Visiting Elective Scholars Program (VESP)
The Visiting Elective Scholars Program (VESP) in Psychiatry was established by the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences with generous annual support from the UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital Board of Advisors. This program was created for fourth-year medical students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine and/or with career interests in health equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and/or public service. For selected students, the program will give them the opportunity to do a clinical elective (psychiatry sub-internship) on an inpatient unit at the UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital, which was ranked in the top ten psychiatric hospitals in U.S. News and World Report.
The scholars program provides a transportation, housing, and food stipend of up to $2,500 and is designed to:
- Provide trainees with excellent clinical training opportunities at the Stewart and Lynda Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA
- Promote student interest in applying to the Psychiatry Residency Training Program at UCLA
- Provide scholars with mentorship from faculty and house staff during the clinical elective experience.
- Invite opportunities to participate in health equity, diversity, and inclusion-related events sponsored by the Residency Committee on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (https://diversity.semel.ucla.edu)
For 2024, VESP psychiatry sub-internships will be three weeks in length between the months of July to October and will take place on one of the adult psychiatry inpatient units in the UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital. VESP students will be assigned a resident mentor and will have the opportunity to network on an interdisciplinary team with UCLA faculty, residents, and students. The deadline for applications is April 1, 2024.
- Fourth year U.S. medical students who have demonstrated a commitment to promoting health equity are encouraged to apply. Students who identify with groups that are under-represented in medicine (URM) are highly encouraged to apply.
- Only students enrolled at an affiliated LCME-accredited institution may apply
- At this time, UCLA does not accept international students for clinical experiences
- Students must be in good academic standing at an accredited US medical school
- Students must also meet DGSOM UCLA School of Medicine’s clinical elective requirements
- If accepted, all core clerkships must be completed and passed before the start of the visiting elective.
- Completed VESP application form: https://forms.gle/pq7oaGHCUeqa5Dsd8. The form includes space to upload the following:
- CV or Resume
- Personal statement/letter of interest (max 1 page, Arial 12 font single spaced 1” margins). Please describe your interests in the VESP program and the UCLA Psychiatry Residency Program and how the VESP program relates to and will help advance your career goals.
- Please send these 2 items directly to the Psychiatry House Staff Office, c/o Ms. Dulce Madrid (see the “How to Submit” tab for the information):
- Letter of recommendation
- Medical school transcript (official or unofficial copies are accepted)
- Completed David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Visiting Students Learning Opportunities (VSLO) application
- Detailed information can be found here: https://medschool.ucla.edu/current-us-visiting-students
- UCLA uses the AAMC VSLO site for elective applications, which you can find here: https://students-residents.aamc.org/visiting-student-learning-opportunities/visiting-student-learning-opportunities-1
- Please note that the VSLO application lists many options for clinical rotations. Three inpatient units adult and geriatric inpatient units at UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital have been carefully selected for this program. We ask that VESP applicants select both of the following electives in their VSLO application: PS350.01 (adult inpatient psychiatry) and PS452.01 (adult inpatient psychiatry).
- Your VSLO application needs to be approved no later than 60 days prior to the start of your rotation (July – October 2024).
Selection will be based on:
- Interest in pursuing a career in academic psychiatry
- Leadership
- Community service
- Demonstrated commitment to advancing justice, health equity, diversity, and inclusion
- Academic achievement
All items on the application checklist must be completed by April 1, 2024*. To help you plan accordingly, please note that your VSLO application must be approved no later than 60 days prior to the start of your rotation.
VESP student rotations will take place from July to October 2024.
*Applications submitted after April 1 may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, space permitting.”
Please complete the VESP application here and have your LORs and Med School Transcript sent to the email or address below, at least two months prior to the start of the elective:
Dulce Madrid: DVMadrid@mednet.ucla.edu
UCLA Department of Psychiatry
Psychiatry House Staff Office
760 Westwood Plaza
Suite B7-357
Los Angeles, CA 90024
- UCLA Psychiatry Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: https://diversity.semel.ucla.edu/
- UCLA Community and Global Psychiatry: https://www.uclacgp.com
- UCLA Graduate Medical Education EDI Resident and Fellow Communities: https://medschool.ucla.edu/equity-diversity-inclusion-communities-residents-interns-fellows