University of California San Francisco
UCSF School of Medicine UCSF Medical Center

Away Rotation Instructions

Away Rotations - Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) Program: 2026 - 2027

As you head into your 4th year, you will be given an opportunity do an Away Rotation through AAMC's Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) Program. You will receive an email invite to use the AAMC VSLO which will give you instructions for creating an account. After creating and updating your account, you will be able to log in to the website and start using the service to apply for away rotations. Please use the instructions below on how to apply to an away rotation. If you need an invite sent to you, please contact Valerie Jones. 

Updated: 1/23/26

Instructions on Applying to an Away Rotation

During the 4th year of your medical education, you will be given the opportunity to take a short-term elective course/clerkship at institutions around the United States and internationally to enhance your medical education. Please follow the steps below to apply for an Away Rotation.

1. Submit your Away Rotation Application to the Institution
  • AAMC VSLO Portal: A majority of medical schools including UCSF use the AAMC Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) portal. When eligible, you will receive an invitation to start your own account and can search then apply for elective courses and clerkships. More information for students can be found here. The general steps will be as follows:
    1. Setup your account in the VSLO portal
    2. Submit applications and supporting materials
    3. Submit an Extramural Application found at the Academic Forms website for each institution you are apply to. 
    4. Verification of your medical education information by the Home School. Once your application has been submitted, it will be sent to the UCSF SOM first and not the institution. At this point we will verify your information, upload your transcript, and provide any other requested information.
    5. Release of your application by the home school to the institution. Please note that the application cannot be released to the institution until we have received your fully signed and executed Extramural Application form. If you have any questions about the verification process, please contact Valerie Jones.
  • Outside of the AAMC VSLO Portal: Some institutions such as do not use the AAMC VSLO portal to process applications and you will have to apply to their school using their specific forms and procedures.
    1. Submit your application using the school's own application process
    2. Submit an Extramural Application found at the Academic Forms website for each institution you are apply to.
    3. Verification: Most institutions require a school seal on their forms, send these forms in PDF to Cassie Pitkin for signature and seal OR drop off the hard copy at the MSC (S-245).

Please note: If you are applying to an international elective please refer below to Part 4: Contact Global Health Advisor Michael Lipnick, MD for Approval BEFORE applying.

2. Submit an Extramural Course or Clerkship Application Form

MANDATORY:

  • Submit an Extramural Course or Clerkship Application Form: As soon as you submit an application for an away rotation, you are required to submit a Extramural Course or Clerkship Application form to the UCSF SOM. This must be submitted as soon as you apply to an away rotation or your Away Rotation may be declined. Please note the following:
    • An Extramural application will need to be submitted for each institution you apply to. It is one form per institute. (You can list multiple electives on one form)
    • We will not release your application in the VSLO portal until you have submitted your Extramural Application Form and without it you will not be approved for an Away Rotation.

Mandatory Extramural Course or Clerkship Application Form

3. Confirm Training Affiliation between the Institution and UCSF
  • As soon as you submit an application for an away rotation, check to see if the institution is listed in the Training Affiliation Agreement Report. If there is not a current affiliation agreement, please contact Valerie Jones to set up one with the institute. Your away rotation may be declined by the institute you are applying to if there is not a current affiliation agreement in place.
  • Please note that for international rotations, Global Health Advisor Michael Lipnick, MD must approve the experience before the TAA can be addressed.

4. International Clerkships ONLY - Contact Dr. Michael Lipnick for Approval
  • If you are interested in doing an international clerkship, please contact Global Health Advisor Michael Lipnick, MD in order to review the international programs with whom we have pending TAAs, and to discuss previous student experiences at various programs.
  • Dr. LIpnick will need to sign off on the Application for Extramural Course or Clerkship form if you are doing an international rotation.

5. Confirm Away Rotation with the Clinical Enrollment Specialist
  • MANDATORY: As soon as you have accepted by an institution for a course or clerkship, please contact the Clinical Enrollment Specialist, Wenia Lee to confirm the rotation in your schedule.

6. Evaluations
  • To receive an evaluation for your away rotation, you must provide your off-site faculty supervisor's name and email address. You will receive an email from Will Stevens ([email protected]) requesting this information.
  • An evaluation link will be sent via MedHub to your off-site evaluator to complete. If you have questions, please email Student Assessment. 

