Pathology Rotations for Visiting Medical Students
Thank you for your interest in a fourth-year pathology elective experience at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Below are the electives we currently offer and the processes to be followed by individual international and non-LCME medical students to aid you in the decision process.
Application Process
- After submission through the UT Southwestern Visiting Medical Students portal (VMS), applications are sent to the relevant course director for review. Notifications will be sent via email; please allow 30-60 days for the review process.
- Acceptance by a faculty member outside the standard application process does not guarantee program admission.
- Application processing is managed by the Visiting Student Coordinator, and, in conjunction with the course director, they are the only entities who may issue official offers of acceptance.
Before applying, please review our FAQ's to help answer some commonly asked questions.
Course Listings
(Note: pathology electives are limited and are based on the number of students and trainees that can be accommodated. Therefore, choosing alternative courses is encouraged)
- PATH 2104 – Hematopathology (Offered during blocks 7 – 12 only)
PATH 2104 Hematopathology course description
- Application: International/NON-LCME Visiting Medical Student Portal (International)
- Length: Four weeks
- Prerequisites: Completion of core required clerkships
- PATH 2105 – Transfusion Medicine (Offered during blocks 7 – 12 only)
PATH 2105 Transfusion Medicine course description
- Application: International/NON-LCME Visiting Medical Student Portal (International)
- Length: Four weeks
- Prerequisites: Completion of core required clerkships
- PATH 2107 – Pediatric Pathology (Offered during blocks 7 – 12 only)
PATH 2107 Pediatric Pathology course description
- Application: International/NON-LCME Visiting Medical Student Portal (International)
- Length: Four weeks
- Prerequisites: Completion of core required clerkships
- PATH 2110 – Neuropathology (Offered during blocks 1 – 12)
PATH 2110 Neuropathology course description
- Application: International/NON-LCME Visiting Medical Student Portal (International)
- Length: Four weeks
- Prerequisites: Completion of core required clerkships
Block Schedule: All block schedule dates are inflexible and should be considered when scheduling an elective block. Refer to VMS Calendar.
Application Requirements
- International Medical Student Application Requirements
- Application: Medical students will complete the application on the International/NON-LCME Visiting Medial Student Portal.
- Applying for more than one elective rotation does not guarantee a rotation spot.
- Curriculum Vitae: Must be updated and uploaded (PDF format).
- Official Medical School Transcript: Must include pre-clinical and clinical courses. (If any requirements are missing from your transcript, your application is considered incomplete for review.)
- Letter of Intent: Designed to express your interest in working with this organization, why you are interested, and what skills and experiences you have that the program might find valuable.
- Letter(s) of Recommendation (LOR): Must be submitted from a clinical preceptor through the International Visiting Medical Student Portal:
- All LORs must be submitted before your application is considered complete for review – Be proactive in making sure your LORs are completed and submitted along with application.
- USMLE Step 1: COMLEX Level 1 will be accepted in place of the USMLE Step 1 for DO students (Step 1 is highly preferred).
- International applicants must have completed and passed a Step 1 exam.
- Letter of Good Standing: Attestation of good standing is not required if “YES” is indicated on the verification by your school.
- Once an offer is made, additional credentialing and supporting documentation will be requested. If all requested materials are not received six weeks in advance of the start of the rotation, the offer will be revoked.
- USMLE Step 1: International applicants must complete and pass the Step 1 exam.
- Visiting international student applications need to create an account and submit applications via the International/NON-LCME Visiting Medial Student Portal. Submissions will only be reviewed with confirmation of payment via the International/NON-LCME Visiting Medical Student Portal.
- All required documents included in the email should be in a PDF format.
- Application: Medical students will complete the application on the International/NON-LCME Visiting Medial Student Portal.
- VMS Calendar 2025-2026
Below is a chart for you to understand the specific dates of certain rotations. Attention to rotation start dates and required submission dates are highly encouraged.
*This includes any off-cycle rotation datesVMS Calendar 2025-2026 (3257) Block VSAS Offer Deadline Begin Date End Date Block 1 05/23/2025 07/07/2025 08/01/2025 Block 2 06/20/2025 08/04/2025 08/29/2025 Block 3 07/18/2025 09/01/2025 09/26/2025 Block 4 08/15/2025 09/29/2025 10/24/2025 Block 5 09/12/2025 10/27/2025 11/21/2025 Block 6 10/04/2025 11/24/2025 12/19/2025 Block 7 11/21/2025 01/05/2026 01/30/2026 Block 8 12/29/2025 02/02/2026 02/27/2026 Block 9 01/16/2026 03/02/2026 03/27/2026 Block 10 02/27/2026 04/13/2026 05/08/2026 Block 11 03/27/2026 05/11/2026 06/05/2026 Block 12 04/24/2026 06/08/2026 07/03/2026