Visiting Students

The Department of Dermatology offers two visiting student programs: Dermatology Visiting Student Diversity Scholarship and General Visiting Students. 

Students will rotate at one or a combination of our five teaching hospitals/clinics: UW Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Roosevelt Clinic and the Puget Sound VA. We do solicit site preferences at least six weeks in advance.

General Visiting Students Overview

We love to meet students from other institutions, as you bring a different perspective and experience to our clinic and hospitals.  Unless your medical school does not have a dermatology program, we recommend doing no more than 1-2 away rotations in Dermatology for the following reasons:

• Away rotations are very expensive for students. The expectation that applicants must have done several away rotations disadvantages some students and makes the process less equitable and unnecessarily stressful for applicants.
• Our current climate crisis requires that we stop encouraging cross-country flights solely to bolster applications.
• We value students that have a passion for dermatology, but even more so those who have gained a broad exposure to other fields of medicine that will serve them well throughout their career.  These other non-derm electives make you a better physician in the long term.

Commitment to Holistic Application Reviews

In order to select the best applicants for the University of Washington Dermatology rotation and to improve equity in Dermatology please know:

• Students do not need to rotate at UW to be considered for a residency position later, nor do we guarantee interviews to those who do rotate here. 
• We do not have a minimum Step 1 or 2 board score to consider you for our program. 
• We review EVERY application we get for residency in its entirety.  We do not reject any applications based upon any screening criteria. 

TO APPLY

Complete the VSLO application and upload all supplemental materials to VSLO. No action will be taken on an application until it is complete and fully approved by the UWSOM Visiting Student Office. Applications must be received and approved at least 6 weeks prior to the start of the requested clerkship date. 

If space is available, students will be matched to open elective rotations and notified via VSLO no later than 6 weeks prior to the beginning of the elective.

Students using VSLO to apply should upload their home institution evaluation form. If it is an electronic evaluation, note this on our medicine supplemental application form.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2024 - 2025

• Winter 2024: Applicants prepare supplemental and/or DURM applications, obtain transcripts, proof of immunization, etc. 2024-25 Dermatology Visiting Student Diversity Scholarship Application is posted on University of Washington website for completion ahead of VSLO opening. 
• February 1, 2024: University of Washington VSLO becomes visible to students 
• March 1, 2024: Prospective visiting students may begin submitting applications to University of Washington Dermatology within VSLO. 
• March 15, 2024: Deadline for University of Washington Dermatology Visiting Student Diversity Scholarship and general visiting student applications 
• March 30, 2024: University of Washington selection panel completes review of general and Dermatology Visiting Student Diversity Scholarship 
• Early April 2024: University of Washington Dermatology Department notifies 2023-24 Dermatology Visiting Student Diversity Scholarship winners and general visiting students 
• Mid-April, 2024: University of Washington Visiting Student Office permits VSLO scheduling for candidates who have completed application requirements and are marked as eligible. 
• June – October, 2024: Rotation window for scheduled visiting students at the University of Washington Department of Dermatology. This includes the following timeframes: 06/24/24 - 07/19/24; 07/22/24 - 08/16/24; 08/19/24 - 09/13/24; 09/16/24 - 10/11/24; 10/14/24 - 11/08/24   

Note: The University of Washington Department of Dermatology invites a maximum of eight visiting students annually, to include two DURM Scholars and six general visiting medical students. We limit scheduling to two visiting students per timeframe.

Block Calendar

All Medicine rotations are four (4) weeks in length. You must start at the beginning of the block and finish at the end of the block and your clerkship dates must correspond with UW's Clinical Elective Schedule. 

*Please Note: We accept two medical students per timeframe.

Medicine Elective Clerkships

• Fourth year medical student standing, and completion of 8 weeks internal medicine rotation(s).
• If you have not uploaded our Medicine Supplemental Application Form, you will not be considered for an elective.
• We require all students to have a recent transcript uploaded to VSLO.
• If you do not have a transcript uploaded you will not be considered for an elective.

Cancellations

You must withdraw at least 6 weeks before your starting date. Fees are non-refundable. All cancelations and changes must be made in writing to the department contact listed above.

Absence Policy

Please note our absence policy. Each elective has standard days off (weekends off for MEDECK 604 electives). Additional days off are generally not allowed. Please do not schedule an elective during a time when you are expecting to do residency interviews. One day off for a local interview may be granted with at least two weeks of advanced notice at the discretion of the clerkship director.

MEDECK 604 – Clinical Dermatology

Open ONLY to students applying for a residency in Dermatology. Participation in dermatology clinics and inpatient consultations at the in University of Washington Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Roosevelt Clinic, and the Seattle VA Medical Center. Grand Rounds, Journal Club and other didactics are held each week with entire staff in addition to a continuing series of teaching seminars and weekly dermatopathology conferences. View full MEDECK 604 Curriculum.