Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I need to use VSAS?
- What are the VSAS application requirements?
- How do I get started using the software?
- Where do I find my VSAS username and password to
log in?
- I have an access code, what's next?
- How do I log in to VSAS?
- Can Canadian, international and osteopathic students
use VSAS?
- Which institutions are participating in VSAS?
- Will all medical schools and members of COTH eventually
be VSAS host institutions?
- What is a home school?
- What is a host institution?
- What is VSAS?
- How much does VSAS cost?
- What is an "authorization"?
- What if I forgot my password?
- What if I forgot my username?
- Who at my school issues authorizations?
- Do you offer online tutorials?
- How do I cancel/withdraw a submitted application?
- Do the host institutions have additional application
requirements outside of VSAS?
- How do I reorder my submitted applications?
- If I accept an offer, will that affect my pending
applications at another host institution?
1. Do I need to use VSAS?
You will only use VSAS if you are enrolled at a U.S.
LCME medical school and are applying for senior away electives
at any of the VSAS host institutions.
If you are not applying to one of these institutions, please
use the Extramural
Electives Compendium (EEC) for visiting student application
information.
2. What are the VSAS application requirements?
Each student will be asked to submit the following information
when filling out the online VSAS application:
- Contact Information
- Core Clerkship Completion Dates
- Photograph (may be optional)
- Curriculum Vitae (may be optional)
- Immunization form (per host institutions, may be optional -
can be uploaded only after you submit applications)
Once you certify (PDF, 1 page)
and submit your application, your home school will add the following
data to your application:
Additional Requirements: Some host institutions may require
additional documentation to supplement the VSAS application. We
highly recommend you use the "Schools" tab in VSAS to review each
host institution's application requirements.
3. How do I get started using the software?
Once you have determined that you will need to use VSAS, your first
step will be to log in to VSAS. But, before you may do so, you will
need to request that your home school issue you authorizations.
When authorizations are issued to you, VSAS will send you a detailed
"VSAS: New User Instructions" e-mail containing all your
login details and instructions. Review Using
VSAS for step-by-step instructions in how to submit a VSAS application.
The one-page "Quick Start
Card" for students is also a handy resource.
If you're not sure who at your home school can issue you authorizations,
start with the office or person who assists with your 4th year schedule
(e.g., student affairs office or visiting student coordinator).
4. What username and password do I use to log
in?
After your school issues you authorizations, VSAS will send you
the "VSAS: New User Instructions" e-mail containing your
login details and instructions. If you have used an Association
of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) service before, such as AMCAS
or Careers in Medicine, you will be sent your AAMC username inside
of that e-mail. If you do not remember the corresponding AAMC password,
you may reset
it. If you do not remember the e-mail address registered with
your AAMC login, please contact VSAS for assistance at vsas@aamc.org
or 202-478-9878.
If you do not have a AAMC Login, this VSAS e-mail will instead
include an access code and a registration URL (this registration
page requires your access code). You will be asked to submit your
contact information and choose a username and password to complete
the registration process.
5. I have an access code, what's next?
If VSAS e-mailed you an access code with your "VSAS: New User
Instructions" e-mail, please go to the AAMC's registration
Web page, submit your access code and follow the instructions
to register with AAMC. Before completing this process, you will
be asked to choose a username and password and, finally, you'll
be transferred in to the VSAS software.
6. How do I log in to VSAS?
Before you may log in, your home school will need to issue you
authorizations. When authorizations are issued to you, VSAS will
send you a detailed "VSAS: New User Instructions" e-mail
containing your login details and instructions.
My e-mail contained an access code
Go to the AAMC's registration
Web page, submit your access code and follow the instructions
to register with AAMC. Before completing this process you will be
asked to choose a username and password and, finally, you'll be
transferred in to the VSAS software.
My e-mail contained a AAMC registered username
Go to the VSAS login
page and enter this username and corresponding password to log
in to VSAS.
7. Can Canadian, international and osteopathic
students use VSAS?
VSAS is not yet available for international, osteopathic, or students
enrolled at Canadian medical schools to use. Please use the Extramural
Electives Compendium (EEC) for visiting student application
information.
8. Which institutions are participating in VSAS?
In addition to inviting more U.S. AAMC member schools to join the
program for 2010, VSAS is expanding availability to members of the
AAMC's Council of Teaching
Hospitals and Health Systems (COTH) through a pilot program
next year.
During the 2009-2010 academic year, 64 schools
are VSAS host institutions. These institutions will receive visiting
student applications and assign electives through VSAS.
Home schools will participate in VSAS only when their
students apply to one of the VSAS host institutions.
9. Will all medical schools and members of COTH
eventually be VSAS host institutions?
Host participation in VSAS will remain optional. Each year, U.S.
AAMC-member medical schools and members of the AAMC's Council of
Teaching Hospitals and Health Systems (COTH) will have the opportunity
to sign on as a host institution for the following academic year.
10. What is a home school?
The term "home school" identifies the school from which
you will receive your medical degree.
Your home school will support your VSAS application by uploading
your transcript and immunization records, verifying your student
status, and releasing your application to potential host institutions.
Only students enrolled at at a U.S.
LCME medical school may apply through VSAS.
11. What is a host institution?
The term "host institution" identifies any U.S. AAMC-member
medical school or members of the AAMC's Council of Teaching Hospitals
and Health Systems (COTH) where students take electives as visiting
students. VSAS host institutions are institutions that will be accepting
visiting student applications through this software. See FAQ
#8 for a complete list of participants.
12. What is VSAS?
The Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS) is an AAMC application
designed to streamline the application process for senior "away"
electives at other U.S. LCME medical schools and independent teaching
hospitals that are members of the Council of Teaching Hospitals
and Health Systems (COTH). This service requires students to submit
just one application for all institutions, effectively reducing
paperwork, miscommunication, and time. VSAS also provides a centralized
location for managing offers and tracking decisions. It was created
at the request of two GSA committees: Committee
on Student Records (COSR) and Committee
on Student Affairs (COSA).
13. How much does VSAS cost?
VSAS application fees are based on the number of institutions you
apply to, not the number of electives applied for.
The fee for the first institution you apply to is $35, regardless
of the number of electives you've applied for at that institution.
The fee for each additional institution is $15, again, regardless
of the number of electives you've applied for at those institutions.
For example, if you apply for electives at three institutions,
your total fees will equal $65:
| |
$35 |
1st institution fee |
| |
$15 |
2nd institution fee |
|
+
|
$15 |
3rd institution fee |
| |
$65 |
TOTAL fees |
*If you re-apply to one of these three institutions, you will not
be charged a second application fee.
Will VSAS host institutions also charge application fees?
The participating host institutions will not charge additional
application fees. But, the host institution reserves the right to
assess a processing fee when they offer an applicant a spot in an
elective.
Who else pays VSAS fees?
Beginning in Fall 2009, home schools will pay an annual fee of $500
(an introductory fee of $250 will be assessed for 2009) and participating
host institutions will pay an annual fee of $500 to receive applications
through VSAS.
14. What is an "authorization"?
An authorization gives you the ability to log in to VSAS and the
amount of authorizations issued determine how many elective applications
you can submit.
If you were issued 10 authorizations you could apply for up to
10 electives. For example, you can apply to the same elective 10
times by choosing a different date each time. Or you can apply to
10 separate electives.
If you use up all your authorizations VSAS will not allow you to
submit additional applications. You would need to request further
authorizations from your home school.
15. What if I forgot my password?
Go to the AAMC's Forgot
Password Web page. Enter your username and the e-mail address
you submitted when you created this username. For example, if AMCAS
was the first AAMC service you used, it would be the e-mail address
you were using during that time.
16. What if I forgot my username?
Review your "VSAS: New User Instructions" e-mail to see if your
username is listed there. If it is not, please contact VSAS at vsas@aamc.org
or 202-478-9878.
17. Who at my home school issues authorizations?
If you're not sure who at your school can issue you authorizations,
start with the office or person who assists with your 4th year schedule
(e.g., student affairs office/visiting student coordinator).
18. Do you offer online tutorials?
Yes. We offer six online tutorials that will walk you through the
following VSAS application steps:
To view these tutorials, and other online resources, see Resources.
19. How do I cancel/withdraw a submitted application?
Students may withdraw single applications through your "Applications"
tab. Once on this tab, you will see "withdraw" buttons
for each of your pending applications.
20. Do the host institutions have additional
application requirements outside of VSAS?
Some host institutions may require additional documentation to
supplement the VSAS application. Use your "Schools" tab in VSAS
to review each host institution's application requirements.
21. How do I reorder my submitted
applications?
You may change the rank order of your submitted applications through
your "Applications" tab. Once on this tab, choose the
"View by: School" option and you will then see a "Change
Order" button appear for each institution to which you have
applied. Once you save your new order, this information will be
automatically updated at your home and host institution(s).
22. If I accept an offer, will that
affect my pending applications at another host institution?
Your decision on one application will not affect any others, nor
will one host institution know what decisions you've made at another.
For example, you can accept two offers at two different institutions
as you determine which one you will attend. Please note that VSAS
will send you reminders if you have scheduling conflicts with accepted
or offered electives, but the software will not take any actions
on the applications themselves.
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