Applications will be accepted beginning May 7, 2012.  Registration will begin June 1, 2012.

Application Process

Final year students enrolled in good standing at an AACOM medical school must register through VSAS, the Visiting Student Application Service, for up to 2 clinical electives.

VSAS applications must document that student:

• Will be in their final year at the time of the elective and enrolled in good standing at an AACOM accredited medical school.
• Passing grade on the USMLE or COMLEX Step 1 examination
• Holds personal health insurance.
• Has coverage of medical liability and/or malpractice insurance held by the home school with coverage of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate.

The VSAS application must include a:

• Current transcript
• Baystate Health Background Release Form*
• BMC Immunization Form or a school issued immunization certificate documenting all of the BMC requirements.  (Please do not send entire medical history.)
• School-issued email address for contacting purposes.
• Performance evaluation form.  If form is not included, the Baystate 4^th Year Student Evaluation will be used.
• Visiting Osteopathic Medical Student Affiliation Agreement

* A Baystate Health Background Release Form is required and may take 4-6 weeks after received. This is not a CORI but a national background check. To start the clearance process please PRINT, SIGN, and UPLOAD this form to VSAS into the Supplemental Documents section in Documents. Residents of Puerto Rico must include their mother’s maiden name as indicated on the form. An Original is required. Please mail the form to the address provided after it is uploaded to VSAS. Students may not begin their rotation until clearance has been obtained.

Incomplete applications will not be processed.  Please allow 4-6 weeks for processing. Students must be fully registered at least 45 days prior to start date.

FEE: Within 10 days of acceptance, students must send a non-refundable processing fee of $100.00 for each approved elective up to 2 electives to the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education.  Failure to do so will result in the cancellation of the elective(s). This fee is in addition to the application fee paid directly to VSAS.  Personal checks made payable to ‘Baystate Medical Center’ only please.

Approval

Once application is complete, notification of approval with an offer will be sent via email to your school-issued email address.  You will have ONE week to accept or decline the offer before it expires.

Cancellation Policy

Students may cancel or reschedule up to 2 electives without penalty.  A student will forfeit all future electives if they:

• Cancel an elective within 30 days of the start date.
• Cancel or reschedule a 4^th elective without prior approval of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.
• Fail to report to their scheduled elective.
  
  The following electives may not be dropped:
  - Emergency Medicine
  - Neurology (Internal Medicine)
  - Pediatric Acting Internship

Orientation

Approximately 4 weeks prior to your start date, you will receive orientation information, via email to your school-issued email address, with additional instructions and forms for your elective.  You must then complete the following requirements before your first rotation begins.

• Online Training
• Housing Agreement
• Security Form

Housing

Registered students are eligible for complimentary on-campus housing for up to 2 electives.