Neurology

Diversity in Training

Neurology Diversity in Training Scholarship Program

The UCLA Department of Neurology Diversity in Training Scholarship Program (NDSP) provides a fully supported elective to rising junior and senior U.S. medical students who are from traditionally underrepresented groups in medicine. The goal of the program is to expose these medical students from institutions outside of the Los Angeles region to an academic neurology program, and to the broad range of sub-specialties within the field. UCLA Neurology is a top-ten neuroscience department and training program with clinical activities at a state-of-the art hospital and adjacent clinics that support clinical care across all neurology subspecialties. UCLA Neurology has deep clinical and basic research programs that combine with excellent and diverse clinical care to make for a vibrant intellectual environment. Of course, UCLA is 15 minutes from the beach and 10 minutes from the mountains, so that more than the intellectual environment is great at UCLA.

The scholarship program will provide the following support to scholarship awardees:

  • Travel, housing and meal expenses will be covered by the program.
  • A faculty mentor will be assigned to each scholarship awardee, with the expectation that the mentor and awardee will meet regularly during the course of the elective period to discuss building a neurology career, residency training and other career pathways.
  • The program will host a networking event for scholarship recipients to meet residents and faculty from the UCLA Department of Neurology.
  • Additional meetings with UCLA faculty will be arranged to meet the interests of the student. For example, students interested in specific clinical or basic neuroscience research may wish to meet with Neurology Division Chairs in relevant areas of research or with faculty leaders in other areas of neuroscience in the UCLA community.

Eligibility and application process:

Applications for VSLO will be accepted from prospective fourth-year medical students (or students in their final year of medical school) at the time they are applying for electives through the Student Affairs Office at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Interested applicants are also encouraged to directly contact UCLA Neurology with questions. Medical students meeting the following criteria are encouraged to apply:

  • All students with a commitment to efforts fostering workforce diversity in healthcare professions are encouraged to apply, in particular, those coming from groups that are underrepresented in medicine (UIM)
  • Junior and senior students
  • Students in good academic standing at accredited U.S. and Canadian medical schools
  • Students who have successfully completed core clerkships in internal medicine

Application requirements for the scholarship include the following materials:

Please complete the VSLO online and send other materials to:

UCLA Department of Neurology, Medical Education Office
710 Westwood Plaza, Suite 1-240
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1769

Email Sahar Rupani, at: [email protected]

Scholarship awardees will be selected by members of the UCLA Department of Neurology Diversity in Training Committee.

Deadline for applications is 5/15/2024.

Additional notes about the UCLA Department of Neurology Diversity in Training Committee

The mission of the Department of Neurology Diversity in Training Program is to promote a culture of inclusion and appreciation for diversity across multiple areas, including race/ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and gender, in order to enhance patient care, teaching, and research within the Department of Neurology. Current objectives of the committee include promotion of recruitment, retention, professional excellence and overall well-being among underrepresented residents, fellows, and faculty. Enhancement of departmental cultural awareness and sensitivity to enrich the services we provide to the diverse communities represented by our patients.