Children's Mercy Visiting Medical Student Elective

Welcome to the Mercy + ME program! Our program seeks to provide qualified fourth-year medical students from various backgrounds exposure to medical education, clinical experience and research opportunities in academic medicine at Children's Mercy Kansas City. Students from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply including those with a range of lived experiences, those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged and first-generation college students. 

Program description

Selected applicants will spend four weeks rotating on with Pediatric subspecialty services based on availability. Rotations take place June through September.

Recommended electives include:

• Adolescent Medicine
• Allergy/Immunology
• Child Neurology
• Developmental and Behavioral Medicine
• Foster Care Clinic
• Pediatric Cardiology
• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Pediatric Nephrology
• Pediatric Orthopedics
• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Pediatric Rehabilitation
• Pediatric Rheumatology
• Pediatric Surgery
• Sports Medicine

Rotations will also include one ½ day per week dedicated to unique clinical and research experiences with current Children’s Mercy faculty. Applicants will have the opportunity to provide care to diverse patient population with exposure to a wide spectrum of pediatric diagnoses while working closely with trainees and faculty. Participants will be expected to attend all scheduled educational conferences including (but not limited to) morning report, noon conferences, grand rounds and teaching sessions.

Mentoring and networking

Participants will meet with faculty from various backgrounds at Children’s Mercy throughout the rotation as well as current pediatric residents. Frances Turcotte-Benedict, MD, MPH (Medical Director of GME Support, Opportunity, Access and Respect) will serve as the physician contact for applicants throughout the pediatric rotations. Students will also have the opportunity to meet with the Pediatric Residency Program Director and current residents in the residency program. Applicants interested in orthopedic surgery and pediatric surgery will have the opportunity to meet with program leadership in those departments.

Financial assistance

Selected participants will be awarded up to $1,500 for reimbursement of travel, meals and applications fees. Lodging is provided at a loft near the hospital. More information will be sent on the free lodging once scheduled for the rotation.

Eligibility

Current full-time fourth-year medical students, who are in good standing at accredited U.S. medical schools are eligible to apply. All are welcome to apply including individuals with a variety of backgrounds and life experiences.

Deadline

The deadline for applications is the end of May each year. Rotations will be between June and September of each year only. We encourage applicants to apply early to receive their top elective choices. 

• Step 1- Review VSLO Catalog of electives and dates offered. Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO).
• Step 2- Apply for the Mercy+ME Program-Mercy + ME application
  • Must email- Dr. Frances Turcotte Benedict, the Mercy + ME Program Director, fgturcotte@cmh.edu
    • One letter of recommendation
    • Current Curriculum Vitae
    • Mercy + ME application

• Step 3- Apply on VSLO for the top 3 electives you listed on your application. You can apply for more, but only the electives on your Mercy+ME application will be accepted for the Mercy+ME Program.
  • Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO)
    • Rotations applied for outside of the June-September dates will be considered like any other visiting student request.

Selected applicants will be notified within 2 weeks of receipt of their application.