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What can I do during the Cleveland Clinic observership experience?
The policies of the program limit observers to shadowing. Although hands-on activities are prohibited, participants may watch procedures and surgeries and join physicians for rounds or teaching conferences.
Who is eligible?
Students and physicians at different levels of training and practice are eligible to take part in this program. This includes international physicians who have completed training and are in practice, residents and fellows training in programs outside the U.S., and international medical students. Please note that final year medical students are ineligible as are international medical graduates seeking residency or fellowship positions in the U.S.
Participants may only participate if they hold one of the following visa types: B1, B2, F2, H4, J2, L2, O3, or ESTA. Of note, Cleveland Clinic is unable to accept observers from certain countries. These include Belarus, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Russia, Syria, Ukraine, and Venezuela.
How long is the observership?
Observers are permitted to shadow for one month.
Which specialties are available?
As specialty choices are limited, this program is best suited for participants interested in one of the specialties offered. Specialties offered include:
Pediatrics (observerships available in neonatology, pediatric cardiology, pediatric gastroenterology, hematology/oncology, intensive care unit)
Internal Medicine (observerships available in clinical cardiology, medical intensive care, pulmonary medicine, pulmonary critical care)
Otolaryngology (observership available in head & neck surgery)
Plastic Surgery (observership available in plastic surgery)
How will this help me for residency?
As an institution on the cutting-edge of medicine, completing an observership at the Cleveland Clinic can be a wonderful experience. Observers will gain an understanding of how healthcare is delivered at an academic medical center in the U.S. Although observers are not permitted to interact with patients, they may participate in discussions of these patients during rounds, watch procedures or surgeries, or attend teaching conferences.
Although your Cleveland Clinic observership can be listed in your ERAS application for residency and is of obvious interest to residency programs, the clinical experience may not fulfill the requirements of some programs. These are programs that require or prefer applicants complete hands-on clinical experiences in the U.S. As such, an observership would not meet their selection criteria.
Will I receive a letter of recommendation?
While it is true that some observers have been able to secure letters from the experience, others have not. Please also note that the strength of these letters may be limited for two reasons. First, you will be functioning purely as an observer. Second, because your attendings will often change at one-week intervals, it may be difficult to establish close relationships with these faculty because of the short duration of time spent working with them on the service.
How to apply?
Applicants must select a program period of interest. There are two program periods per year, one from January to June and the other from July to December. If you are interested in completing the observership between January and June, you must apply six months before the program period begins. The same is true for observers interested in the July to December period. Please note that you may only apply to one specialty. After deciding on your program period and specialty, you will submit the application along with the required documents and pay the fee.
What is the selection process?
Applicants must submit their CV, one-page personal statement addressing their interest in the program, letter of recommendation from a physician or medical school dean printed on official letterhead, and proof of current employment or medical school enrollment verification letter. Competence in the English language is a must.
When will I know if I am accepted?
Final decisions are made in March and September for the July to December and January to June time periods, respectively.
What is the cost?
Unlike most university observership programs which have fees ranging from $ 2500 to $ 8000, the Cleveland Clinic observership fee is $ 500. Of that amount, $ 200 is paid as a non-refundable processing fee at the time of your application submission. If you are accepted as an observer, you will be responsible for paying the remaining $ 300 to secure your position. The relatively affordable cost of the clinical experience makes this an incredibly popular observership.
Can I cancel?
Although you may cancel by sending a notification in writing, your processing fee of $ 200 is non-refundable. If you have paid the entire amount of $ 500, it is possible to receive a refund of $ 300 if visa issues do not permit travel, personal or family issues arise, or the hosting department is unavailable. To receive a refund, you must contact their office in advance or on the orientation day.
Where can I get more information?
Send your questions to CIME@ccf.org.
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