I strongly feel my success on the residency interview trail was a direct product of the time and wisdom shared with me by Dr. García and others I met through participating in VEP.

Mark Moubarek, M.D.
VEP Scholar, 2018-2019
Resident Physician, Class of 2022
UC Davis Department of Emergency Medicine

The Office of Student and Resident Diversity (OSRD) aims to address the barriers preventing the full participation of underrepresented groups in medicine, (including individuals from African American/Black, Latinx, and Native American backgrounds), while supporting residents' and fellows' interests in serving underserved communities. Whether you are completing your medical training at UC Davis or another institution, we are committed to making you feel welcome here! 

Fourth-year medical students from other schools may choose to participate in an elective rotation at UC Davis School of Medicine, especially if they are interested in matching into a UC Davis residency program. The Diversity in Medicine Visiting Elective Program Scholarship provides support to fourth-year students who have the potential for leadership in addressing the barriers preventing the full participation of groups underrepresented in medicine, including students from African American/Black, Latinx, and Native American backgrounds. 

Students in the program will receive:

  • Reimbursement of travel costs to and from Sacramento and must be completed within a week of rotation dates (up to $500)
  • Reimbursement of food costs (up to $500)
  • Reimbursement of the UC Davis application processing fee ($300)
  • Reimbursement of housing expenses (up to $1500)
  • Unique networking opportunities with OSRD and student interest groups

Eligibility: 

Eligible participants are full-time, fourth-year medical students in good standing at an accredited U.S. medical school. Students remain registered at their own schools while participating in the four-week elective at UC Davis. Each student must complete an application form through the American Association of Medical Colleges’ Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) Application Service.

Application Process:

  1. Apply for your chosen electives in VSLO at aamc.org/vslo. Note: Scholarship Applications will only be considered with a complete VSLO application.
  2. Submit a VEP Scholarship application at bit.ly/UCDVEPapp. Please note that applications submitted  incomplete applications and applications submitted past the deadline date will not be considered.
  3. Submit a Letter of Intent ( 1 page maximum) and any supplemental materials to hs-osrd@ucdavis.edu with "VEP [your name]" in the subject line. Your letter and supplemental materials must also be submitted by the application deadline.
    1. In your Letter of Intent, please describe your path to medicine, your demonstrated interest in serving underserved communities, and your interest in practicing at UC Davis Health and/or Northern California in approximately 500 words. You also should briefly explain your potential to contribute to your chosen elective program through your understanding of the barriers facing underrepresented groups in medicine (including individuals from African American/Black, Latinx, and Native American backgrounds), as evidenced by your life experiences, work experience, educational record, and demonstrated interest in serving underserved communities. 

2024 - 2025 Application Cycle:

Scholarship application cycle opens April 1, 2024
Scholarship application deadline April 30, 2024
To help you plan accordingly, please note that your VSLO application must be approved no later than 60 days prior to the start of your rotation.
Funding permitting, applications submitted after April 30 may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Please note: The VEP Scholarship provides scholarship funding and mentorship resources. OSRD does not make decisions on whether a student is accepted or rejected from an away rotation, as these decisions are made by the hosting clinical departments. Students applying for both a department and a VEP Scholarship from our office, can only receive one scholarship during their rotation.

If you have any questions regarding the VEP Scholarship, contact hs-osrd@ucdavis.edu.

What are the benefits of receiving a Visiting Elective Program (VEP) scholarship at UC Davis?

  • Access to mentorship and experience at UC Davis School of Medicine residency programs
  • Reimbursement for travel, food, and lodging for rotation, reduction of the cost to obtain experiential learning during medical school
  • Experiencing Sacramento and gaining a better understanding of the diverse communities and resources available
  • Engaging in networking opportunities with faculty, residents, and staff at UC Davis School of Medicine

What are the scholarship application requirements?

The VEP scholarship application requires submitting your contact information, background, and a section to include your Letter of Intent (1 page maximum). Supplemental materials may be submitted to hs-osrd@ucdavis.edu with "VEP [your name]" in the subject line.

1. In your Letter of Intent section, describe your path to medicine, your demonstrated interest in serving underserved communities, and your interest in practicing at UC Davis Health and/or Northern California


Does every department offer a scholarship program for VEP?

No. Not every department offers a scholarship for Visiting Elective Programs. The following academic departments offer their own scholarship programs for visiting students and scholarship amount varies. Students can only receive one scholarship if applying for both department and OSRD scholarship. See below for departments offering VEP scholarships.

