International Medical Students: Rotations In California?

International medical students seeking clinical rotations in California should be aware of the state's specific regulations and requirements. While most states allow medical students to complete clinical rotations without special requirements, California has certain limitations for international students. According to Title 16 of the California Code Regulations (CCR), JCAHO-accredited medical programs can accept International Medical Students (IMS) under specific conditions, such as a one-to-one physician-to-student ratio and a maximum rotation duration of 12 weeks. Additionally, some institutions in California, like Kaiser Permanente Southern California, do not offer observerships or international medical student rotations. However, other institutions, such as the University of California and Yale University, provide observership programs and clinical elective rotations for international students, respectively. These programs offer valuable opportunities for international students to gain clinical experience, receive mentorship, and enhance their understanding of patient care in the United States.

Observership programs for international medical students in California

Observership programs are available for international medical students in California, with the University of California and UCLA Health offering programs. These programs are designed to help international medical graduates adapt to the practice of medicine in the United States.

University of California

The University of California offers observership programs at UC Davis and UC San Diego. The UC Davis Health observership program is for currently practising clinicians and is not suitable for students or recent graduates. The program typically lasts one to six months, depending on the visitor and the hosting department. Observers will not physically engage with patients or advise on cases, but will shadow professional staff. The program focuses on clinical training, but some visitors may also work on research projects.

The UC San Diego program is for international medical graduates and is held in the clinical settings of the UC San Diego Healthcare System. The experience varies from discipline to discipline but may include inpatient and outpatient settings, didactic lectures, journal clubs, and clinical teaching sessions. The program lasts a minimum of two months and a maximum of six months.

UCLA Health

The UCLA Health International Physician Observership Program is an informal observational experience that enables participants to observe different clinical team members from the host department. The program typically lasts one to three months, with longer periods requiring approval from the host department. Observers will shadow UCLA Health physicians in outpatient and inpatient clinical settings and can attend department meetings, patient rounds, and grand round lectures. Observers will not directly participate in patient care or advise on any cases.

Other Requirements

For both programs, applicants must have graduated from medical school and completed their medical degree. English proficiency is required for UCLA Health. A visa is also required, with UCLA Health requiring a B-1 (Temporary Business Visitor) visa. The University of California program requires a J-1 visa. Applicants are responsible for all costs associated with their application and must pay program fees.

Requirements for international students to complete rotations in California

International medical students can complete rotations in California through observership programs and clinical elective rotations. Here are the requirements for each:

Observership Programs

The American Medical Association (AMA) offers observership programs for international medical students and graduates in California and several other states. To be eligible, you must:

• Be a graduating medical student or a recent medical graduate.
• Have completed USMLE Step 1 (United States Medical Licensing Examination).
• Have a current visa or valid U.S. entry status.
• Submit a CV, personal statement, and a copy of your medical school transcript.
• Provide proof of required vaccinations.

Clinical Elective Rotations

International students can apply for clinical elective rotations through the AAMC Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) program. Yale University, for example, offers international students the opportunity to enroll in up to three four-week clinical elective rotations. To be eligible, students must:

• Be in good standing at an international medical school.
• Have completed all core clinical clerkships before beginning the elective program.
• Be proficient in the English language.
• Be in their final year of medical studies or have completed their core clerkships.
• Submit all required documentation before the 120-day deadline.

It is important to note that not all electives listed in the VSLO program accept international students, so be sure to review the descriptions carefully before applying. Additionally, the tuition fees for international students at Yale University for the 2025-2026 academic year range from $4,635 USD for four weeks to $13,905 USD for twelve weeks.

While Kaiser Permanente Southern California does not offer observerships or international medical student rotations, international students can apply for a rotation through the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA international visiting student website. However, students must meet the UCLA eligibility requirements.

Clinical electives for international students in California

Clinical electives are a great way for international medical students to gain experience in the United States healthcare system and to explore different specialties. While some states have restrictions or bans on international medical students completing rotations within their state, California does allow international medical students to participate in electives under certain conditions.

Firstly, it is important to note that the availability of electives for international students in California may vary depending on local politics at the time. Additionally, each state has its own regulations and rules regarding non-resident student authorizations, so it is essential to research and understand the specific requirements for California.

One of the key regulations in California is that the ratio of physician to student must be one-to-one for international medical students, and rotations are limited to a duration of 12 weeks. This significantly limits the number of students who can rotate within the state.

