We offer financial support to visiting medical students who wish to complete a four-week advanced elective or "sub-internship" rotation with one of the nation’s premier neurosurgery service lines.

The Iowa Scholarship for Visiting Students in Neurosurgery

This scholarship is available to medical students who have successfully completed their third year at an LCME-accredited institution.

Please note that students enrolled in osteopathic programs are not eligible to apply.

Each year, one or two exceptional students attending medical school outside Iowa are selected for this award, designed to assist with domestic travel and housing expenses during their rotation.

This program provides an opportunity to gain hands-on exposure to all facets of neurosurgery while experiencing firsthand the outstanding clinical training, research opportunities, and education offered to residents by the University of Iowa Department of Neurosurgery.

Visiting medical students will benefit from:

  • A Supportive Environment:
    A collaborative and collegial atmosphere where students, residents, fellows, and faculty work together across a wide range of clinical experiences.
  • Comprehensive Educational Programming:
    Access to structured teaching conferences, research opportunities, and the full spectrum of neurosurgical expertise.
  • An Excellent Quality of Life:
    A chance to live and learn in one of America’s best college towns while engaging with an inclusive group of professionals who value participation, curiosity, and growth.

Additionally, scholarship recipients will develop and deliver a 10- to 15-minute presentation on a neurosurgical research topic of their choice during one of the department’s educational conferences.

How to Apply

Applications for the Iowa Scholarship for Visiting Students in Neurosurgery must be submitted alongside or after applying for a visiting elective no later than May 15.

Please note that receiving this scholarship does not guarantee a visiting clerkship during specific dates. Clerkship placement depends on availability and final approval by the Carver College of Medicine Visiting Student Elective Program.

To apply, please send one email

Attention: kathy-escher@uiowa.edu

With the following materials attached:

  • A personal statement, including a paragraph explaining your interest in a rotation at the University of Iowa.
  • A letter of recommendation from a faculty member at your medical school.