Clerkships

The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation welcomes visiting senior medical students, though space is limited. You must be an enrolled medical student in good standing at an accredited U.S. allopathic medical school; you must be taking the elective for credit from your medical school with the Dean's approval, have adequate professional liability insurance coverage and adequate health insurance, and meet the minimum program requirements. A letter of recommendation (ideally from an orthopaedic surgeon supporting your application) must be submitted with your application. 

Each visiting medical student is considered a candidate for the residency program.  Residency program interviews will be conducted during the medical student's visiting rotation.  Visiting medical students will not be asked back to visit or interview since formal interviews are conducted during the month-long rotation.

Visiting student elective applications are considered in order of receipt. When applying to our program, apply to Surg-General Ortho and we will assign your rotation schedule when you arrive. You need only apply once for a one month visit  If you have a special preference for service, please email Shannon Mullens (shannon.mullens@vanderbilt.edu) and an attempt will be made to accommodate, but not guaranteed. Vanderbilt students are scheduled in May, availability for visiting students will open after Vanderbilt students are scheduled. Students are notified by email when they have been accepted for a visiting student rotation.

Visiting students must adhere to Vanderbilt's Fourth Year Class Calendar.

Approved medical students are required, upon arrival at Vanderbilt, to take part in a Bloodborne Pathogen Training Session. A $150.00 registration fee is payable from all students upon confirmation as a visiting medical student.

This course provides the student interested in hands-on exposure to one of eight orthopaedic subspecialties:

Adult Hand - Provides hands-on exposure to adult hand surgery. The student integrates medical and surgical knowledge in the care of patients with congenital hand deformities and musculoskeletal hand injuries in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Emphasis is placed on initial evaluation, pre-operative and post-operative management. back to top

Adult Reconstructive Surgery - Provides hand-on exposure to adult reconstructive surgery. The student will be able to integrate surgical knowledge in the care of orthopaedic patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.

Adult Spine - The student integrates medical and surgical knowledge in the care of patients with spine related deformities and injuries in the hospital and outpatient clinics. Students receive an introduction to outpatient assessment and inpatient management of individuals with a wide variety of spinal disorders. The course is designed to provide a proper assessment of patients with low back pain and spinal injuries who have neurological involvement. The student is expected to participate actively in the emergent, preoperative, surgical, postoperative hospital, and outpatient diagnostic and therapeutic care of orthopaedic patients. back to top

Adult Trauma - This course is designed to provide hands-on exposure to orthopaedic traumatology. The student integrates medical and surgical knowledge in the care of trauma victims and musculoskeletal injuries in the hospital and outpatient clinics. Participation in patient care is defined by the Chief Resident. The student is expected to participate aggressively in the emergent, preoperative, surgical, postoperative hospital and outpatient diagnostic and therapeutic care of orthopaedic patients.

Foot & Ankle - The student participates in the preoperative, postoperative, and surgical care of patients with foot and ankle disorders. The student is exposed to inpatient and outpatient settings. Learning objectives include an in-depth understanding of the evaluation and management of arthritis, sports medicine, common deformities, tendonopathies, and neuropathy pertaining to the foot and ankle. Orthotic and pedorthic management is also covered. The foot and ankle resident determines patient care responsibilities. back to top

Pediatric Orthopaedics - This course provides the student with experience assessing and managing pediatric orthopaedic surgical patients. Emphasis is placed on pertinent history taking, evaluation of the child, and decision-making and treatment in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Sports Medicine - This course is designed to provide hands-on exposure to orthopaedic sports medicine. The student integrates medical and surgical knowledge in the care of athletic injuries in the Sports Medicine Center and the Operating Room. Participation in patient care is defined by the Attending and the Resident. The student is expected to participate aggressively in the emergent, preoperative, surgical, postoperative hospital, and outpatient diagnostic and therapeutic care of athletic injuries and all injuries of the knee and shoulder. back to top

Oncology - This course provides hand-on exposure to musculoskeletal oncology. The student  integrates medical, surgical, pathological, and radiological patient information. Patients are evaluated in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.

NOTE: Please indicate your first, second, and third choices of orthopaedic subspecialties on your application. If you do not and you are confirmed as a visiting medical student, you will be placed on any available service.

An application is required at least 8 weeks in advance.

Applications should be submitted through VSAS (Visiting Student Application Service) at www.aamc.org/VSAS

For more information, contact our course cooridnator, Shannon Mullens, via e-mail at shannon.mullens@vanderbilt.edu.

back to top