There are several options for international medical students interested in completing clinical electives in California. One option is the University of California, which offers observership programs for international medical students and graduates. These programs provide insight into patient clinical care in the United States and allow students to observe and learn history-taking and clinical care standards.

Another option is the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, which offers international visiting student electives at UCLA-affiliated Kaiser Permanente locations in Los Angeles and Woodland Hills. Students must meet the UCLA eligibility requirements to be considered for these electives.

Additionally, the American Medical Association (AMA) offers observership programs in California and other states. These programs are designed for medical students and graduates, with rotations supervised by board-certified physicians affiliated with hospitals that have residency programs.

It is important to note that application processes and requirements may vary for each institution and program. International medical students should carefully review the eligibility criteria, application instructions, and documentation requirements before submitting their applications. Some common requirements include being in good academic standing, proficiency in the English language, and completion of core clerkships.

Clerkships and electives at Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers, Southern California

Kaiser Permanente Southern California is not structured to offer observerships or international medical student rotations. However, the Kaiser Permanente GME program offers a wide variety of clerkships and electives at many of its medical centres. The rotations available vary at each participating medical centre. Most of the rotations only accept applications via the AAMC Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO).

International students can apply for a rotation through the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA's international visiting student website. Rotations are only offered at UCLA-affiliated Kaiser Permanente locations, which include Los Angeles and Woodland Hills, and students must meet UCLA eligibility requirements for international visiting medical students.

The Kaiser Permanente Bay Area Clerkship Program includes a one-year core clerkship program for third-year medical students (MS3) and elective rotations for fourth-year medical students (MS4). Third-year medical students spend one year of core clinical rotations in Ambulatory Medicine, Inpatient Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Surgery. This is an integrated program where students rotate across Kaiser Permanente Greater Southern Alameda Area (GSAA) and Kaiser Permanents Diablo Service Area (DSA) Medical Centers.

The Oliver Goldsmith, MD Scholarship for the Promotion and Advancement of Culturally Responsive Care honours second- or third-year medical/osteopathic students who have demonstrated a commitment to the advancement of culturally responsive care (CRC) through community service, clinical volunteering, or research. Each awardee will receive a $5,000 toward their education, participate in a mentoring program with a KP clinician, and complete a four-to-six-week clinical rotation at a KP facility.

UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California—a rotation option for international students

The UC Davis School of Medicine welcomes eligible fourth-year visiting medical students to participate in its fourth-year electives, as space permits. The school does not accept visiting students for any required core clerkships in the medical school curriculum and does not accept international students for clinical experiences. However, the UC Davis Division of Pain Medicine accepts one medical student per month for a 4-week rotation. Students are expected to have completed basic internal medicine and surgery rotations and are accepted as space allows. Extended rotations can be accommodated on a case-by-case basis.

During the 4-week rotation, students are required to attend all daily didactic teaching sessions and participate in the outpatient and inpatient chronic pain service. Typically, students spend three weeks in the outpatient clinic, seeing new and follow-up patients and interventional procedures, and one week on the inpatient service, seeing consults. The 4-week rotation is flexible and can be varied to suit the needs of each student. Students will be expected to participate in all aspects of the service, maintaining high standards and integrity as a primary member of the Division of Pain Medicine.

The UC Davis Division of Pain Medicine is located at 3301 C Street, Suite 1500, Sacramento, CA 95816. The division offers a range of resources for students, including books on pain medicine and related topics.

In addition to UC Davis, there are other opportunities for international medical students to complete rotations in California. The American Medical Association offers observership programs for international medical graduates and students interested in becoming physicians in the US. These programs are available in multiple locations, including California, and provide clinical rotations, externships, and observerships in various medical specialties.

Another option for international medical students is the Visiting International Student Elective Program at Yale. This program offers clinical elective rotations in various medical sub-specialties. However, it is important to note that Yale does not provide core clerkships to visiting students, only electives, and these electives do not satisfy the requirements for core clerkships. The tuition for international medical students for a four-week clinical elective for the 2025-2026 academic year is $4,635 USD.

International medical students can also explore opportunities at Kaiser Permanente Southern California. While they do not offer observerships or international medical student rotations, they provide scholarships and mentoring programs for students committed to the advancement of culturally responsive care.

Frequently asked questions