The Department of Family and Community Medicine offers a multitude of advanced electives for third and fourth year medical students. 

Sub-internships and ambulatory family medicine electives are offered both within Iowa City as well as at additional locations across Iowa. Electives within subspecialties of family medicine are also available, including Family Medicine-Psychiatry, Sports Medicine, Geriatrics, and Maternity Care. There are also distinctive longitudinal electives that offer ongoing learning and exposure to specific topics throughout the academic year, such as Continuity of Care in Family Medicine and Caring for the Underserved. Individually arranged electives that meet students’ interests and educational needs are also available. For a comprehensive list of all advanced electives offered as well as course descriptions, visit the CCOM Advanced Curriculum website.

Enrollment for family medicine advanced courses is completed through the CCOM Office of Student Affairs and Curriculum. Some courses, as noted in the course descriptions, require permission to register. Contact the Family Medicine Medical Student Education Coordinator for registration assistance.

Some electives are offered at our Regional Medical Education Centers throughout the state of Iowa. Individually arranged electives that meet students’ interests and educational needs are also available. For a full comprehensive list of all advanced electives offered please review the CCOM Advanced Curriculum.

For any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to our education team: fm-clerkship@uiowa.edu

Application Process

The process for students to obtain a visiting clerkship in the Department of Family and Community Medicine is described below:

1. Interested students complete the departmental application to the University of Iowa Department of Family and Community Medicine. Applications are due 8 weeks prior to the date of the requested clerkship. Application information is below.

   a. Applications will be competitively reviewed, and the top applicant(s) will be offered conditional acceptance by 6 weeks prior to the date of the requested clerkship.
   b. Conditional acceptance from the Department of Family and Community Medicine does not guarantee enrollment in the clerkship, as students must apply and be approved through the CCOM  Visiting Student Application process (item 4 below).
   c. The education team will make every effort to inform all applicants of the decision regarding their request by 6 weeks prior to the date of the requested clerkship.

2.  The University of Iowa Visiting Student Scholars Program is a competitive program which provides a stipend to students who are from underrepresented populations as defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)Students who qualify are encouraged to apply for this stipend even prior to receiving conditional acceptance, as this application must be completed at least 6 weeks before the requested clerkship start date. Find complete details at the UI Visiting Student Scholars in Medicine website. 
3. Applicants who have received conditional acceptance then complete the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Visiting Student Application. This application must be completed at least 4 weeks prior to the requested clerkship start date. This application includes a $100 non-refundable fee.

Departmental Application

Interested students submit the following in a PDF to the Medical Student Education Coordinator at fm-clerkship@uiowa.edu:

1. Name of requested advanced elective
2. Dates requested
3. Student information
     1. Name
     2. Class year
     3. E-mail address
     4. Phone number
     5. Name of medical school
     6. Name of undergraduate school and degree
     7. Current CV
     8. Medical school transcript (unofficial)
     9. Documentation of a passing result for USMLE Step 1

4. Letter of Interest
     1. Describe why you are interested in the specific elective
     2. Length should be 250 words or less

Once a student has completed and been officially accepted through the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine for a visiting rotation, housing options near the hospital are provided. Reasonably priced, four-week housing blocks can often be found with current medical students or residents. Access to personal transportation is recommended if taking the Family Medicine-Psychiatry rotation as this elective requires students to go to various clinical sites throughout the Iowa City area.