We are committed to providing regular VSLO program updates through the VSLO listserv, email and on this page. Please visit this page regularly and if you have any questions, email the VSLO team at: visitingstudents@aamc.org.
Last Updated: April 18, 2024
Message from the VSLO Team
Dear VSLO Colleagues,
We were so delighted to speak with several of you during the first session of our Visiting Student Learning Opportunities™ (VSLO®) Office Hours last week. As a reminder, we encourage you to use this opportunity to bring your questions on application procedures, best practices, or any other issues. Please visit our Demonstrations and Trainings page to register for an upcoming session.
As you know, we are in the most active weeks of the away rotation season. We are keeping a close eye on application data and look forward to sharing additional information with you and your teams as we identify trends and final numbers. We expect to see levels of activity in the VSLO system similar to the previous away rotation season.
For those attending the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) Educating Leaders 2024 conference, we hope you joined VSLO Senior Director Robin Carle for her session, “The Use of VSLO by DO Students and Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.” For those attending the AAMC 2024 Group on Student Affairs (GSA), Careers in Medicine (CiM), Organization of Student Representatives (OSR) National Meeting in San Francisco from April 18-20, we hope there is an opportunity to connect in-person during our VSLO Office Hours this Friday, April 19 from 10-11:15 a.m. PT or 4:30-6 p.m. PT.
Thank you,
The VSLO Team
VSLO Program Updates
Final Reminder Regarding Annual Invoices
All FY25 invoices have been sent. As a reminder, the AAMC sent the FY25 invoice to the individual listed under the Billing Contact section on your institution’s Contact Information page in the VSLO application service. Please take a moment to review the contact details to ensure we have accurate information in our system. The invoice was sent from Workday AAMC (No Reply) <aamc@myworkday.com> with the following subject line: Invoice #100***** from AAMC. If you have any questions or have not received your invoice, please contact the AAMC Support Center.
Committee on Student Records Memo to Program Directors and Students
The Committee on Student Records (COSR) recently sent a reminder of the existing Guidelines Regarding Visiting Medical Students that were issued by the COSR Visiting Student Workgroup (VSW). The VSW was convened to provide clarity and recommendations for standardized guidelines. The message reminds VSLO administrators and program directors to consider these guidelines when processing visiting student applications and take note of the following key recommendations:
1. Publish visiting student application timelines on your application and website.
2. Utilize the AAMC Uniform Affiliation Agreement to streamline the process for students and reduce the workload for Home and Host institutions who are completing these forms.
3. Utilize the AAMC Standardized Immunization Form to streamline the process for students and reduce the workload for Home and Host institutions who are completing these forms.
4. Avoid requesting duplicate documentation for information that has already been collected in the application (e.g. letters of good standing or documentation of liability coverage).
5. Notify visiting students of elective offer or denial at least 30 days in advance of the clerkship.
6. Provide sufficient time (at least 2 weeks) for visiting students to accept or decline offers.
7. Do not request any institutional fees until the student accepts the offer.
8. Complete visiting student evaluations and return them to the Home institution no more than 30 days after the completion of the elective.
Please reach out to your Regional Representative with any questions or feedback:
- Central Region: Matthew Edwards, MEd (matthew-c-edwards@uiowa.edu)
- Northern Region: Haley Erickson, MA (hayley.erickson@einsteinmed.edu)
- Southern Region: Wandy Cruz-Velázquez, JD, MA (wandy.cruzvelazquez@utrgv.edu)
- Western Region: Christina Granillo, PhD (christina.granillo@medsch.ucr.edu)
AAMC Resources for Medical Educators
AAMC, NMA Announce Innovation Grants to Address Shortage of Black Men in Medicine
The Action Collaborative for Black Men in Medicine—an initiative of the AAMC and the National Medical Association—has launched the Illinois Black Men in Medicine Innovation Grant. The program aims to foster diversity and inclusion in the medical field and address the critical shortage of Black male physicians, and the organizations are fielding proposals for up to five grants. “This joint effort demonstrates the commitment of higher education and the health care communities to increasing physician workforce diversity and improving patient outcomes,” said David Acosta, MD, AAMC chief diversity and inclusion officer. The program is co-sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois’ Institute for Physician Diversity®. Applications will be accepted through April 30.
Additional Articles of Interest
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG): International Medical Graduates (IMGs) Show Strong Performance in 2024 Match
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), a division of Intealth, recently shared data noting that the success of IMGs in pursuing graduate medical education (GME) in the United States remains strong with significant increases in the number of physicians obtaining first-year training positions. The data is according to the results of the 2024 Main Residency Match® (The Match®) and was previously announced on March 15 by the National Resident Matching Program®.
Upcoming Events
Nominations for 2024 Excellence in Medical Student Career Advising Awards Due June 4
Nominations are now open for the Careers in Medicine® (CiM®) Excellence in Medical Student Career Advising Awards, which recognize the importance of those who support students in making well-informed and strategic career decisions. There are three awards: a program award, a faculty advisor award, and a staff award. To learn about the awards criteria, the submission process, and past award winners, visit the CiM website.
5th Annual Conference on Disability in Health Care and Medicine
Join the Stanford Conference on Disability in Health Care and Medicine on Saturday, April 27, via livestream and Zoom. This virtual conference is designed to support students and health care providers with disabilities, train health care providers to better care for patients with disabilities, and provide research into the intersection of providers and patients with disabilities. This conference will be a deep learning opportunity for medical students, residents and fellows, medical doctors, nursing students and nurses, PA students and PAs, hospital administration, and others.
About the VSLO Program
The AAMC Visiting Student Learning Opportunities™ (VSLO®) program enables medical and public health students to pursue short-term learning opportunities in locations away from their home institutions.
We encourage VSLO users to subscribe to our listservs for timely updates and more. Please send us a blank email to join our Global or U.S. Network Listservs.
We appreciate your candid feedback as it helps us identify and prioritize any resource or system enhancements. Please contact the AAMC Support Center or call 202-478-9878 if you have any questions. Representatives are available Monday - Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET.