Pediatrics

Visiting Elective Scholarship Program

Program Description

The Visiting Elective Scholarship Program (VESP), supported by the UCLA Department of Pediatrics, was established to encourage fourth year medical students who are committed to working with the high-need communities of Los Angeles, or are interested in addressing long-standing challenges in the healthcare system to reduce differences in outcomes among populations to apply for a clinical elective at UCLA DGSOM.

Similar programs currently exist at UCSF, University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins, University of Washington and Harvard.

The scholarship program will provide the following support to three senior medical students:

  • Financial support of $2,500 (via check/direct deposit, not tax exempt) for travel, housing and living expenses, for each recipient.
  • A faculty mentor will be assigned to each scholarship awardee, with the expectation that the mentor and awardee will meet at least once during the course of the elective period to discuss residency training and other career opportunities at UCLA.
  • The program will host a networking event for scholarship recipients to meet residents and faculty from the UCLA Department of Pediatrics.
  • Additional meetings with UCLA faculty will be arranged at the request of the student. Students interested in this scholarship may wish to meet with Division Chairs in relevant areas of research.

Eligibility & Application Process

Applications for VESP will be accepted from visiting fourth year medical students applying for senior pediatric electives. The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA uses the AAMC Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO)(Link is external) (Link opens in new window), to receive applications from US medical and osteopathic students. For more information on our Visiting Student requirements, please click here(Link is external).

Medical students meeting the following criteria are encouraged to apply:

  • Students in good academic standing at accredited U.S. medical schools
  • Students who have successfully completed core clerkships in pediatrics, internal medicine, surgery, psychiatry and OB/GYN

Application requirements for the scholarship include the following materials:

  • Completed VESP application form (link below)
  • Letter of recommendation from a faculty member (pediatric preferred, but other specialties welcome!)
  • Personal statement/letter of interest
    • Prompt: Please describe your interest and experience in working with high-need communities and your interest in the UCLA Pediatric Residency Program.
  • An official and current academic transcript (from at least February 2025)
  • Current CV

Scholarship awardees will be selected by members of the UCLA Department of Pediatrics' Pediatric Inclusive Excellence Committee. 

Program Timeline

  • UCLA Pediatrics Elective Scholarship Application Deadline: Friday, July 4, 2025
  • Pediatrics Elective Enrollment: June 2025 - October 2024
  • UCLA Pediatrics Residency Interviews: November 2025 - January 2026
  • Begin Residency: June 2026

Apply here!(Link is external) (Link opens in new window)

Additional notes about the UCLA Pediatric Inclusive Excellence Committee

The mission of the UCLA Pediatric Inclusive Excellence Committee is to promote engagement and appreciation for a variety of backgrounds, provide equal opportunities, and address historical barriers in order to enhance patient care, teaching, and research within the Department of Pediatrics. Current objectives of the committee include:

  • Enhancement of departmental cultural awareness and sensitivity to enrich the services we provide to the broad communities represented by our patients.

Contact: pedsres@mednet.ucla.edu