Medical Student Opportunities

We are pleased to offer both clinical and research training opportunities for fourth-year medical students. Join us for a clinical elective in one of our many orthopedic subspecialties—Adult Reconstruction, Surgical Spine, Hand and Microvascular Surgery, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Trauma, Physical Medicine Rehabilitation, and Sports Medicine. We also offer an independent study research opportunity led by internationally recognized faculty.

Fourth-Year Medical Student Clinical Electives

Our clinical electives are available for senior medical students from UC San Diego School of Medicine (SOM) as well as North American (US, Canada, Puerto Rico) LCME-accredited medical schools and COCA-accredited osteopathic schools, laying the groundwork for students to carry on to a residency or fellowship.

Students apply for clinical electives in a chosen medical or surgical discipline, gaining invaluable experience applying classroom knowledge face to face with patients. Outside of the classroom, students receive ongoing learning through attending Grand Rounds seminars—including opportunities for student presentations—as well as journal clubs and sub-specialty conferences.

During four-week rotations, you’ll participate in appropriate patient care related to your subspecialty, learning to understand, diagnose and treat musculoskeletal injuries, conditions and diseases. Under the supervision of faculty, students explore what it’s like to manage and provide care in a complex health care organization while working in a range of world-class facilities throughout San Diego County—including hospitals, emergency rooms and numerous clinics. Visit our residency page for to learn more about our facilities.

Please note: Availability is limited in all our clinical electives and UC San Diego students receive enrollment priority. Students are advised not to reach out to the program regarding the status of their application or to arrange clinical experiences by contacting faculty or administrative staff. All application updates can be found exclusively on VSLO.

For more information about specific clinical electives offered in Orthopaedic Surgery, please contact the education support coordinator, Sandra Gutierrez, at s5gutierrez@health.ucsd.edu.

Currently enrolled fourth-year UC San Diego medical students may apply for our clinical electives and review the full course catalog through MedHub. For more information about eligibility, and the application process and requirements, please review the Medical Student Core Curriculum through the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

Visiting Medical Students

We accept fourth-year medical students visiting from North American (US, Canada, Puerto Rico) LCME-accredited medical schools and COCA-accredited osteopathic schools. Visiting medical students may apply for our clinical electives when the application period opens through the AAMC's Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) program. For more information about eligibility, and the application process and requirements, please review the guidelines for Visiting Senior Students through the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

2023-2024 Application Key Cycle Dates:

February 1, 2024: Opportunities posted in VSLO
March 8, 2024: Applications open in VSLO
April 1, 2024: We begin extending offers

Please note: Only completed applications will be considered. Admission into the Visiting Student Program does not constitute admission or matriculation into the UC San Diego School of Medicine. All expenses related to accommodating disabilities for visiting students will be the responsibility of their home institution. Please refer to UC San Diego's technical standards for details.

Application instructions

Visiting Elective Scholarship Program

We remain committed to advancing our mission of equity, inclusion and culture within our departmental work and learning environments. Visit the Awards and Opportunities page for more information about eligibility and application instructions.

Subinternship Rotations

Ortho 425: Subinternship in Orthopedics

Course Director: Sandy Schwartz, MD

Participating Faculty: Paul Girard, MD; William Kent, MD; Sandy Schwartz, MD

This clerkship will provide training in diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic injuries of the musculoskeletal system and further the understanding of musculoskeletal radiographic imaging. Students are exposed to the treatment of acute fractures, reconstructions of mal- and non-union fractures and other soft tissue injuries. Students are treated as competent members of the team and will participate in clinics, taking call, rounds, operating room and attending the weekly continuing education conferences.

Students are expected to perform a minimum of 1 history/physical exam observed by faculty, take weekday and weekend call and give a formal presentation. Student performance is assessed daily, via interactions with attending physicians, fellows and other members of the team.

Ortho 426: Subinternship in Ambulatory Orthopedics

Course Director: Sandy Schwartz, MD

Participating Faculty: Paul Girard, MD; Eric Hentzen, MD; William Kent, MD; Sandy Schwartz, MD

This clerkship will provide the student with a further understanding of the principles and practice of musculoskeletal disorders, orthopedic emergencies including treatment and the ability to read radiographs. Students will be exposed to fractures, basic splinting, casting techniques, as well as to various orthopedic sub-specialties in clinic such as general orthopedics, pediatric orthopedics, prosthetics and diabetic foot, spine, rehabilitation, hand and upper extremity, knee and non-healed fractures. Students are treated as competent members of the team and will participate in preoperative consultations, follow-up of postoperative patients and numerous E.R. referrals.

