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Join VSAS in 2010!
More U.S. LCME medical schools may now join VSAS as host institutions
in 2010. In addition, VSAS is expanding availability to independent
academic medical centers which are members of the AAMC's Council
of Teaching Hospitals and Health Systems (COTH) through a pilot
program next year (space is limited for pilot).
Questions? Please contact Melissa Donner at 202-862-6002 or
mdonner@aamc.org.
How Does My Institution Join?
Your institution will need to review, sign and return a VSAS Participation
Agreement to Melissa Donner by December 1, 2009. The agreement
may be faxed to 202-862-6097 or emailed to mdonner@aamc.org.
Your institution is eligible to join VSAS if it is a:
Why VSAS? What are the Benefits?
Host institutions use VSAS to handle their senior away elective
applications from applicants eligible* to apply through VSAS, and
institutions enjoy the following benefits:
- Reduced paperwork
- Standardized online application
- Allow applicants to request their own start/end dates, if appropriate
- Track elective enrollments
- Provide online searchable elective catalog
*At this time, students enrolled at a U.S. LCME medical school
are eligible to apply through VSAS
How Does VSAS Work?
A general guide can be found in the How to
Use VSAS section of this Web site, but, briefly, the following
application processing steps are available through VSAS:
- Determine eligibility of applicants
- Schedule or deny applications
- Approve scheduled applications by departments (optional step)
- Notify applicants of host institution decision
- Track applicant responses
Host Institution Feedback
"Due to VSAS, we are starting to receive applications from
parts of the country where we haven't seen applicants before. The
system has been very easy to implement and has improved our existing
application processing procedures."
—Chris Meiers, Assistant Dean of Students/Registrar, University
of Kansas Medical Center
"Our students love using the Visiting Student Application
Service. They have been impressed with ease of use and appreciate
the quick reply they receive from the schools. From their perspective
the only drawback has been the limited number of schools using the
system. On the administrative end it is also a success. The support
we receive from you and your colleagues is outstanding! I am so
glad we were selected to participate in the pilot."
—Ellen DiFiore, Registrar, Boston University School of Medicine
"At Georgetown, we have benefited greatly from serving
in the VSAS pilot program as a host school. Specifically, the organizational
control that VSAS brings to the visiting student process eliminates
the paper that we previously labored under. The Web-based program
securely houses the applications, and prevents the confusion that
was associated with this process. Data is easily retrievable, either
individually or in the aggregate. A much more streamlined system.
Our clinical departments are pleased that we are quickly able to
analyze student requests, and make elective offers in a more timely
fashion."
—Linda Gwinn, Assistant Dean for Curriculum Management,
Georgetown University School of Medicine
"This program saved OHSU (and me) a lot of time and trees.
My visiting student files went from a full lateral file drawer to
about 6 inches of file drawer space. The applications arrived online
in a logical and easy to read format. It was easy to contact the
applicant and if necessary their home school. My departmental coordinators
and their faculty liked receiving the applications online instead
of the paper copies of the past. They were able to track their visiting
student applicants better and everyone agreed that it was a success."
—Marcia DeCaro, Student Records Manager/Visiting Student Coordinator,
Oregon Health & Science University
"VSAS has drastically changed the face of our visiting
students application process, both for our student body and visiting
student applicant pool. Convoluted pipelines have been streamlined,
and chaotic back-and-forth of hard-copy applications and information
has been replaced with efficient communication and organization.
We have far less opportunities to become burdened by the needs to
track down 'missing applications' or verify eligibility hastily.
Any visiting student application process, however centralized or
not, will benefit from the efficiency and user-friendliness offered
by VSAS."
—Sofia Almeda, Assistant Registrar, University of Texas
HSC, San Antonio
Annual Fee
Host institutions will pay a $500 annual fee to accept visiting
student applications through VSAS. This fee will be assessed each
fall, beginning fall 2009.
Note: members of COTH who participate in the 2010 pilot
program will not be charged an annual fee for the 2010-2011 academic
year.
Have Questions? Want to Learn More?
In addition to the following, the "VSAS
Information for Prospective Host Institutions" document
contains detailed information about the VSAS application and an
application processing overview.
QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION WITH HOST SCHOOLS
Representatives from our current host institutions are available
by teleconference to answer questions from prospective institutions
and to share their experiences.
To RSVP: Please e-mail Melissa Donner at mdonner@aamc.org
for call-in details.
- Wednesday, October 21 at 11:00a.m.-12:00 p.m. (Eastern)
- Wednesday, October 28 at 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. (Eastern)
VSAS SOFTWARE DEMONSTRATIONS
VSAS staff will demonstrate the software and answer questions from
prospective host institutions.
To RSVP: Please e-mail Melissa Donner at mdonner@aamc.org
for call-in and web access details.
- Tuesday, October 20 at 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. (Eastern)
- Tuesday, October 27 at 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (Eastern)
AAMC ANNUAL MEETING
The following VSAS related activities will be held during the Annual
Meeting in Boston, MA (November 6- November 11):
- VSAS Update Session
Friday, November 6 at 1:00-2:00 p.m.
This session will provide a look at VSAS' usage during its second
year, emerging national trends, software enhancements available
in 2010, and "lessons learned" by our home schools and host institutions.
- VSAS Booth
The exhibit hall will be open:
Sunday, November 8 - 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and 3:30-5:00 p.m.
Monday, November 9 - 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
AAMC staff will be available to demonstrate the software, solicit
feedback, and answer questions. In addition, a representative
from one of our host institutions, Boston University, will be
available to share their experience using VSAS.
SPEAK WITH VSAS
If you would like to speak one-on-one with a VSAS representative,
please contact Melissa Donner, VSAS Senior Specialist, at 202-862-6002
or mdonner@aamc.org.
VSAS WEB SITE
The VSAS for Host Institutions Web site
was designed to assist our current and future host institutions.
Please review these Web pages for additional information, FAQs,
and online documentation and resources.
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