Campus Construction Update

The Menino building lobby entrance is currently closed. This, along with the ongoing Yawkey building entrance closure, will help us bring you an even better campus experience that matches the exceptional care you've come to expect. Please enter the Menino and Yawkey buildings through the Moakley building, and make sure to leave extra time to get to your appointment. Thank you for your patience. 

Click here to learn more about our campus redesign. 

Visiting Medical Students

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Subsidized Visiting Elective Program

The Subsidized Visiting Elective Program (SVEP) provides financial assistance and support  to underrepresented minority (URM) medical students to gain clinical exposure within any of our departments in the form of a month-long elective at Boston Medical Center, affiliate hospital of Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

Students that are accepted into the SVEP will be reimbursed up to $2,500 for travel, housing, and VSLO registration fees. In addition, students will meet URM faculty, residents, and fellows.

Who Qualifies

  • Currently enrolled full-time third year medical students applying to senior electives
  • Students currently enrolled at an LCME accredited U.S. institution
  • Students who self-identify as underrepresented per the U.S. Census and ACGME (Black or African-American, Hispanic or Latino/a, American Indian and Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and and Pacific Islander)
  • U.S. citizens or permanent residents

How to Apply

This process requires two separate applications: the Subsidized Visiting Elective Program (SVEP) application, which awards the financial support, and the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO), which allows students to register for an elective at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

Step 1

A completed subsidized elective application consists of the following:

Applications are due June 16. Please email your resume/cv and SVEP application directly to Shawnda Walker, URiM Program Manager, at Shawnda.Walker@bmc.org or mail it to:

Shawnda Walker, URiM Program Manager
GME/Office of Minority Physician Recruitment
960 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA, 02119

All official transcripts must be mailed to the above address or sent electronically directly from the registrar’s office

Step 2

After submitting a completed application and all supporting documents, each SVEP applicant will receive an email within two weeks notifying them of the status of their application. It is highly recommended that students create an account and log in to VSLO (Visiting Student Learning Opportunity Program). By doing so, they can view the available blocks for rotation within their program of interest. The VSLO applications are managed by the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Registrar's Office.

For questions about your VSLO application and rotation details, contact the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Registrar’s Office directly.

Step 3

An acceptance into SVEP does not guarantee a clinical rotation. The Registrar’s Office at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine manages all VSLO rotation applications and will notify each applicant of their VSAS/VSLO application status.

Step 4

All visiting students are required to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. Proof of vaccination can be sent to BMC employee health (Working Well) by emailing working.wellclinic@bmc.org before to your arrival.

Important updates about the 2024–2025 academic year

International medical students: Rotations at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine are closed for international medical students. Information regarding rotations for the 2024–2025 academic year will be available at a later date.  For more information, contact: Ana Gregory at anagreg@bu.edu

Students enrolled in U.S. medical schools: The 2024–2025 elective catalog will open to applications from visiting students enrolled in U.S. medical schools on March 15, 2024, at 5 p.m.  All interested applicants must apply using VSLO. The first block open to applications from visiting students begins on June 17, 2024. Students may be accepted for a maximum of 4 weeks of elective time at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

Updated as of 2/15/2024