The visiting student elective is an invaluable experience and opportunity for assessment and evaluation of a candidate’s preparedness and potential for success in the most highly competitive medical specialty training programs. The Larry D. Keith Visiting Student Electives Scholarship serves to supplement the cost of this training opportunity and specifically targets all medical students committed to serving in communities with physician shortages.
The UNC School of Medicine, in conjunction with UNC Graduate Medical Education, strives to create and sustain a teaching, learning, and training environment to equip physicians to serve the healthcare needs of communities across the state of North Carolina.
As we continuously aspire to be one of the nation’s top public schools of medicine, and develop faculty leaders through excellent education, training innovation, and providing exceptional support.
UNC SOM and UNC Healthcare is committed to attract from around the nation the most qualified and skilled medical students interested in serving underserved communities. We extend this opportunity to fully experience our medical specialty training programs for future residents by offering the Larry D. Keith Visiting Student Electives Scholarship.
Program Description
All scholarship recipients will complete a 4-week rotation in a chosen elective, meet with the respective program directors, and have informal as well as formal opportunities to meet with faculty, and resident mentors at the UNC SOM. At this time, the scholarship applies only to electives completed onsite at Chapel Hill.
Requirements
To qualify for the scholarship, applicant must apply via Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) on the AAMC website and be accepted into a clerkship rotation, as well as submit the scholarship application.
- Enrolled in an MD or DO, US medical school program (must be a LCME Accredited Institution)
- U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and permanent residents.
- Currently enrolled 4th year medical students
- Have completed core clinical clerkships prior to participation in the visiting clerkships
- Have a record of good academic standing
- A medical student committed to serving in communities with physician shortages
The Larry D. Keith Scholarship for Visiting Student Electives Application is currently closed.
The application for 2026 electives will be available in May 2026.
Please note that scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis and applicants will be notified of final decisions when the selection process is complete. There are limited scholarships available.
How to Apply (rotations from May – December 2025)
- If you plan on applying for the Visiting Student elective, please first complete your VSLO application.
- Once you have received and confirmed your offer of acceptance for a visiting rotation at the UNC School of Medicine (Chapel Hill site only):
- submit a copy of your letter of acceptance
- send both the VSLO letter of acceptance and the application as attachments in one email with a clear subject line.
- The scholarship recipients will be selected from those applicants who are approved and subsequently confirm acceptance for a visiting elective rotation at UNC SOM in Chapel Hill.
Available Rotations
- Anesthesiology
- Dermatology
- Emergency Medicine
- Family Medicine
- Medicine
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopaedics
- Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
- Pediatrics
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Psychiatry
- Radiology
- Radiation Oncology
- Surgery
- Urology