Exchange Clerkship Program

Introduction

The Exchange Clerkship Program at Harvard Medical School (HMS) offers eligible medical students the opportunity to complete a visiting clerkship at one of the Harvard-affiliated hospitals.

The HMS Exchange Clerkship Program is one of the largest visiting student programs in the country. The program is for medical students in their final year of medical school who wish to participate in clinical clerkships offered at HMS-affiliated teaching hospitals. Our goal is to place eligible students who are qualified for advanced clinical experiences in HMS-affiliated hospitals based on placement availability. 

HMS does not offer research opportunities and/or observerships for visiting students. 

Eligibility for the HMS Exchange Clerkship Program

All Applicants

In order to be eligible for our program, all applicants should meet all of the minimum criteria:

• Must be currently enrolled medical student in the final year of medical school (within 12 months of graduation).
• Must be in good academic standing at an approved medical school.
• Must have completed satisfactorily the core clinical clerkship requirements comparable to HMS core (minimally, surgery, medicine, pediatrics & OB/GYN). Applicants applying for psychiatry, neurology and/or radiology will be required to have satisfactorily completed core clinical clerkships in these specialties.  
• Must be in compliance with HMS immunization requirements – HMS strictly adheres to these immunization guidelines. Immunization Compliance Guidelines.
• Must be fluent in the English language including: conversation, writing, and reading.

Anyone holding an MD degree, or its equivalent, is not eligible. 

Our clerkships are offered in four-week blocks and visiting students must adhere to HMS rotation dates as posted in the calendar.

International Applicants
 

Harvard Medical School is now accepting applications from international students enrolled in one of the medical schools listed below for rotations from October to March only.

If you are an international student enrolled at a school not listed below, you are unfortunately not eligible for elective study through Harvard Medical School (HMS), there are no exceptions. HMS is not seeking any new affiliation agreements at this time.

Approved International Schools:

Clerkship Hospital Sites

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Cambridge Health Alliance
Boston Children's Hospital
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Massachusetts General Hospital
McLean Hospital
Mount Auburn Hospital
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital