Frequently Asked Questions

1. When can I log in to VSAS?
2. When do our students use VSAS?
3. Does my school need to use VSAS?
4. I have an access code, what's next?
5. How do I log in to VSAS?
6. Can international and osteopathic students use VSAS?
7. How were the 10 pilot host schools chosen?
8. Will all schools be host schools after the pilot?
9. What is a "home school"?
10. What is a "host school"?
11. Who pays VSAS fees?
12. Will VSAS host schools also charge application fees?
13. What is an "authorization"?
14. What if I forgot my password?
15. What if I forgot my username?
16. What is a VSAS Primary Contact?
17. Do you offer online tutorials?
18. Do students enrolled at a VSAS host school automatically use VSAS?
19. How do I grant access to inactive students in VSAS?
20. Do the host schools have additional application requirements outside of VSAS?

1. When can I log in to VSAS?

If you are not the VSAS Primary Contact at your institution, you may log in to VSAS once the Primary Contact adds you as a VSAS user.

2. When do our students use VSAS?

Your students ONLY need to use VSAS if they are applying to senior away electives at any of our 10 pilot host schools.

3. Does my school need to use VSAS?

U.S. LCME medical schools will only use VSAS if your students apply for senior away electives at any of our 10 pilot host schools:

• Boston University School of Medicine
• Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
• Georgetown University School of Medicine
• Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine
• University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine
• University of Kansas School of Medicine
• University of Michigan Medical School
• University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine
• University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio
• Wake Forest University School of Medicine

4. I have an access code, what's next?

When your school adds you as a VSAS user, you will automatically be sent the "VSAS: New User Instructions" e-mail which will contain an access code.

Go to the AAMC's registration Web page and submit the access code. If you already have an AAMC Login (the same login you may already use for AMCAS, ERAS, CIM, etc.), please enter that username and password. If you do not have one, follow the instructions to register with AAMC. Before completing this process, you will be asked to choose an AAMC username and password (if you do not have one already).

5. How do I log in to VSAS?

Before you may log in, the VSAS Primary Contact at your school will need to add you as a user. Once that occurs, you will be sent the "VSAS: New User Instructions" e-mail, which will contain an access code.

Go to the AAMC's registration Web page and submit the access code. If you already have an AAMC Login (the same login you may already use for AMCAS, ERAS, CIM, etc.), please enter that username and password. If you do not have one, follow the instructions to register with AAMC. Before completing this process, you will be asked to choose an AAMC username and password (if you do not have one already).

6. Can international and osteopathic students use VSAS?

VSAS is not yet available for international and osteopathic student use. They should use the Extramural Electives Compendium (EEC) for visiting student application information.

[Top]

7. How were the 10 pilot host schools chosen?

Twenty-nine schools volunteered for host school duty during the pilot and this group was reduced to 10 when the following criteria was applied: schools with a relatively high volume of applications, two schools per region, and schools with centralized and decentralized processes.

8. Will all schools be host schools after the pilot?

No, host school participation in VSAS will remain optional. Each year, schools will have the opportunity to volunteer to be a host school for the following academic year.

9. What is a home school?

The term "home school" identifies the school from which a student receives their medical degree. Home schools support student applications in VSAS by uploading transcripts, verifying student data, and releasing applications to host schools. Review FAQ #3 to learn when home schools will need to use VSAS.

10. What is a host school?

The term "host school" identifies any U.S. medical school where students take electives as visiting students. VSAS host schools are schools that will be accepting visiting student applications through this software. See FAQ #3 for a complete list of participants.

11. Who pays VSAS fees?

Students
Students pay VSAS application fees which are based on the number of schools they apply to, not the number of electives.

The fee for the first school applied to is $35, regardless of the number of electives applied for at that school.
The fee for each additional school is $15, again, regardless of the number of electives applied for at those schools.

Home Schools
VSAS will not assess home school fees during the pilot year (2008-2009). After the pilot, home schools will pay a $5 fee for each student who applies through VSAS. This fee is considered a "lifetime" fee and will be assessed just once per student, even if they submit multiple applications over a period of time.

Host Schools
VSAS will not assess host school fees during the pilot year (2008-2009). After the pilot, host schools will pay an annual flat fee of $500 to receive visiting student applications through VSAS.

12. Will VSAS host schools also charge application fees?

The 10 participating host schools will not be charging students additional application fees. But, the host school reserves the right to assess a processing fee when they offer an applicant a spot in an elective.

13. What is an "authorization"?

An authorization gives students the ability to log in to VSAS and the amount of authorizations issued determine how many elective applications the student may submit. Issued authorizations can be increased or decreased at any time.

14. What if I forgot my password?

Go to the AAMC's Forgot Password Web page. Enter your username and e-mail address, this will be the e-mail you submitted when you created this username, so you can reset your password.

15. What if I forgot my username?

Please contact VSAS at vsas@aamc.org or 202-478-9878.

16. What is a VSAS Primary Contact?

Each school has designated a VSAS Primary Contact who is the AAMC's contact as well as the institutional contact for other home and host schools.

Please contact VSAS at vsas@aamc.org or 202-478-9878 if you would like to know who your school's contact is.

17. Do you offer online tutorials?

Yes. We offer nine online tutorials that will walk you through the following VSAS steps.

Setup Tasks

• Create a new role
• Create new school user
• Modify an e-mail template

Home School Tasks

• Issue authorizations to a student
• Decrease a student's authorizations
• Upload a transcript
• Verify student data
• Release applications to Host school(s)
• Run a report

To view these tutorials, and other online resources, see the Resources section.

18. Do students enrolled at a VSAS host school automatically use VSAS?

No. Students only use VSAS when appling for away electives at our 10 pilot host schools.

19. How do I grant access to inactive students in VSAS?

All of the students at your medical school, including those marked inactive, can be accessed through VSAS. To locate these students on the "Issue Authorizations" screen you will need to use the Filter. Choose the "inactive" option from the "Year" drop down menu before clicking the "Filter" button.

20. Do the host schools have additional application requirements outside of VSAS?

Yes, please refer to Application Requirements for VSAS Host Schools for a full description of each school's requirements.

[Top]