical care for people in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area of California.
The program is designed to:
- Enhance the recruitment of African American/Black medical students to residency training programs in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area with the ultimate goal of remaining in the area to practice medicine
- Expose African American/Black fourth year medical students who are underrepresented in medicine to an academic training program
- Promote student interest in applying to an academic training program
- Promote interest in clinical and translational research
- Provide mentorship during the clinical elective experience
Clinical electives are four weeks in length and are available in a variety of clinical areas, space permitting, to U.S. medical students. VESP participants have the opportunity to network with Children’s Hospital Oakland’s faculty, house staff, and students. Participants will also have a chance to meet the Graduate Medical Education leadership. VESP participation is not affiliated with the residency match program and participation in the program does not guarantee a residency program interview.
WHO CAN APPLY?
- African American/Black U.S. medical students who are from the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area and/or interested in practicing in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area after residency
- Student must be in good academic standing at an accredited US medical school
- Must be 4th year medical student at time of rotation
- Completion of all core clerkships in medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry and OB-GYN
Application
- Completed Diversity Scholars Program (DSP) application (see attached)
- Updated Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Letter of good standing from your medical school
- A brief 200-500 word essay describing your interest in this program and our institution
- An official academic transcript from your school of medicine
Selection
Scholarships (up to $2,000 each will be awarded on the basis of:
- Academic achievement
- Interest and/or demonstration of serving or working with underserved populations
- Commitment remaining in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area to practice medicine
- Interest in pursuing career in Pediatrics or Pediatric subspecialty
Deadline
Rolling deadline. Applications must be received 6-8 weeks prior to the elective start
date, though applications received less than 8 weeks may be considered.
DOWNLOAD ANNOUNCEMENT BY CLICKING HERE
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION BY CLICKING HERE
More Information
For further information or to receive an application, please contact:
PMF Visiting Elective Scholarship Program
Stalfana Bello, M.P.A., Executive Director
Physicians Medical Forum
Email: executivedirector@pmfmd.com
or
Katherine Castillo
Graduate Medical Education Coordinator
E-mail: KCastillo@mail.cho.org
or
Pamela Simms-Mackey, MD
Director, Graduate Medical Education
Director, Pediatric Residency Program
E-mail: PSIMMS@mail.cho.org
Also visit the following websites
UCSF School of Medicine Visiting Student Info:
https://www.childrenshospitaloakland.org/main/professional-education-training.aspx
https://www.childrenshospitaloakland.org/main/pediatric-residency-medical-student-program.aspx
https://www.childrenshospitaloakland.org/main/pediatric-residency-program.aspx