Ortho 428: Subinternship in Reconstructive Orthopedics

Course Director: Scott Ball, MD

Participating Faculty: Scott Ball, MD; Francis Gonzales, MD; Joseph Mitchell, MD; Ryan O'Leary, MD

This clerkship will introduce the peri-operative management of patients undergoing joint replacement surgery with a focus on venous thromboembolism prevention, treatment, and post-operative rehabilitation as well as peri-operative medical and pain management. Students will have exposure to joint total replacement, reconstruction, arthritis, cartilage disease and transplant and degenerative joint disease. Students are treated as competent members of the team, and will participate in clinics, taking call, rounds, operating room and attending the weekly continuing education conferences.

Students are expected to perform a minimum of 1 history/physical exam observed by faculty, take weekday and weekend call, and give a formal presentation. Student performance is assessed daily, via interactions with attending physicians, fellows and other members of the team.

Ortho 429: Subinternship in Orthopedic Spine Surgery

Course Director: Vinko Zlomislic, MD

Participating Faculty: R. Todd Allen, MD, PhD; T. Barrett Sullivan, MD; Vinko Zlomislic, MD

This clerkship will provide an introduction to the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic diseases of the spine. Students will be exposed to the treatment of spinal disorders related to trauma, reconstructive surgery, tumors, infections, deformities, rehabilitation and some general adult orthopedics. Students are treated as competent members of the team and will participate in a primarily inpatient experience with occasional outpatient surgical clinics, rounds, taking call and attending the weekly continuing education conferences.

Ortho 430: Subinternship in Orthopedic Hand Surgery

Course Director: Eric Hentzen, MD

Participating Faculty: Reid Abrams, MD; Eric Hentzen, MD; Bryan Leek, MD; Matthew Meunier, MD

This clerkship will introduce Upper Extremity musculoskeletal pathology and its surgical treatment. Students will have exposure to the care of patients with brachial plexopathies or congenital defects, flap reconstructions for trauma patients or arthroplasty for patients with degenerative conditions. Students are treated as competent members of the team and will participate in clinics, taking call, rounds, operating room and attending the weekly continuing education conferences.

Ortho 431: Pediatric Orthopedics

Course Director: Emily Cidambi, MD

Participating Faculty: Various RCHSD faculty

This clerkship will introduce a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions, surgical procedures, O.R. protocol and surgical skills, and pre- and post-op patient care. Students will have exposure to musculoskeletal conditions in children such as fractures and infections, bone and soft tissue tumors, congenital conditions, neuromuscular conditions and genetic mutations. Students are treated as competent members of the team, and will participate in hospital care, and outpatient clinics, rounds, taking call, operating room and attending the weekly continuing education conferences.

Students are expected to perform a minimum of 1 history/physical exam observed by faculty, take weekday and weekend call, present fracture reductions at the weekly bone board conference, and present during journal club. Student performance is assessed daily, via interactions with attending physicians, fellows and other members of the team.

Ortho 435: Orthopedic Sports Medicine

Course Director: Catherine M. Robertson, MD

Participating Faculty: Bryan Leek, MD; Catherine M. Robertson, MD

The clerkship will introduce students to training in diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Students will be exposed to general orthopedics, and orthopedic traumas, with a focus on orthopedic sports medicine. Students are treated as competent members of the team and will participate in outpatient clinic, rounds, taking call, operating room and attending the weekly continuing education conferences.

Ortho 450: Orthopedic Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Course Director: Douglas Chang, MD, PhD

Participating Faculty: David Bakal, MD; Douglas Chang, MD, PhD; Amerlia Eastman, DO; Kenneth Vitale, MD

This elective course will introduce students to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation training in outpatient musculoskeletal medicine with emphasis on spine and sports. It will include exposure to electrodiagnostic studies and interventional pain management procedures. Students are treated as competent members of the team participating in outpatient clinic and procedural rooms, attending lectures, grand rounds and patient-facing interactions.

Students are expected to perform a minimum of 1 history/physical exam observed by faculty and will give a formal presentation. There are no call responsibilities in this clerkship. Student performance is assessed daily, via interactions with attending physicians, fellows and other members of the team.

Research Opportunities

For inquisitive students interested in participating in faculty-directed basic, clinical and translational research, we offer unpaid independent study projects as opportunities to contribute to the world of academic knowledge. Students have access to leading-edge lab facilities and resources housed in the Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute (ACTRI) where exciting work is being done to advance the field of orthopedic surgery. Our innovative research is driven by a community of faculty, as well as residents and fellows, that embody the collaborative, interdisciplinary culture fostered at UC San Diego, a public school consistently ranked among the top 10 most cited institutions in the world.

Please note: The minimum duration for our research opportunities is 6 months. Visit the Research page to learn about the individual research labs and the faculty members who run them. Complete the Medical Student Research Application to initiate contact with any of the faculty.