Visiting Senior Medical Students
Thank you for considering the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine (Whiddon COM) at the University of South Alabama (USA) for your away or visiting learning experience. We are excited about your growth throughout your journey of learning with us. To apply for a visiting learner opportunity with the USA Whiddon COM, please access the Visiting Student Learning Opportunity (VSLO) platform. Applications for visiting learning experiences for the 2024-2025 academic year will be accepted starting Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Please see the dropdown menus below for more information regarding visiting learning experiences with the USA Whiddon COM.
Note: The USA Whiddon COM reserves the right to cancel any visiting learning opportunity for any reason.
Requirement |
How to Meet Requirement |
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) | You will need to upload and submit a copy of your ACLS certification with your VSLO application. |
Basic Life Support (BLS) | You will need to upload and submit a copy of your BLS certification with your VSLO application. |
Affiliation Agreement | As a participant in the VSLO platform, the Whiddon COM has affiliation agreements with many schools and institutions. Please note that if your institution does not have an established affiliation agreement with the Whiddon COM, it can take several months to establish a new agreement. |
Clerkship Completion | The name and duration of your clerkship courses will need to be outlined in your VSLO application. Typically, this information is input on behalf of the student by the home institution. |
Criminal Background Check | Proof of a completed criminal background check, including clearance, must be submitted along with a student’s application. |
10-Panel Drug Screen | Proof of a completed 10-panel drug screen, including passing and clearance, must be submitted along with a student’s application. |
Health Compliance and Immunizations | You will need to submit a copy of the AAMC’s Standardized Immunization Form as well as copies of your immunization records. |
Health Insurance | All learners are required to have current and active health insurance. You will need to upload a copy of your health insurance card to your VSLO application. |
Mask Fit Test | This should be uploaded by the visiting learner’s home institution to the learner’s file. Please contact your away elective coordinator in the event a mask fit certificate is not in your file and you do not have access through your Student Credentialing Portal. |
Certificate of Professional Malpractice/Medical Liability Insurance Coverage | The USA Whiddon COM requires students to have standard malpractice/liability coverage of at least $1 million per instance and $3 million aggregate to be eligible for a visiting learner experience with us. |
Transcript—Official | The visiting student’s home institution should upload an official transcript directly to VSLO. |
USMLE/COMLEX Scores | A copy of your NBME score report must be submitted along with your VSLO application. If you would like to submit an official score report transcript from the NBME, please visit the USMLE website for instructions. |
Curriculum Vita/Resume | Visiting learners will need to submit a current copy of their curriculum vitae or resume. |
The Whiddon COM defines professionalism as demonstrating a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities, adherence to ethical principles, and sensitivity to a diverse patient population. It is assessed through one’s clinical, communication, judgment, and professional skills, initiative, problem-solving, and teamwork. As a visiting learner’s academic record is considered to be solely under the jurisdiction of their home institution; thus, when visiting learner lapses in professionalism are reported to the Whiddon COM’s Office of Student Affairs (OSA), the OSA will contact the visiting learner’s home institution’s OSA to report the professionalism lapse for review and processing.
Prospective students are responsible for their own housing and transportation. Public transportation in Mobile is limited; an automobile is a necessity. RotatingRoom.com is a sublet website created by medical students to assist you with your housing needs.
It is the sole responsibility of the visiting student to ensure that their home institution’s evaluation/grade form is completed and returned to their institution.
At this time, the Whiddon COM does not accept applications from international and/or Caribbean medical schools. However, these students may apply for departmental interviews through ERAS.