For more information on applying to a fourth-year elective at UC Davis Health, visit the Office of the Registrar's Visiting Medical Students page.

For questions regarding the Diversity in Medicine Visiting Elective Program Scholarship (DVEPS), contact Eva Lee at eclee@ucdavis.edu


When is the next rotation?

Visit https://health.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/registrar/visiting.html for upcoming rotation and application deadline dates.


Does applying for VEP rotation before or after residency application affect my chances for residency with UC Davis Health? 

No.


I have questions about a specific department of interest, who can I contact?

For questions regarding day to day activities and learning outcomes, contact the departmental coordinators in their respective departments. To see available residency programs, visit https://health.ucdavis.edu/gme/residency_programs.html 


Do I have to apply for both rotation and scholarship?

Yes, you will need to apply for your chosen electives in VSLO at  aamc.org/vslo. Your scholarship application will not be considered without a complete VSLO application.

Fill out the VEP scholarship application at bit.ly/UCDVEPapp


Where can I find which residency departments offer a VEP rotation?

Visit VSLO at aamc.org/vslo.


Can international students apply for the VEP scholarship?

International students are not eligible, per the Visiting Medical Student eligibility of enrollment policies: https://health.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/registrar/visiting.html 

2023 – 2024 Award Recipients

1. Nancy Le, California Northstate University College of Medicine, UC Davis Health Neurology
2. Shirley Cheng, University of Hawaii Burns School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Surgical Oncology
3. Emmanuel Brito, UC Riverside School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Orthopedic Surgery
4. Devra M Asah, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Surgery Trauma
5. Grace Jun, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Urology
6. Sylvana Marquina, UC Irvine School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Pediatric Surgery
7. Kathy Le, UT HSC San Antonio Long School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Otolaryngology
8. Andres Armijo, Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Surgical Oncology
9. Grant Akalonu, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Psychiatry
10. Aldana Garcia, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, UC Davis Health Dermatology
11. Xinna Chen, A.T. Still University - School of Osteopathic Medicine, UC Davis Health Emergency Medicine


2022 – 2023 Award Recipients
1. Tien Nguyen, Washington State Univ Elson S - Washington State-Floyd Tri-Cities School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Pediatric Surgery
2. Grace Wei, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, UC Davis Health Dermatology
3. Serena Choi, University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Ophthalmology
4. Morgan Haynes, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Dermatology
5. Yen Luu, University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Dermatology
6. Bilal Karim, Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, UC Davis Health Child Neurology
7. Ky Ngo, University of Washington School of Medicine - U Washington-UW, UC Davis Health Surgery
8. Shadi Shams, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, UC Davis Health Child Neurology
9. Jasper Shu, Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, UC Davis Health Anesthesiology
10. Nancy Abarca, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, UC Davis Health Neurology


2021 – 2022 Award Recipients
1. Desiree Morris, Kerkorian SOM UNLV, UC Davis Health Dermatology
2. Edgardo Alonso, UCSF SOM, UC Davis Health Internal Medicine

3. Akshitha Thatiparthi, Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic, Medicine of the Pacific, UC Davis Health Dermatology
4. Kristine Vo, U of Hawaii - Burns SOM, UC Davis Health Otolaryngology
5. Linda Kerandi, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, UC Davis Health Psychiatry
6. Raymond Martinez, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, UC Davis Health Hematology/Oncology
7. Jennifer Cortes, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, UC Davis Health Combined Family Medicine–Psychiatry
8. Ashkan Khosravi, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Carolinas Campus, UC Davis Health Rehabilitation Medicine
9. Philomena Nwanze, Boston University Aram V. Chobanian & Edward Avedisian School of Medicine, UC Davis Health Combined Family Medicine - Psychiatry

OSRD collaborates with individual residency and fellowship programs to showcase how each program promotes diversity, equity and inclusion as part of the larger UC Davis Health community. Many programs participate in OSRD's annual Graduate Medical Education Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Open House, and some programs hold Diversity Day events concurrent with interviews. If you are an applicant interested in one of these programs, please reach out to the residency or fellowship program directly.

If you are a representative from a UC Davis residency or fellowship program, please visit our Info for GME Programs page.

Welcome to our new UC Davis residents and fellows! We are so excited to meet you. Check out some of the resources available to you on our Current Residents and Fellows page.