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Students from International Medical Schools

The following departments do not accept students from International Medical Schools:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Family Practice
  • Internal Medicine
  • Neurosurgery
  • Ophthalmology
  • Otolaryngology
  • Pathology
  • Radiology

* Due to the high volume of applications, the Emergency Medicine can only consider accepting International Visiting students from December 2009 - June 2010.

Forms

Eligibility

Students from other medical schools are not permitted to enroll in clerkships.

SUNY Downstate welcomes visiting medical students into the senior elective program. Students who will have completed their clinical clerkships by the starting date of the desired elective are eligible to apply. Applicants must be in good academic standing at their home school, must have their school's approval to participate in the desired elective and must hage health and liability insurance coverage and be HIPAA and OSHA certified.

General Information

All electives courses at SUNY Downstate and its affiliated institutions are part of the official curriculum of the College of Medicine. Qualified students may be accommodated in elective spots that have not been filled by our students. Applicants are considered in the order their application is received. Elective rotation dates must coincide with the scheduled dates of SUNY Downstate Medical Center's elective periods.

  • The International Visiting Medical Student Application must be completed in its entirety for each elective you wish to take. The application(s) must bear the imprint of your school seal. A non-refundable processing fee of $175 for the 1st application and $100 for each additional application in the form of check/money order in USA currency only must accompany the application. The check/money order must be made payable to "SUNY Downstate Medical Center".
  • A completed International Visiting Student Application Checklist must accompany your application.
  • DEADLINE TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION IS THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE START OF THE ELECTIVE.
  • A current official transcript or detailed evaluation of courses completed must accompany the application.
  • Health clearance must be completed in order for the student to be permitted to register.

    SUNY Downstate Health Statement Form for Visiting Students

  • PROOF OF MALPRACTICE/ LIABILITY (must be equal to or greater than $3 million/$3 million aggregate and each occurence) AND PERSONAL HEALTH INSURANCE IS REQUIRED. (SUNY Downstate Medical Center does not provide student health or liability coverage for visiting students).
  • You must also submit a passport sized photo.
  • All international visiting students must present the following documents upon arrival:

                a. Passport        b. USA visa      c. I-94 card

  • In addition to the above, the Visiting International Medical student must also complete an application for a "Letter of Eligibility" from the New York State Board of Medicine. This process should be initiated at least three months prior to the date you wish to take the elective. Approval to begin the elective at SUNY Downstate is contingent upon our receipt of an approved Letter of Eligibility from the New York State Board of Medicine. If your documents are in order, you are granted permission to take a maximum of 12 weeks (84 days) of electives in the State of New York. You must mail NYS letter of eligibility at the same time as you mail your Visiting Student Applicant.
  • All students accepted to attend our Institution for electives are required to complete the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Education Program. A User ID and the on-line website will be forwarded to you along with your letter of acceptance. Completion of this requirement is mandatory.
  • All students must attend OSHA Training at Downstate Student Health Services.
  • Course directors will not permit an International Visiting Medical Student to begin an elective until the department has received confirmation that the student has registered through the Office of the Registrar and has provided all requested documentation, including the "Letter of Eligibility" and all other forms have been received and satisfactorily completed.
    • FROM THE REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT Evidence of Eligibility Students must present the teaching hospital a short term "Letter of Eligibility."Penalty Section 6526 provides that "any medical student who is performing a clinical clerkship similar function in a hospital and who is matriculated in a medical school which meets standards satisfactory to the department (State Education Department), provided such practice is limited to such clerkship or similar function in such hospital" may practice medicine without a license. As indicated above, the Commissioner's Regulations provide that only duly accredited medical schools and those which have been reviewed and approved by the Department for the purpose of placing students in clinical clerkships, meet standards satisfactory to the Department. Foreign medical students engaged in clerkships in this State without proper authorization or in a facility other than a teaching hospital are in violation of Education law.
  • Visiting students MUST apply through the Office of the Registrar for all electives.
  • SUNY Downstate does not issue student or visiting scholar visas (obtained through an I-20 or IAP-66) for students accepted as an International Visiting Medical Student. Non-citizens of the United States may apply for a B-1 visitor visa through their local United States Embassy or Consulate on their own. Students are responsible for assuring their compliance with all applicable US immigration and Department of Homeland Security rules and regulations.
  • Visiting students are not permitted to contact the course directors directly. ALL inquires MUST go through the Office of the Registrar.
  • Please review the provided material thoroughly and select an elective program carefully.

Additional Instructions

Inquiries and requests for the "International Visiting Medical Student" program should be directed to:

Office of the Registrar
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 98
Brooklyn, New York 11203
Telephone: (718) 270-4552
Email: visitstudent@downstate.edu

Notification or approval or denial

Applications will not be processed until all completed component parts have been received. Please note the application deadlines. Students will be notified of approval or denial, as soon as they are approved, at least 4 weeks prior to the start date of the requested elective. Students who withdraw their application less than 2 weeks prior to the start of the elective may have a letter of complaint sent to the Dean of their medical school.