Seattle Children’s Visiting Elective Program in Pediatric Surgery for Underrepresented in Medicine Students and Residents

Visiting Elective Program in Pediatric Surgery for Underrepresented in Medicine Medical Students

This visiting elective program is a unique opportunity for fourth-year medical students who have overcome difficult paths to surgery and are interested in pursuing a career in general surgery or pediatric surgery and/or pediatric surgery subspecialties (transplant, colorectal, oncology, etc.)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This elective will be awarded to two fourth-year students annually. The elective is a one-month experience in the summer and fall months. Students will spend this time with the Pediatric General Surgery service at Seattle Children’s Hospital, a premier free-standing children’s hospital and one of the original 15 pediatric surgery training programs in the United States. The student will be integrated into the service, including rounding on the ward patients, spending time in the operating room and participating in educational conferences. The experience can be tailored to any of the student’s specific clinical interests. In addition to clinical exposure, this experience will provide exposure to mentorship and longitudinal assistance with career development from our Pediatric Surgery faculty and residents. A stipend of $2,500 is included for travel, housing expenses and meals.

PROGRAM GOALS

Encourage students to consider a career in pediatric surgery.
Enhance student awareness of opportunities in academic medicine.
Provide specific mentoring and networking for students who have navigated a difficult path to a career in surgery.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants for these funded positions should demonstrate academic excellence, leadership and extracurricular experience, and demonstrate a commitment to advancing and advocating for diversity and equity in the field of surgery, including, but not limited to, activities with established organizations, and volunteer work. Those who apply to the program should be students who are highly motivated to pursue a career in general surgery and have interest in pediatric surgery. Students must be in good standing at an LCME-accredited United States medical school. Applicants must provide the following:

Brief statement of interest in pediatric surgery and the visiting rotation at Seattle Children’s Hospital (1,000-word limit) reviewing your reasons for wanting to participate, your career goals and how this experience would enhance those goals
Complete the VSLO application for the UW School of Medicine and apply to SURG 683.
Current curriculum vitae
One letter of recommendation from a clinical faculty member
Medical school transcript
USMLE Step 1 score. If already taken, also submit a Step 2 score report.

We will begin accepting applications on March 3rd for the 2025-26 academic year. Application materials can be emailed to caitlin.smith@seattlechildrens.org. Applicants will be notified by April 25th of acceptance.

Visiting Elective Program in Pediatric Surgery for Underrepresented in Medicine Surgical Residents

This visiting elective program is a unique opportunity for general surgery residents who have overcome difficult paths to surgery and are interested in pursuing a career in general surgery or pediatric surgery and/or pediatric surgery subspecialties (transplant, colorectal, oncology, etc.)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This elective will be awarded to two general surgery residents annually. The elective is a one-month experience in October and April. General surgery residents should be in their fourth year (or research years as a more junior resident) to apply.

Residents will spend this time with the Pediatric General Surgery service at Seattle Children’s Hospital, a premier free-standing children’s hospital and one of the original 15 pediatric surgery training programs in the United States. The resident will be integrated into the service, including rounding on the ward patients, spending time in the operating room and participating in educational conferences. The resident will serve as acting junior Pediatric Surgery fellow for these months. In addition to clinical exposure, this experience will provide exposure to mentorship and longitudinal assistance with career development from our Pediatric Surgery faculty.

The resident’s home institution will still be responsible for resident salary, benefits and liability coverage. An additional stipend of $2,500 is included for travel, housing expenses and meals and will be disbursed at the end of the rotation.

PROGRAM GOALS

Increase exposure to pediatric surgery for residents underrepresented in general surgery.
Enhance resident awareness of opportunities in academic medicine.
Provide specific mentoring and networking for networking for students who have navigated a difficult path to a career in surgery.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Those who apply to the program should be residents who are highly motivated to pursue a career in pediatric surgery and have interest in pediatric surgery. Residents must be in good standing at an ACGME-accredited United States general surgery residency program. Applicants must provide the following:

Brief statement of interest in pediatric surgery and the visiting rotation at Seattle Children’s Hospital (1,000-word limit) reviewing your reasons for wanting to participate, your career goals and how this experience would enhance those goals
Current curriculum vitae
Two letters of recommendation from clinical faculty members