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Visiting Student Information and Application

Are you a student from outside the US? See the guidelines for international visiting students  

Are you a doctor of osteopathic medicine student?  Find our information for D.O. students.

Are you interested in UI Visiting Student Scholars in Medicine Program? Click for information.

The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine accepts applications from visiting fourth year medical students from LCME accredited schools

*Please check back in March 2024 for the July, August, September & October 2024 visiting student rotation details.

After University of Iowa medical students have been accommodated, remaining clerkship vacancies are open to visiting students. The 2024 visiting student application will open in April, for opportunities in July, August, September and October. Third year medical students and students from non-LCME accredited schools are not eligible, except from Des Moines University on a limited basis.  Information for students enrolled in Osteopathic Medical Schools is discussed below.

As space allows, all departments accept visiting medicial students including: Anesthesia, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Neurological Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Otolaryngology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Radiology, Radiation Oncology, Surgery, Plastic Surgery and Urology

Students interested in the departments listed below must use the link to complete the department's application process and obtain conditional acceptance prior to submitting an application and fee to the Carver College of Medicine:

Visiting Student Policies

  • Only courses listed in the elective catalog and in the application are eligible for enrollment.
  • Applications are processed a minimum of 4-weeks prior to the clerkship start date.
  • A one time $100 non-refundable application fee must be received before the application will be processed. Pay the non-refundable fee after you have have submitted your application. You may apply for multiple dates and clerkships on one application.
  • Living arrangements are the responsibility of the student.
  • All visiting students should be familiar with The Student Handbook, for important information on policies and procedures, as well as professional conduct.
  • We require four weeks minimum notice to drop an elective. When students violate this policy, their home school will be notified.

Application Process

If you are applying for a rotation with Emergency Medicine, Family MedicineDermatology, NeurologyOphthalmology, Orthopedics , Surgery, or Urology, complete the departmental application on their website. Only after conditional acceptance from the department will you complete the following steps.

For all other rotations/departments, complete the following.

Step 1: Complete the Visiting Student Elective Application

The application  will open in April 2024.  Applications will be processed starting in May and you will be notified at least 1 month in advance of the clerkship.

Block schedule dates are 4 weeks in length, and align with the CCOM calendar. Off-cycle dates are not available.  2024 start dates:  7/8, 8/5, 9/2, 9/30.

PDF icon 2024 Visiting Medical Students Course Clerkships & Descriptions

Step 2: Your school will be notified via email to verify the following 

Only if your school does not verify any of the following will you need to provide documentation.

Eligible applicants must:

  • Be a fourth year medical student, and have completed core clinical courses comparable to that of the Carver College of Medicine
  • Be from an Liaison Committee on Medical Education accredited school (We cannot accept applications from D.O. students in Osteopathic programs except from Des Moines University on a limited basis)
  • Have passed USMLE Step 1
  • Have health insurance
  • Have malpractice insurance with a $1 million per claim/$3 million aggregate minimum
  • Meet our health and immunization requirements
  • Have received HIPAA and universal precautions training
  • Have completed a background check

Step 3: You will be contacted 4-6 weeks prior to the start of the rotation if an opportunity is available. 

Applications are reviewed on a first come first served basis.

UI Visiting Student Scholars in Medicine Program

The University of Iowa (UI) Visiting Student Scholars in Medicine Program offers a stipend through a competitive application process to support 4-week visiting electives for medical students.   This is a non-exclusive program which is open to all medical students.  In order to diversify our healthcare workforce, the UI Opportunities in Medicine Visiting Student Elective Program encourages applications from medical students who are from underrepresented populations as defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Refer to the program website for full list of participating programs and application details.

Find complete details at UI Visiting Student Scholars in Medicine Program | Office of Health Parity (uiowa.edu)

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Students

We cannot accept applications from D.O. students in Osteopathic programs except from Des Moines University on a limited basis.

Pilot program for D.O. students from Des Moines University

The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine annually accepts applications from visiting fourth year medical students from LCME accredited schools based on the reciprocal nature of sending our fourth year medical students to these same LCME accredited schools. On a limited basis, CCOM is piloting our ability to accept visiting applications from Osteopathic fourth year students at Des Moines University despite the lack of a reciprocal exchange for CCOM students. Due to existing limitations of clinical faculty teaching time as well as a scarcity of available clinical clerkship spots for all University of Iowa allied healthcare learners, there is a limited number of visiting 4-week rotation opportunities for Des Moines University students. For 2024, Des Moines University students are welcome to apply for clerkships in the departments of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Pathology, Psychiatry, and Radiation Oncology.  Brief  1-2 day “auditions” are not allowed. There are significant costs to providing clinical education of each medical student. Tuition and fees will be charged for the training of these outside medical students.