Duke School of Medicine will release the 2024-2025 Elective Book in VSLO on February 14th. Students can submit applications until April 26th, but should apply early as some programs may decide before the deadline. Review the program website for specific requirements and deadlines. All Visiting Students must follow our calendar. For questions, email Scott Campbell at scott.campbell@duke.edu.
The Visiting Medical Student Program benefits both Duke University School of Medicine and visiting students. Applicants must be in good academic standing, receive academic credit from their home school, and be progressing toward a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree at an accredited institution. Eligible international institutions include Duke NUS, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Heidelberg University School of Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, and American University of Beirut. All requests must be approved by the Visiting Student Coordinator, and students must follow the Duke School of Medicine academic calendar.
Duke University School of Medicine requires an approved affiliation agreement with your home institution to allow for participation in the visiting medical student program and is required to be approved prior to application to the visiting medical student program. All requests to establish said agreement must be submitted by an appropriate home school representative only,via email, to Scott Campbell Visiting Student Coordinator, Office of the Registrar, scott.campbell@dm.duke.edu. The request should include the following:
Official Name of Institution / School of Medicine
Location of Institution / School of Medicine
Type of Program (ie: MD, DO, MBBS, etc)
Length of Program
Compelling educational reason to establish agreement
Home Representative and/or Institution contact information
Note: The affiliation agreement is the controlling factor for participation in the visiting medical student program at Duke University School of Medicine. Please check our listing of institutions with existing approved affiliation agreements.
At this time we are unable to accept requests for establishing affiliation agreements with international institutions. In addition, we are currently unable to accept visiting medical student applications for the foreseeable future from students enrolled at international institutions with whom we do have approved agreements. Please note that should this moratorium be lifted, it will be noted as such on this website.
Please note that we are also unable to approve affiliation agreements or accept applications for a student(s) enrolled in a medical school / institution located in any Caribbean nation or other nation as noted on the listing. Please see attached non-inclusive listing.
Duke University School of Medicine uses VSLO, the Visiting Student Application Service, to receive visiting medical student applications for students enrolled at US or Puerto Rico LCME accredited or COCA accredited Osteopathic institutions. To apply, please complete and submit a VSLO application for your preferred electives and dates. VSLO applications must be submitted no later than April 26th (no exceptions). Please note that we do have additional institutional requirements as noted in VSLO. Until all application requirements are met we will not be able to view your application on our side of VSLO. Incomplete applications will be denied via VSLO. For more information on VSLO, please visit 
or contact VSLO at vsas@aamc.org.
In support of our intentional commitment to foster a culture of diversity, excellence and inclusion at Duke University School of Medicine, we offer the Medical Student Visiting Clinical Scholars Program. Medical students interested in applying for the program should review the information regarding clerkship prerequisites and other application requirements, and then follow the instructions to complete all forms. Approval of the VSLO application is a prerequisite for consideration of an application for the Scholars Program. Please note this program is not available to students enrolled at international medical schools.
At this time we are only able to accept applicants from Duke NUS, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Heidelberg University School of Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, and American University of Beirut. We are unable to accept requests for establishing new affiliation agreements with international institutions. In addition, we are currently unable to accept visiting medical student applications for the foreseeable future from students enrolled at international institutions with whom we do have approved agreements, other than those listed above. Please note that should this moratorium be lifted, it will be noted as such on this website.
Please note that all applications and supporting documentation are to be provided electronically to the Visiting Student Coordinator. Applications submitted with missing supplemental/supporting documentation will not be reviewed nor will the applicant be contacted regarding missing requirements.
International Application Requirements
International Application - (PDF)
Mandatory: Student Health Fee and Student Medical Insurance Program information for international visiting medical students.
All approved and scheduled visiting international medical participating with an F1, J1, B1/B2 or WB visa will be assessed the mandatory Student Health Fee (SHF) at the prevailing rate for the semester of enrollment. Please note the fee will be assessed for each 4 week period of enrollment based on the start/end date of the approved elective period. Should these dates not fall on the first and/or last day of the month, the assessed SHF will be for a minimum of 2 months for each 4 week elective.
In addition, all approved and scheduled visiting international medical participating with an F1, J1, B1/B2 or WB visa, participation in the Student Medical Insurance Program is mandatory. The student will be assessed the Student Medical Insurance Program premium (SMIP) at the prevailing rate as set by the insurance provider. Please note the fee will be assessed for each 4 week period of enrollment based on the start/end date of the approved elective period. Should these dates not fall on the first and/or last day of the month, the assessed SMIP premium will be for a minimum of 2 months for each 4 week elective. Fees for SMIP and the Student Health Fee will be posted to your student account via DukeHub.
