Student Programs

Advanced Clinical Rotations, ACRs, (previously known as sub-internships), involves working with multiple world-renowned faculty members, offering exposure to the full breadth of our program and our residents. During the advanced clinical rotation, students will take on a role similar to that of an intern, attending (with house staff) all core curriculum conferences, morbidity and mortality conferences, rotation-based clinical case conferences and simulation lab experiences.

Prerequisites

To be eligible for the program, candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Enrolled in the final year of medical school and in good academic standing at an LCME-accredited institution
• All required core clerkships are complete

Students will be accepted into clinical rotations only if space is available during the preferred time period. All students must meet requirements set forth by the Washington University School of Medicine for all visiting students. The Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery independently pre-screens all applicants for this ACR.

Before applying to VSLO, students must submit the following documents to the program coordinator, Maddie Hodous:

• Curriculum vitae
•  Letter of interest (500-word limit) stating why you are applying for a visiting medical student rotation with our program, and whether or not you are interested in being considered for the Washington University Plastic Surgery Integrated Residency Program and/or the Diversity Advanced Clinical Rotation Program
• Rotation dates that you would prefer, indicating preference order (i.e., 1st choice, 2nd choice, etc.)
• A recent, unofficial medical school transcript
• USMLE or COMLEX Score Report

Once pre-screening materials have been received, they will be reviewed by the division and applicants will be informed of their acceptance within two weeks from submission. Once an applicant has been approved, they will need then to apply online through VSLO, where they will be verified by the medical student office. Questions regarding the Plastic Surgery ACR may be directed to Maddie Hodous.

VSLO applications submitted for the Plastic Surgery Advanced Clinical Rotation without prior division approval will be denied.

Washington University School of Medicine will open applications to medical students via the AAMC Visiting Student Application Service (VSLO) site for the 2024-25 academic year on February 12, 2024.

Applications must be received at least 6 weeks prior to the start of the rotation date.

Minority students applying for the advanced clinical rotation are encouraged to also apply to participate in the Diversity Advanced Clinical Rotation Program.

Diversity Advanced Clinical Rotation Program

Our Diversity Advanced Clinical Rotation Program was created to provide opportunities for minority students in places where diversity historically has been lacking, particularly within the field of medicine. This program represents a continuum of the academic pipeline efforts to support students from a variety of backgrounds and prepare them for their futures.

To help foster equitable minority student experiences in academic surgery, we encourage minority students applying to the Advanced Clinical Rotation Program to also apply for additional financial support. Through the Diversity Advanced Clinical Rotation Program, we are able to award some minority ACR with $2,000 to help offset the cost of travel, housing, fees and incidental expenses.

Who Should Apply for the Diversity Advanced Clinical Rotation Program?

The program is open to minority applicants who belong to groups that traditionally have been disadvantaged, underrepresented, or inadequately supported in medical training. 

We seek applications from racial minorities historically underrepresented in the health profession, including African American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Hispanic American and Pacific Islander students. We also seek applications from sexual and gender minorities, including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/gender nonconforming, queer/questioning or intersex. Finally, we seek applications from students whose pathways to medical training include substantial personal or financial adversity. The criteria under which the application is submitted need not be explicitly stated nor do these represent mutually exclusive categories. 

The Advanced Clinical Rotation is four weeks in duration and is offered from July through October.

All application materials must be submitted to Maddie Hodous by April 15, 2024. Decisions will be made by the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery by May 6, 2024.