Subsidized Visiting Elective Program

The Subsidized Visiting Elective Program (SVEP) provides financial assistance and support for under-represented minority medical students to gain clinical exposure within any of our departments in the form of a month-long elective at Boston Medical Center, affiliate hospital of Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

Students that are accepted into the SVEP will be reimbursed up to $2,500 for travel, housing, and VSLO registration fee. In addition, students will meet URM faculty, residents, and/or fellows.

Who Qualifies

  • Currently enrolled full-time third year medical students applying to senior electives
  • Students with good academic standing at an LCME accredited U.S. institution
  • Individuals belonging to a group considered under-represented in medicine (Black/African-American, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American, and Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian)
  • U.S. citizens or permanent residents

How to Apply

This process requires two separate applications, the Subsidized Visiting Elective Application which awards the financial support, and the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSAS/VSLO) which allows students to register for an elective at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

Step 1

A completed subsidized elective application consists of the following:

Applications are due June 16. Please email your resume/cv and SVEP application directly to Shawnda Walker, Manager Office of Minority Physician Recruitment, at Shawnda.Walker@bmc.org or mail it to:

Shawnda Walker, URiM Program Manager
GME/Office of Minority Physician Recruitment
960 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA, 02119

All official transcripts must be mailed to the above address or sent electronically directly from the registrar’s office

Step 2

Each SVEP applicant will be notified by email about the status of their application on or before June 30. Students accepted into SVEP will need to log in to VSLO (Visiting Student Learning Opportunity Program). All VSLO applications are managed by the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Registrar's Office.

For questions about your VSLO application and rotation details, contact the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Registrar’s Office directly.

Step 3

Students are responsible for obtaining rotation details from their rotating program.

Step 4

It is required of all visiting students to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. Proof of vaccination can be sent to BMC employee health (Working Well) by emailing working.wellclinic@bmc.org prior to your arrival.