Visiting Medical Student

In the 2024-2025 academic year, BCM’s Visiting Student Program will accept students. The Visiting Medical Student Elective Program does not process/approve research (outside of established electives), shadowing or observerships.

Campus Locations

We are pleased to inform you that Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) operates visiting rotations at two campuses. One campus is located in Houston, TX, and once campus is located in Temple, TX.

• Houston, TX Campus: This is BCM’s primary location, offering a wide range of clinical affiliates
• Temple, TX Campus: Rotations at this campus are managed in collaboration with Baylor Scott & White Health (BSWH). Please note that all BSWH rotations are held in Temple, TX

We look forward to supporting your educational journey across our diverse and dynamic campuses.

Occupational Health Program Requirements 

BCM requires a Tdap vaccine (rather than a Td) within the last 10 years. When applying in VSLO, please ensure that your record reflects that your recent tetanus booster is a Tdap.

Additionally, BCM requires a blood test for TB screening.  A QFT is preferred.  Please ensure that you provide blood test (rather than skin test) results. The test should not expire prior to or during your rotation.  That is, it needs to be completed within 12 months prior to the end of your proposed rotation.

Baylor College of Medicine is a host school under the AAMC Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) program. If you will be enrolled as a senior medical student in a U.S. LCME- accredited medical school or a senior osteopathic student in a COCA-accredited AACOM member college, you must apply for an elective at Baylor through VSLO.

Basic requirements for visiting students, verified by documentation provided by the home school include the following:

1. Enrolled in the final year of medical school (or equivalent) at the start of the elective.
2. Good academic standing.
3. Completion of the home school’s clinical core clerkships.
4. Passing score on either USMLE Step 1 or COMLEX Level 1 examination.
5. Additional requirements / pre-requisites may be found on the Elective Course Catalog.
6. The student has completed a criminal background check

Note: All students must apply by the deadline date for each elective enrollment period, as published on the VSLO web site. Applications are only accepted through the VSLO system. If you miss the deadline, you are not eligible for an elective at Baylor.

You are notified NOT to directly contact Baylor faculty and administrative staff in an attempt to arrange clinical/research experiences. The visiting medical student elective program office is responsible for processing and scheduling all elective requests. All students must follow established guidelines and procedures (no exceptions).

The Visiting Medical Student Elective Program does not process/approve research, shadowing, or observerships.

Please review the frequently asked questions for visiting students from U.S. schools for specific details on the process.

Baylor currently is partnered with VSLO (an AAMC Application Service) to process International application to Visiting Student Electives. Please visit the VSLO website institutions page to see if your Medical School/College is currently a Home Institution in the VSLO Network, if not, please contact your institution’s International Relations Office or Office of the Dean to join VSLO Network. If you have any further questions you may write to VSLO.

Baylor only considers students from abroad schools January through June of each year. There are no exceptions to this. The policy outlining elective course requirements for International visiting students outlines further details regarding the process for international students applying to electives at Baylor.

Effective Jan. 1, 2015, there is a $1,000 non-refundable application fee due at time of application submission in VSLO. This fee must be paid in U.S. dollars online via the VSLO portal with a credit/debit card. No other source of payment will be accepted. We are not set up for a wire transfer.

Absolutely no personal checks will be accepted. This application fee must accompany your application in VSLO with all the required documents or your application will not be processed. This fee does not guarantee you an elective and it is non-refundable.

All international students must submit required application documents, including the elective application and the International Student forms, a minimum of six weeks prior to the start of the elective. Complete applications include the following: AAMC Immunization Form, BCM Biographical Data Form, Copy of the biographical data page of the Student’s passport, Medical Student Claims Waiver, Curriculum Vitae, Dean’s Office Certification form, Enrollment Verification Certification, International Student Certification of Finances, Official Transcript(s) from the home medical school, Payment of application fees, Photo, Proof of English Proficiency, Visiting Student Standard of Professional Conduct form.

If accepted, the F-1 visa will be provided to students electronically. Please note, all International students are required to take and pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language exam (TOEFL) with a minimum Internet Based Score of 100, regardless of English familiarity. Official scores should be submitted as part of the application documents. Only students holding a U.S. passport may be exempt from this requirement. Incomplete applications will not be processed. 

Student visa appointment wait times have increased. If accepted to an away rotation, you are required to have your visa paperwork completed/approved in advance of traveling for the away rotation. Please consult the visa appointment wait time site to review projected wait times for your area and do not select elective months that will not allow time for your visa process to be completed. 

Baylor College of Medicine does not have a visiting student research, shadowing, or observership program for medical students.

Please review the frequently asked questions for international visiting students for specific details on the process.

The information below only pertains to students attending schools with a reciprocal clinical training agreement developed through Baylor Global Initiatives.

All visiting elective students who are non-U.S. citizens must be processed and their legal visa status verified by Human Resources-International Services Office.

For pending immigrants or U.S. permanent residents; the students will need to present a valid EAD card or an I-551 U.S. permanent resident card (otherwise known as a “green card”). For individuals in the United States who are currently attending a U.S. medical school on an F-1 visa status, student must obtain permission letter from their F-1 sponsoring school to pursue the medical elective program at Baylor College of Medicine. All other international students must enter the United States with the F-1/J-1 student visa status to participate in Baylor's Visiting Medical Student Elective Program.

B-1/B-2 visa IS NOT accepted for participation in the Visiting Medical Student Elective Program at Baylor College of Medicine. Baylor College of Medicine will not support a change of status to F-1/J-1 visa status either of these visas for visiting medical elective students and Baylor will not allow other non-immigrant visa holders to pursue medical electives.

If you are already in the United States on another visa for another purpose and wish to pursue a medical elective program at Baylor College of Medicine, you must exit the United States, visit a U.S. embassy abroad to apply for the F-1/J-1 visa status, and re-enter on Baylor’s I-20 (or DS-2019) in order to participate in Baylor College of Medicine’s Visiting Medical Student Elective Program.

If you have any visa questions, please email the Human Resources- International Services Office at internationalservicesoffice@bcm.edu.