All applicants who are approved and scheduled for an elective(s) will be required to have all participation requirements completed no later than 15 days prior to the approved elective start date via CastleBranch:
Criminal Background Check
11 Panel Drug Screen
Duke University Mandatory Immunization Requirements**
Current Influenza Immunization
Current BLS (Basic Life Support)
Certification Proof of Health Insurance Coverage
These requirements will also be referenced in the acceptance letter and email provided to approved and scheduled students along with Duke specific information on how to establish your profile with CastleBranch. All costs for these required services via CastleBranch are the responsibility of the approved visiting student. These requirements for participation may only be fulfilled/completed via CastleBranch. MD and DO students will utilize the DU40 document and international students will utilize the DU45 document to establish your profile and fulfill participation requirements.
** International students only utilizing the DU45 documentation will be required to undertake TB testing in the US per institutional requirements. TB questionnaire (page 3 only) should be provided directly to the Duke Student Health Center to confirm compliance or determine need for additional testing.
Elective Availability
Electives/course descriptions may be reviewed by accessing the Fourth Year Electives booklet online. Please review the attached document for electives which are not available to approved visiting medical students. Visiting Medical Students are not eligible to take electives that are less than 4 weeks, 4 credits.
The following courses have been amended after publishing of the elective book:
OBGYN 408C- Offered Summer 43,44 and Fall 41,42
RADIOL 437C - Not Offered Spring 2024/Summer 2024
Neurology - The Neurology Program will not be offering any courses for 2024-2025
Evaluations and Final Grades:
Only the Duke Clinical Evaluation will be completed and provided to the visiting medical student and their home school. Final grades will adhere to the Duke grading scale for 4th year electives as follows:
- H - Honors
- HP - High Pass
- P - Pass
- F - Fail
The Liaison Committee on Education (LCME) requires that grades be submitted to the Office of the Registrar and made available to students within six weeks of the last day of classes. The final grade will be provided to the specified home school individual listed on the VSLO application.
Faculty are required to provide a student performance evaluation either by noting performance criteria, providing narrative comments or a combination of both. There will be no signature on the form(s) as final grades are submitted via a secured electronic grading application. Duke faculty will not be required to complete a home school evaluation if provided by the student or the institution.
Visiting students are required to follow the Duke elective calendar.
Summer 2024
June 24, 2024 - July 19, 2024 (section 43, 3rd 4 week elective period of semester)
July 22, 2024 - August 16, 2024 (section 44, 4th 4 week elective period of semester)
Fall 2024
August 19, 2024 - September 13, 2024 (section 41, 1st 4 week elective period of semester)
September 16, 2024 - October 11, 2024 (section 42, 2nd 4 week elective period of semester)
October 14, 2024 - November 08, 2024 (section 43, 3rd 4 week elective period of semester)
November 11, 2024 - December 06, 2024 (section 44, 4th 4 week elective period of semester)
Spring 2025
February 03, 2025 - February 28, 2025 (section 42, 2nd 4 week elective period of semester)
March 31, 2025 - April 25, 2025 (section 44, 4th 4 week elective period of semester)
Emergency Contact Information
Blood/Body Fluid Exposure Hotline: On Site 115, Off Site 684-8115(e.g. needle sticks)
Policy for Medical Student Exposure to Infectious and Environmental Hazards
All students at the Duke University School of Medicine must complete online and classroom training activities regarding personal safety and environmental exposures. Students must complete the following safety modules yearly.
In addition, students must attend a mandatory safety training session on preventing needle stick injuries and handling sharps in the Introduction to Clinical Skills Course prior to beginning clinical clerkships, and mandatory scrub training prior to going to the OR. Compliance with these requirements is tracked throughout medical school.
If a student experiences a biological or chemical occupational exposure at Duke or while studying away, s/he must call the Duke Employee Occupational Health and Wellness (EOHW) safety hotline (available 24 hours a day) to report the incident and follow the directions given by the EOHW staff member. All initial costs of laboratory tests for properly reported occupational exposures or injuries are covered by the Student Health Center, and any treatment needed post-exposure or for a clinical condition that develops as a result of the exposure or injury, by the student’s health insurance policy. Students who are potentially exposed to a patient with a communicable illness (e.g. meningitis, hepatitis A) are identified by the Infection Prevention Team, offered preventive medication if indicated, and monitored for the development of illness by Student Health. If a student becomes disabled as the result of an occupational exposure or injury, the Duke Medical Student Disability Policy provides coverage. If the student were allowed to be in the clinical setting after the review panel made its decision based on the safety of all involved, but had a disability (e.g. loss of the use of a limb) that could be accommodated, they would apply through the Student Disability Access Office to request appropriate accommodations, and if approved, those would be implemented.