Documents & Information

Below are some of documents and information that may be required for you to submit with your application. If there is something not listed below, please contact Valerie Jones for support.

INFORMATION WHERE TO FIND IT
ACLS/BLS

The UCSF Kanbar Center offers ACLS and BLS courses to all UCSF students, house staff, and faculty. If UCSF Kanbar Center courses do not align with your schedule, consider courses offered at www.bayareacpr.org.

Certificates/proof of attendance can be sent to Valerie Jones to be uploaded in the VSLO portal. 
Background Check

UCSF Admission completed a background check on each student during your admission.You can request a Letter of Good Standing as confirmation it was completed.

If the away rotation application requires a current (within 2 years) background check, you will need to pay out of pocket for one. Currently we are referring students to the AAMC Resource Page for obtaining a background check.
Evaluation Form

Some applications request using the UCSF evaluation form for your assessment. Please download the the Evaluation Form here to upload to the VSLO Portal.

On completion of your away rotation, your assessment can be sent to the email address [email protected]. 
HIPAA Students signed a HIPAA form during your Launch Week on-boarding.You can request a Letter of Good Standing as confirmation it was completed.
Letter of Good Standing Often institutes request proof that you are in good standing at UCSF. You can request a Letter of Good Standing to upload into the VSLO portal. If you need specific information added, please contact Valerie Jones. 
Letter of Recommendation

Please send all Letters of Recommendations to Valerie Jones and she will upload the letter to the VSLO portal where you can add it to your application.
Liability/Malpractice Proof of Coverage Most institutions will accept a Letter of Good Standing from UCSF for liability/malpractice coverage verification which you can request from the Academic Forms website. If a Certificate of Insurance (COI) is required, contact Clinical Advisor, Cassie Pitkin.
Mask Fit

If you require confirmation of a Mask Fit, it can be added to the Letter of Good Standing and the institute will often accept it as confirmation. If they are requesting a copy of your paperwork from the EHS Department please email [email protected].

It is required you attend a mask fit yearly, if you are not current, please visit the EHS Respiratory Protection program website to make your appointment.
OSHA You can go to the Learning & Organization Development page then select UC Learning Center where you will be prompted to login. In the search area enter "Bloodborne Pathogens" which will give you the options for the ECourse.
Supplemental Forms If the institute requires any supplemental forms that need to be filled out and/or signed by an official at UCSF, please contact Cassie Pitkin. 
Transcript After you have completed all other parts of the application, you will have the ability to “submit” your application to us (your school) for review. At that point we will review all the information, verify it, and upload a copy of your transcript for you. If you need a transcript for an application outside of the VSLO portal, you can receive them from Registrar office – Ordering transcripts. 

 

Other FAQs

What if the rotation does not match my clerkship blocks?
It is common that other institutes do not match our own schedule. For example, UCLA’s rotations are in 3-week blocks. Students may request an extra week at UCLA for a 4-week rotation or enroll in a 3-week rotation. Students may contact Clinical Enrollment Specialist Wenia Lee to request single week Deep Explore or Vacation enrollment to fill gaps created by away rotations. Please contact your Clinical advisor Cassie Pitkin for support.

When will my application be released to the institute?
Your application must be submitted to us for review before they are released to the institute. At that point we will verify information, upload any documents required by the school, and confirm that you have submitted your Extramural Application. You application will not be released until we have received your approved Extramural Application so be sure to submit that as soon as possible so you won’t miss any deadlines.

Can I use credits from away rotations to meet graduation requirements?
Away rotation credits can be used to satisfy Elective Skills requirement.

Is there a limit on scheduling away rotations?
Maximum two away rotations can be scheduled per quarter. Most students will not be able to fit more than three away rotations on their schedules due to other curriculum requirements and timing of residency application. Students may get either 2 or 4 weeks of credit per institution. Contact Clinical Advisor Cassie Pitkin to review your schedule if needed.

Are Away Rotations eligible for Honors?
All away rotations count toward Elective Skills credit only and are NOT eligible for honors.

Who do I contact for more information?
Scheduling advice:  Clinical advisor Cassie Pitkin
Enrollment support: Clinical Enrollment Specialist Wenia Lee
VSLO portal support: Visiting Student Manager Valerie Jones 
AAMC VSLO Resource page