A physician, dentist, PhD, medical student, or other healthcare professional who is invited to visit Memorial Hospital under the sponsorship of a physician on the medical staff for the purpose of observing clinical or non-clinical activity.
The Office of Graduate Medical Education oversees a limited scope Observership Program. The program enables medical students (both domestic and international) and domestic physicians/scientists the opportunity to interact with our experts and observe clinical and educational activities, including various conferences, medical grand rounds, and seminars.
These programs are by invitation only. You must be offered sponsorship by an MSK faculty member to apply. Please note, there is no formal mechanism to pair potential candidates with sponsors. Due to the high volume of requests, we are not able to respond to every inquiry regarding the program, nor accommodate every request. For questions regarding information not covered on this page, please contact [email protected].
Clinical observers are processed through three pathways:
- Medical Students (domestic and international students)
- Domestic Physicians (practicing physicians)
- International Physicians (practicing physicians)
Medical students and domestic physicians are processed through the GME office. International physicians are processed through the Bobst International Center’s International Clinical Observer Program.
Medical Student Observership Program
- Applicants must be actively enrolled in a medical school (international or domestic). Medical school graduates are no longer eligible for this program.
- Clinical observers are entirely “hands-off” and no academic credit is granted.
- Third and fourth year medical students interested in a “hands-on” experience should visit the medical elective program for visiting U.S. and international medical students.
- Medical student observers are limited to 10 days per academic year.
- Additional details can be found on the Medical Student Observer Site
Domestic Clinical Observer Program
- Applicants must have completed schooling and be a practicing physician, dentist, PhD, or related healthcare professional employed at a healthcare institution within the United States.
- Domestic clinical observers are limited to a maximum of three months.
International Clinical Observer Program
- Applicants must have completed schooling and be a practicing physician, dentist or PhD with a hospital affiliation outside of the United States.
- International Observers are limited to 30 days.
- Additional eligibility and application details can be found on the International Clinical Observer Program site. All inquires for international observers should be directed to [email protected].
Application Process for Domestic Physicians
Clinical observers are by invitation only. Again, there is no formal mechanism to pair potential candidates with sponsors. If you have been offered an opportunity to observe a current MSK faculty member, the application process is detailed below:
- Confirm dates for the proposed observership. At least four weeks advance notice is required in order to facilitate application review, but a longer advance notice may be helpful in order to facilitate approval well in advance of any required travel arrangements.
- Once approved, the MSK faculty member or a member of their administrative staff must initiate the application by submitting a request to the Office of Graduate Medical Education
- GME will send the observer an invitation to complete the online application. The application includes basic information as well as supporting documentation (including a Health Attestation)
- Accepted applicants will receive an email from GME confirming their acceptance and providing details of their first day onsite.
All communication must go through the office of the sponsoring physician – please do not reach out to GME to inquire about the status of your application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do clinical observer programs provide hands on patient care?
No, physicians and dentists seeking formal residency or fellowship training with “hands-on” patient experience must be formally enrolled in a Memorial Hospital Graduate Training Program. For information about our fellowships, click here. For residencies, click here. For information on “hands on” Medical student opportunities click here.
Are clinical observers able to participate in research?
Physicians looking for strictly research positions should inquire with the research arm of the institution, the Sloan Kettering Institute (SKI). For information regarding research positions, please see the SKI Education and Training page here.
Are other healthcare professionals eligible to apply through the GME clinical observer programs?
No, GME does not facilitate opportunities for Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants or any other Advanced Practice Providers. Additionally, GME does not facilitate observerships for undergraduate, high school, or any other student population.
Does GME assist with matching interested students and physicians with faculty members? Can you accept my application if I have not confirmed with a faculty member?
No, if you have not been offered sponsorship by a faculty member, we cannot consider your application at this time.
Do these programs provide travel, housing, food and/or stipends?
No, clinical observer programs do not provide travel, housing, food, stipends, and/or allowances.
Does GME provide academic credit or certificates on completion for clinical observers?
No, GME does not provide certificates of completion or verify observerships.
For questions regarding information not covered on this page, please contact [email protected].