If a student has an infectious disease or is exposed to an infectious disease and must be monitored for a period of time, a review panel is convened that includes an advisory dean, the director or a designee from the SHC, the director of employee/occupational health, an infectious disease expert on the relevant pathogen, and a course director for whose course the student may have restricted activities. If the student has a clinician providing their medical care that the student would like to be involved, that person is also included at the student’s request. The panel may decide that the student should not be in the clinical setting due to risk to self/patients/coworkers, can be in the clinical setting with limited activities (e.g., can only observe in the OR, cannot work with pregnant women, etc.), or can be in the clinical setting without restrictions.
Visiting medical students are subject to the same training requirements and have the same support services available in case of an exposure/injury as any enrolled student, and are required to verify that they have medical insurance while studying at Duke.
Duke Police Department: 684-2444
Emergency from Duke Phone: 911
Severe Weather Policy for School of Medicine
The School of Medicine will handle the cancellation of classes in the following manner:
All School of Medicine students will follow the Provost's decision in regards to cancellation of classes. If classes are canceled, students should not report for any medical school activities (classes, labs, clerkships, clinical assignments, etc.) Course directors, mentors, and faculty are aware of this policy so that individual decisions should not be made.
These decisions can be determined by calling 684-4636 (INFO) or by visiting the School of Medicine, Office of the Registrar’s website, registrar.mc.duke.edu, and the DukeAlert site, http://emergency.duke.edu.
Please note that 684-INFO and http://emergency.duke.edu are considered the official communication for inclement weather announcements.
Internship Interviews
It is the recommendation of the School of Medicine that a student miss no more than three days in any four week course/clerkship/elective. It is, however, at the discretion of the course instructor to determine the number of allowable days a student can miss for the purpose of interviewing. The student must give the instructor of the effected course sufficient notice of his or her intention to be away for an interview so that a mutual determination can be made as to the best time to be absent. This ensures that the learning experience in that course is in no way jeopardized. Students must confer with the instructor to complete missed time and work in a timely manner. Students must complete missed time within the same semester that they were enrolled in the course in which they are making up time.
Shadow or Observer Experiences
Duke University School of Medicine does not have an established program which permits periods of shadowing and/or observership for medical students or medical graduates. Experiences such as or similar to shadowing and/or observership for a medical student or medical graduate may be possible, but would be approved and coordinated through a specific department (ie: Pediatrics, Medicine, etc). You may wish to contact the department in which you have interest to inquire of such opportunities. You will find contact information for departments on the Academic Departments, Centers, and Institutes page.
Communication
Email is the official mode of communication for the visiting medical student program. Notification of application acceptance and/or denial will be provided via email. Official acceptance letter and supporting documentation will be provided via email notification to all approved and scheduled students. Failure of approved visiting medical students to provide requirements by stated deadlines stipulated in the letter of acceptance and/or email acceptance notification will be withdrawn from the scheduled elective(s) and the visiting medical student program.
Application approval does not assure that elective scheduling will be confirmed, nor does it assure that you will be placed in your preferred elective(s) as all scheduling is contingent on space availability. Elective scheduling for approved visiting medical students will take place only after registration for the same elective period(s) has been completed for Duke medical students. Registration periods are subject to change and as such, may result in a delay of scheduling for approved visiting medical students. Applicants should direct questions to the Visiting Student Coordinator.
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions regarding the visiting medical student program.
Duke Technical Standards: Approved and scheduled visiting medical students are expected meet Duke Technical Standards as outlined in the Duke University School of Medicine Bulletin.
Visiting medical students are expected to adhere to the same rules, guidelines and Professional Code of Conduct as Duke University School of Medicine degree candidates.
Duke University prohibits discrimination and harassment and provides equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex or age. Duke’s non-discrimination and harassment policies can be found at https://web.duke.edu/equity/harassment.html
off-campus housing website: https://offcampushousing.duke.edu/
DukeList: www.dukelist.duke.edu
RotatingRoom: www.rotatingroom.com
Information on the visiting Physician Assistant Program may be found on the website of the Duke Physician Assistant Program
Visiting Student Coordinator
Scott Campbell, Office of the Registrar
Room 0386, 3rd Floor Seeley G Mudd Building
8 Searle Center Drive
Box 3878 DUMC
Durham NC 27710
Tel (919) 684-8042
Main Office (919) 684-2304
Fax (919) 684-4322
scott.campbell@dm.duke.edu
The goal of Duke University SOM is to educate health profession students in an environment that provides mutual respect between student and teacher, psychological safety, and learner support, while maintaining the highest standard of professionalism to allow the delivery of patient centered care and research. We are committed to creating and maintaining a positive learning environment for all learners that is respectful and appropriately attentive to their learning needs and free from retaliation by teachers, peers and any SOM/health care professionals and staff that could be interpreted by learners as mistreatment. Please use the following link to report any mistreatment Learning Environment and Well-Being.