Clinical Electives Program

On this page:

The NIH Clinical Electives Program is accepting applications from students attending LCME-accredited and U.S. osteopathic schools only. The program is not reviewing international applications at the present time. Please be aware that all students coming to the NIH Clinical Center may be subject to local, state, or national requirements regarding vaccination, testing, and quarantine requirements prior to rotating.

CEP Overview

To further its mission to train the next generation of physician-scientists and clinician-investigators, the NIH Clinical Center, through the Office of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education, offers short term, 4- to 12-week clinically oriented rotations in the Clinical Electives Program (CEP). Senior-level medical or dental students meeting the eligibility criteria, including all core clerkship rotations, may apply. The focus of the CEP is enhancing the training experience for highly motivated students who are strongly interested in, or committed to, research-oriented careers in academic medicine.

The CEP is not optimally suited for students who intend to enter community-based clinical practice, or (for international students) as an introduction to the health care system or practice of clinical medicine in the United States. International students should also note that CEP is not designed as a vehicle to enhance competitiveness for acceptance into US specialty or subspecialty graduate medical education training programs ("residencies or fellowships").

NOTE: Residents or clinical fellows currently enrolled in ACGME-accredited graduate medical education training programs in the United States may apply for short-term elective rotations at the NIH Clinical Center through the Resident Electives Program (REP) administered by the Office of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education. Interested REP applicants should visit NIH's Elective Rotations for Residents and Clinical Fellows page for more information.

CEP Objectives

Learning about the care of patients with rare or complex disorders enrolled in human subjects research protocols at the NIH Clinical Center, the world's largest research hospital on the campus of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD*.
Enhancing understanding of how clinical research is conducted in a scientifically valid and ethically responsible way in a compassionate training environment.

CEP Eligibility

The CEP welcomes applications from qualified allopathic or osteopathic medical students enrolled in Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)-Accredited Medical Programs Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA)-Accredited Medical Programs, and from dental students enrolled in Commission on Dental Association CODA-Accredited Dental Programs.

The CEP does not accept medical or dental school graduates for observational experiences, clinical rotations or advanced graduate medical education training in a specialty or subspecialty of medicine or dentistry. Again, residents or clinical fellows currently enrolled in ACGME-accredited graduate medical education training programs in the United States may apply for short-term elective rotations at the NIH Clinical Center through the REP.

Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements to be considered for participation in the NIH Clinical Electives Program.

Only U. S. Citizens and Permanent Resident applicants are eligible to apply at this time.
Applicants must enrolled and be in good standing in their LCME, AOA or CODA accredited medical or dental school.
Applicants must have completed core clerkship rotations in internal medicine, pediatrics and surgery prior to submission of your application.
Students who are applying for rotations in Psychiatry must have completed core clerkships in the appropriate discipline prior to submission of their application.
Eligible students may apply through AAMC VSLO or the CEP Application Portal.

Application Documents

Cover Letter: The applicant will provide a one-page letter summarizing interest in the specific rotation to which they are applying. They should include qualifying experiences, abilities, and goals of participating in the program.
Dean's Letter: This letter is required for the CEP Application Portal only. At a minimum, this letter should be from the Dean or Associate Dean and must verify that the student is in good academic standing and is recommended to participate in the rotation. The Dean's letter should be on official letter head and include the Dean's title, email address, and official signature.
Reference Letter: This letter should be from a faculty member who has supervised the applicant in previous clinical activities and can attest to their bedside clinical skills and competence in patient care and communication.
Medical School Transcript: Medical school transcripts can be an official or unofficial copy that reflects passing grades or satisfactory performance in required clerkships as well. For pending clerkships listed on the academic transcript, verification of a passing grade in writing from the clerkship professor is sufficient if an updated version of the transcript cannot be submitted in time for review prior to the requested rotation.
Clinical Skill Verification: US citizens attending international medical school must contact the program for approval prior to applying for specific requirements.
Medical Licensing Examination: Applicants must provide documentation of a passing for either USMLE Step 2 CK or COMLEX Level 2.

After initial acceptance, participants will be required to provide the following:

Training agreement between the host (NIH) and the home institution.
Professional liability insurance policy with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 annual aggregate, in U.S. dollars, that would cover you for the duration of your elective rotation at the NIH. By signing the NIH/School Clinical Electives Program agreement, the school confirms that it will provide this coverage. If the school cannot provide this coverage, then you must purchase it individually. No student will be allowed to begin an elective rotation at NIH without documented professional liability insurance coverage.
Personal health insurance coverage for you during your elective at the NIH. By signing the NIH/School Clinical Electives Program agreement, the school confirms that it will provide this insurance. If the school cannot provide this insurance, you must purchase and maintain it for the duration of the rotation at NIH. No student will be allowed to begin an elective rotation without documented personal health insurance coverage. Do not send or submit protected health information (PHI) with initial CEP application. Only if you are accepted for a rotation will you be required to provide written documentation of current immunizations. NIH Occupational Medical Service will review and advise on required immunizations for Clinical Center rotations.
Security clearance and onboarding requirements within 3 months of the rotation per NIH guidelines.

*Requests for waivers of these requirements will not be considered unless extraordinary circumstances exist.

CEP Elective Descriptions

3-Month Mentored Specialty/ Subspecialty Clinical Research Rotations

The following programs are open to applicants attending US Medical Schools accredited by the LCME or the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the AOA. Prior to applying, contact the CEP coordinator to confirm availability. At the rotation coordinator's discretion, the rotation may be shortened.

Eligibility

Combined Program Students (i.e., MD/PhD, DO/PhD)

How to Apply

Interested applicants may apply via the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) Application or the NIH CEP Application.

The NIH Clinical Electives Program does not offer housing or travel subsidies.

Rotation dates are set to begin on the first Monday of the month. All rotations are not available during all blocks. Please check the application portals for availability.

Some rotations may be at satellite campuses including Baltimore, Maryland. Please check rotation-specific details through our application portal before applying.

Office of Clinical Research Training and Medical Education