Achieving Health Equity by Advancing Diversity (AHEAD)—Visiting Student Program

The AHEAD Visiting Student Program (VSP) is for non-MUSC students who wish to participate in a fourth-year clinical rotation at MUSC and explore its residency programs. AHEAD-VSP is open to students from underrepresented groups, including students with disabilities, those from rural backgrounds, first-generation college students, members of the LGBTQ+ community, those from disadvantaged or marginalized backgrounds, and other students interested in diversifying the physician workforce and/or addressing healthcare disparities in the communities they serve.

The goal of this program is to recruit talented residents, who have met all requirements for visiting student rotations listed on the AAMC Visiting Students Learning Opportunities (VSLO) website, and aid MUSC in addressing healthcare disparities. Once accepted as a visiting student in the clinical rotation through VSLO, students may participate in the AHEAD Visiting Student Program. Unfortunately, we are not able to accept international medical students as they are not eligible for VSLO.

Participants have the opportunity to meet with representatives from the College of Medicine Dean’s Office to learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion for students and residents at MUSC. Support for travel and housing may be available to applicants through individual departments. To apply for these funds, students must first submit a completed VSLO application including the department-specific requirements listed on VSLO (please contact individual departments for more information). While gaining experience in their selected disciplines, visiting students have access to the MUSC library, Center for Academic Excellence, MUSC Wellness Center, and other student facilities, as well as to various educational programs and seminars.

The AHEAD Visiting Student Program has 2 components:

1. Student Engagement: All visiting students from an underrepresented group in medicine or who express interest in diversifying the physician workforce and/or addressing healthcare disparities in the communities they serve are invited to participate in the AHEAD program and meet with representatives from the College of Medicine Dean’s Office and underrepresented in medicine residents to learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion for students and residents at MUSC.
2. Student Scholarship: All visiting students from an underrepresented group in medicine or who express interest in diversifying the physician workforce and/or addressing healthcare disparities in the communities they serve may apply for a scholarship to support travel and housing while at MUSC, provided by the department to which the student is accepted. The department decides the number and amount of scholarships available and also decides who is awarded scholarship. See list below for departments participating in the scholarship component of AHEAD VSP. Please contact the department for more specific information on criteria for scholarship.

Application deadline for the AHEAD Visiting Student Program is June 30, 2024.

Scan this QR code or visit this link to apply.

Department	Scholarships Available per Year	Amount per Scholarship	Contact Person
Anesthesiology	2	$1,000	Kim Bartlett, bartletk@musc.edu
Dermatology	2	$1,000	Mark Lynch, lynchd@musc.edu
Emergency Medicine	Up to 5	$500	Pamala Mead, medap@musc.edu
Family Medicine	1	$1,000	Sierra Goodman, goodmasi@musc.edu
Internal Medicine	4	Up to $1,500	Mary Ann Snell, snellma@musc.edu
Neurology	2	$500	Michael Watson, watsomic@musc.edu
Neurosurgery	1	$1,000	Carole Lavender, lavendec@musc.edu
OB/GYN	2	$2,000	Andrea Shrader, shradera@musc.edu
Orthopaedic Surgery	2-3	$1,000	Joan Graesch, graesch@musc.edu
Otolaryngology	1	$1,000	Anita Cheslek, cheslear@musc.edu
Pathology	1	$1,000	Dr. Nick Batalis, batalini@musc.edu
Pediatrics	1-2	$1,000	Emily McGinnis, mcginnie@musc.edu
Psychiatry	1-2	Up to $1,000	Mae Laroya, laroya@musc.edu
Radiology	1	$1,200	Tiana Keener, keenerti@musc.edu
Surgery	2	$1,000	Da'Myesha Haynes, hayndamy@musc.edu