Diversity in Medicine Visiting Scholars Program

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center is pleased to offer the Diversity in Medicine Visiting Scholars Program for 2023.

Overview

Our department recognizes the vital need for diversity and inclusion at all levels of our organization. In order to continue and expand upon our tradition of excellence in clinical care, research, and education, it is essential that our faculty, fellows, residents, and students represent a range of perspectives, backgrounds, and life experiences, and reflect the diversity of patients we serve. We recognize that working toward inclusivity and against inequality, inequity, and implicit bias is an ongoing process, and we are committed to engaging fully in it.

Members of the Ob/Gyn department in the SIM Center

To help us achieve this goal, we are excited to offer the Diversity in Medicine Visiting Scholars Program to provide support for fourth year medical students to participate in an advanced elective rotation at our institution. The goal of the program is to provide exposure to careers in academic medicine and to recruit motivated students who are dedicated to the care of the underserved. We are committed to fostering a learning community of respect, integrity, kindness, and inclusiveness in our educational programs.

  • Scholars will participate in a four-week clinical elective in either Maternal Fetal Medicine or Gynecologic Oncology in August 2023.
  • Scholars will be assigned a faculty mentor.
  • Scholars will be assigned a resident or fellow mentor.
  • Scholars will gain exposure to resident didactic/educational/simulation activities within the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
  • The selected scholars will receive a $2,500 award. Scholars will be responsible for making their own housing and travel arrangements. Scholars may apply for student housing at Bard Hall on the Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons’ campus or the International House on the Columbia undergraduate campus, but availability is not guaranteed.

Eligibility

We welcome applications from fourth year medical students in good academic standing at U.S. LCME-accredited medical schools who intend to match into a residency program in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Applicants will be considered on an individual basis with special consideration given to those applicants who: (i) were the first in their family to attend graduate school; (ii) grew up in a single parent household; (iii) have, either as a result of their socio-economic background, their status as a member of an historically underrepresented group, their disability status, their LGBTQ status, or other challenging life experiences, overcome obstacles on their journey to graduate school; (iv) have lived or worked in a diverse environment; and/or (v) have, through their education or work experience, demonstrated a commitment to serving historically underprivileged populations.

Application Requirements

  • Students must have completed all required core clerkships at their home institution.
  • Students must submit a transcript from medical school. Students must complete their application through the Visiting Student Program on Columbia's website. 
  • Students must submit one letter of support from their Obstetrics & Gynecology core clerkship director or the student’s Office of Student Affairs.
  • Students must submit a short essay describing their interest in the specialty and how experiences in their personal life or education thus far have shaped their own professional development and goals for a career in medicine (limit 500 words).