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WCM Policy: Visiting Students for 2020-2021 Residency Application Cycle
Last Updated: May 25, 2020
Due to public health considerations related to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly regarding travel, medical colleges, residency programs and national specialty organizations all recognize the need for flexibility and adjustments to the 2020-2021 residency application requirements and processes.
On May 11, 2020, the Coalition for Physician Accountability’s Work Group on Medical Students in the Class of 2021: Moving Across Institutions for Post Graduate Training submitted a final report and recommendations for medical education institutions of LCME-Accredited, U.S. Osteopathic, and Non-U.S. Medical School Applicants.
Based on that guidance document and their recommendations regarding away rotations and in-rotators, Weill Cornell Medical College has developed its institutional Visiting Student Policy. To ensure consistent and equitable opportunities to students and in accordance with the recommendations from the Coalition, this policy will apply to the AY 2020-2021 application cycle.
Participation in WCM Electives by Visiting Students
Weill Cornell will not be accepting on-site domestic visiting students for AY 2020-2021 until further notice.
Space permitting, Weill Cornell will be accepting applications for on-line/remote elective offerings.
On-line/remote elective offerings will be posted in the VSLO system catalog as they become available. However, we have added 4 VIRTUAL experiences to the catalog:
Weill Cornell Medical College uses the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) service to receive and process visiting student applications. To apply, please go to https://apps.aamc.org/vsas/ and search for Weill Cornell Medicine. Visiting students should not contact departments or course directors regarding the application process.
If your question is not answered by this website and our growing Weill Cornell visiting student FAQ, you may contact our office via electives@med.cornell.edu. Due to a high volume of inquiries, we respond to all inquiries within 3-4 business days.
The following affiliates have their own visiting student applications:
Visiting Student Eligibility
To be eligible, visiting students must meet the following criteria:
Students enrolled at an international medical school, except Canada and Puerto Rico, should seek additional information from the Office of Global Health Education and the WCM Center for Global Health. Please contact the Office of Global Health Education directly if you have any questions:
Dianne Young
International Electives Coordinator
Dey2001@med.cornell.edu
(646) 962-8058
Students enrolled in an LCME-Accredited Canadian medical school can see more information here: https://medicaleducation.weill.cornell.edu/student-resources/visiting-students/canadian-students. Students in Puerto Rico can apply in VSLO.
Elective placements will be made according to the needs of individual departments, and on a space-available basis. Due to the rotating nature of electives, we will be unable to respond to inquiries regarding their availability. Also, we will be unable to reserve a position pending the receipt of an application. Only completed applications will be considered, and students are advised to provide alternate courses and/or dates.
Students will be notified of acceptance as soon as possible, and we attempt to inform students at least 45 days before the course begins (generally it will be much earlier than this). Acceptance notifications are delivered via email from VSLO. Please note that Weill Cornell Medicine policies explicitly prohibit students from contacting sponsors or departments directly until they have received their conditional acceptance offer.
Weill Cornell's Office of the Registrar does not coordinate independent rotations outside of VSLO, and the dates of electives cannot be modified. Approved dates are available to review in VSLO.
Students are required to demonstrate serologic immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, varicella and hepatitis B. Students must also provide documentation of a tetanus (Td) or Tetanus/pertussis (Tdap) booster administered in the last 10 years. Skin testing for tuberculosis is required. Students are required to provide documentation of a physical exam performed in the 12 months prior to an elective, and be free of communicable illness.
Titer reports must be filed along with an application and, if they demonstrate immunity, there is no requirement regarding the date they are drawn; however, if the titers drawn for the purposes of this elective are found to be non-immune, the student must provide documentation of the appropriate boosters prior to arrival at Weill Cornell. If the student has a negative or borderline hepatitis B titer, or if the student attends a university that permits them to decline hepatitis B vaccination (and the student chooses not to be (re)immunized against hepatitis B), the student must provide Hepatitis B surface antigen documentation, and may sign a declination. Students will be notified if they require any additional testing prior to an elective.
If a student is PPD-negative, they must provide two PPD test results - one in the 12 months preceding the elective, and one in the calendar year of the elective. Students who are PPD-positive must provide the date of their positive test, a copy of their chest x-ray report, and documentation of counseling and/or treatment for latent tuberculosis infection. Please note that prior history of BCG vaccination is not a contraindication to testing. Failure to provide this information will result in the cancellation of the elective.
All visiting medical students must provide documentation of influenza vaccination for the current season. At a minimum, the documentation must include the date administered, name, address and signature of the immunizer, and the formulation used. Students not able to provide this documentation, or who have a medical reason they cannot receive the vaccine, will be required to wear a mask at all times around patients if the New York State Health Commissioner declares an influenza emergency, and must do so until the commissioner declares it is safe for “masks off”. Students who are not immunized against the flu, and who do not adhere to the masking requirement, may be prohibited from patient contact.
All students must provide proof of health insurance. (Please note, visiting students are not eligible for services provided through Weill Cornell Student Health Services.) In the event of illness, or the need for consultation regarding health care, visiting students must seek the services of a physician. In the event of an emergency, visiting students are advised to proceed immediately to the nearest emergency room. Any questions related to coverage (including cost) should be addressed by a student directly with their insurance provider.
All correspondence with Weill Cornell regarding status of an elective request will be communicated via email.
Visiting students can inquire with the Weill Cornell Housing Office directly about on- and off-campus housing options at (212) 746-1001 or housing@med.cornell.edu. They have more information on their website at http://www.med.cornell.edu/housing.
Weill Cornell Medical College uses OASIS for all evaluations. Visiting students and their schools may request a copy by emailing registrar@med.cornell.edu. WCM faculty are not obligated to complete non-WCM forms or convert P/F grading.
Visiting students will be considered for clinical electives only. Core clinical clerkships are not available for visiting students. All elective assignments are final. Dates must align with Weill Cornell Medical College's academic calendar as indicated in VSLO. No modification to dates is accepted.
