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Students from International Medical Schools

The Office of Global Health Programs can help to facilitate your experience at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (SOM). If you are interested in a clinical rotation, this experience is limited to students from a small number of international medical schools that have affiliation agreements with the SOM.

Eligibility for Clinical Rotations

If you are a medical student from an international medical school seeking a clinical rotation at Penn, we can only consider your request if your home institution has an affiliation agreement with Penn.   There are limited openings and you must be selected by your medical school.  The person/office you should contact for further information is noted below:

Clinical Rotations Available to Eligible Students

Penn makes an effort to provide the greatest possible variety of clinical rotations to our visiting international medical students. Rotations typically available, though not guaranteed, are listed on the application form.  Please note that if a course is not listed, it is not available.  You have six rotation months to select from each year (see below). Please note that each one has a specific start and end date and that these dates cannot be modified for individual students.   Please note that for greatest consideration, your application should be submitted at least four months before the start date of the rotation that interests you.

ROTATION DATES
Spring 2009 Summer 2009 Fall 2009
March 2 - March 29 July 6 - August 2 October 26 - November 22
March 30 - April 26 August 3 - August 30 November 23 - December 20
Spring 2010 Summer 2010 Fall 2010
March 1 - March 28 July 6 - August 1 October 25 - November 21
March 29 - April 25 August 2 - August 29 November 22 - December 17

 

Clinical Electives Application Form & HIPAA

If you meet the eligibility requirements outlined above and wish to be considered for clinical rotations, you should complete the application process (described in steps 1-3 below) as early as possible (four months before rotation start date is advised) to ensure that there is time to address insufficient or incomplete sections.  Please follow steps 1-4 below to apply:


N.B. Confirmation of your acceptance for any given elective will not be available earlier than the beginning of each season:

December 31 (for March & April electives), April 30 (for July & August electives), and August 31 (for November & December electives) 

  Application Steps

  1. Read the University of Pennsylvania Health System Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) training document in Adobe Acrobat
  2. Open HIPAA Assessment document in Microsoft Word.  Type in your name, medical school, and date.  Answer the seven questions and save the document as "your name HIPAA."  Please send the completed document as an email attachment to globhlth@mail.med.upenn.edu. 
  3. Official TOEFL scores are required for all students from medical schools where English is not the language of instruction.  Minimum acceptable TOEFL scores are 250 (for computer-based test) and 600 (for paper-based test).  For TOEFL® iBT, minimum scores are:  24 (Speaking) + 24 (Listening) + 20 (Reading) + 20 Writing.
  4. Click on Clinical Elective Application Form below.  Please read all instructions carefully, complete on the computer, print and sign, attach the required documents, and ensure that all required elements are mailed directly to Global Health Programs by an official from the home medical school, preferably four months before the preferred rotation start date.

Research Opportunities for Medical Students:  Application Form & HIPAA

If you are interested in a research opportunity through the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, please open and complete the application below.  Placement is not guaranteed.  You must be self-funded to participate.  The minimum placement with a mentor is for two months.  However, if you are interested in spending four to six months, the likelihood of finding a placement increases significantly.  To proceed, click on Research Application Form below.  Please read all instructions carefully, complete online, print and sign, attach the required documents, and ensure that all required elements are mailed directly to Global Health Programs by an official from the home medical school, preferably at least six months before your planned arrival at Penn.  In addition, complete the HIPAA Assessment as instructed below.

Preparing for Travel

Housing at Penn

Housing is available on a limited basis so students are encouraged to allow ample time (at least three months in advance of arrival in Philadelphia) to make arrangements for housing.

On the Penn Off-Campus Services website you can explore various temporary housing options.  International House is selected by many of our visiting students.  You could also choose the Right at Home Homestay program which allows students to experience American culture in the safety and comfort of a family home.  Special arrangements for our students are described in this Word document.  You may find additional possibilities on the University City District Website. 

Students having trouble making arrangements through the contacts at the above websites are welcome to contact Global Health Programs for assistance.

Visa Information

We are advised by the Office of International Programs (OIP) at the University of Pennsylvania, that medical students pursuing a medical degree at a foreign institution, who are coming to engage in a required clerkship (unpaid) may enter the US with a B-1 (visitors for business) category or, if citizens of participating countries, a visa waiver. Details on participating countries and how to apply for the visa waiver are found on the US Department of State website.  The use of the B-1 or the visa waiver program for this purpose is limited to medical students, and does not extend to alien physicians who have already completed medical school. 

For further information regarding visas, please contact OIP. 

What to Pack

On clinical rotations, you will be expected to dress professionally -- dress slacks with shirt and tie for men.  Men and women need short (28-30") white lab jackets/consultation coats.  If you have to purchase this or other supplies in Philadelphia, Dolbey's Medical Bookstore is conveniently located at 3724 Spruce Street.  Shorts or jeans are not acceptable for clinical rotations. 

Welcome to Philadelphia

Peer Hosts

Once you have been accepted for a clinical or research experience at Penn, please contact Global Health Programs to request a Peer Host.  As Peer Hosts, Penn medical students welcome you and help you get oriented to Philadelphia, the Penn campus, and the School of Medicine.

Transportation from Airports

Regardless of the airport or the ground transportation route you select, please ask airport ground transportation/information staff for assistance in obtaining approved transportation services and in confirming the fee for the services. 

The University of Pennsylvania and International House are located in the "University City" section of Philadelphia.  Therefore, you can take a taxi for the flat rate (not using the meter) described on the Philadelphia International Airport website. 

Limousine service to Philadelphia is probably the most convenient and affordable way to travel.  As of July 2006, a typical fee was $60 through Dave's Best.  You can contact them in advance of travel for up-to-date quotes and reservations.  Additional information is available on the JFK Airport website (scroll down to Pennsylvania).

 

The City of Philadelphia

Philadelphia is one of the most historic cities in the United States, where the Declaration of Independence was written and the Constitution was drafted. It served as the original capital of the country until the city of Washington was built. Currently, Philadelphia is a vibrant city of 1.5 million population in a metropolitan area of about 5 million. It has outstanding cultural institutions, including world class museums and a renowned orchestra. Center city is readily accessible, 1-2 miles east of the Penn campus.  See useful links below:

 

The University of Pennsylvania

At the University of Pennsylvania, you'll find a historic, Ivy League school with highly selective admissions and a history of innovation in interdisciplinary education and scholarship. You'll also find a picturesque campus amidst a dynamic city and a world-class research institution.   There are a number of services you will be able to access but you must first obtain a PennCard.  To do this, contact Global Health Programs to schedule an appointment upon your arrival in Philadelphia. 

Please see information below that may be useful to you during your stay.

To learn more, visit the Penn website.

The School of Medicine

The School of Medicine is among the top five medical schools in the United States (among about 125 schools), based on its faculty, its educational reputation, the quality of its medical students, its research grants, its health system, and its position as the first medical school in the United States, founded in 1765. With a newly renovated medical campus and its five affiliated hospitals, Penn has a vibrant program of patient care, clinical research, and basic science investigation.  To learn more, visit the Penn Medicine website.

 

 

Last updated:  November 12, 2009

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Penn School of Medicine International Programs Office