Thank you for your interest in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at the University of Washington.
We offer a variety of one-month, clinical electives available to visiting 4th year medical students based in Seattle, WA. Medical students are required to apply through AAMC’s Visiting Student Learning Opportunities system, VSLO. VSLO will begin accepting applications on March 3rd, 2026. Please note that placement in an elective in our Department does not guarantee an interview for the Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program and there will not be an interview following the rotation. All residency interviews are separate from the visiting student program and students who are interested in our residency are expected to apply when residency applications begin.
2026-2027 UW Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine course catalog will be viewable to prospective students on February 2nd, 2026 on VSLO. Students can begin submitting applications on February 2nd, 2026 and scheduling will begin on April 1st, 2026 and will continue on a rolling basis through August.
VSLO Tips and Information:
- Students are highly encouraged to submit applications for multiple clerkships and timeframes due to limited availability.
- Students are expected to use their institution email to register for VSLO.
- Be sure to review all institution requirements to ensure your application is fully complete upon submission.
- Applications “Under Review” indicate that our Visiting Student Office, visitstu@uw.edu, is reviewing your application for completion. They will be in contact with you if there are missing portions of your application. Offers cannot be sent if your application is incomplete.
- Refrain from emailing the department and Visiting Student Office for updates on your application selection.
Please contact our Medical Education Program Manager, Jessica Jin, at orthomsp@uw.edu with any questions.
This page is current as of 1/27/26 and has been updated for the 26-27 cycle.
The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine offers the following courses to visiting students.
Courses
ORTHP 676 – Pediatric Orthopaedics
Offered AWSpS – 4 Weeks
Prerequisites: Third year required Surgery clerkship, third year medical student standing
Sites: Seattle Children's Hospital and Harborview Medical Center (for Trauma call)
This is a full-time, four-week clerkship at Seattle Children’s devoted exclusively to the evaluation and management of musculoskeletal problems of infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Comparison of children with fairly straightforward developmental variations to those with extensive, total body, multisystem deformities such as cerebral palsy and spinal bifida is the essence of this rotation. An appreciation of normal variations and natural history of structural deformities in children is stressed. This is particularly useful to students planning a career in pediatrics or family medicine in addition to those interested in orthopedic surgery as a career. An appreciation for timing of orthopaedic procedures in relationship to normal childhood development, and an appreciation of the effects of development and maturation on procedures carried out in childhood are developed. In addition to active participation in the many and varied outpatient clinics, students will participate in workup and care of the inpatients. Taking call is required.. Attendance at the many weekly didactic teaching sessions is required.
Availability: 1 student per 4-week rotation
ORTHP 677 – Musculoskeletal Trauma
Offered AWSpS – 4 Weeks
Prerequisites: Completion of third year required Surgery clerkship, third year medical student standing
Sites: Harborview Medical Center
Instruction takes place at Harborview Medical Center and involves general orthopaedics but is weighted toward musculoskeletal trauma. It is geared to third- and fourth-year students. Students are assigned to one of the three orthopaedic teams with a one-in-three call schedule. When their team is on call, they will be expected to spend time seeing and treating patients in the emergency room, following them to the ward and possibly to the operating room. In this way, they will learn the basics of treating acute trauma. On the days when they are not on call, they will spend their time primarily in the various clinics where faculty subspecialty interests (hand, hip, spine, foot and knee) are reflected in the patient population present in the clinic. Here the emphasis will be placed on musculoskeletal examination and treatment. They will also attend cast clinics where instruction will be given in casting and splinting techniques. Attending rounds will be made separately each week with the students emphasizing the patients they are following. Presentations on various aspects of trauma care are given regularly. Taking call is required.
Availability: 1-6 students per 4-week rotation
ORTHP 678 – Musculoskeletal Oncology
Offered AWSpS – 4 Weeks
Prerequisites: Completion of third year required Surgery clerkship, third year medical student standing
Sites: Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Seattle Children's Hospital, UW Medical Center, and Harborview Medical Center (for Trauma call)
In-depth experience on musculoskeletal oncology service with primary involvement in initial evaluation, staging, treatment, and postoperative follow-up of patients with various musculoskeletal malignancies. The oncology rotation for medical students provides a basic understanding of the incidence of sarcomas and metatastic adenocarcinomas in adults and children. Taking call is required.
Availability: 1 student per 4-week rotation
ORTHP 680 – General Orthopaedics Clerkship
Offered AWSpS – 4 Weeks
Prerequisites: Completion of third year required Surgery clerkship, third year medical student standing
Sites: Seattle VA Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center (for Trauma call)
This is a full-time, four week clerkship at Seattle VA Medical Center. It is structured to provide a basic education in the fundamentals of the musculoskeletal system. Heavy emphasis is placed on the reconstructive alternatives in the treatment of degenerative joint diseases. Students must be fully registered at least 12 weeks before their rotation begins to apply for a VA badge and be fully credentialed. This means applications need to be submitted on VSLO well before the 12-week mark to be considered. A real ID or passport is required for credentialing. Taking call is required.
Availability: 1 student per 4-week rotation
ORTHP 681 – Sports Medicine Orthopaedic Clerkship
Clerkship Offered AWSpS – 4 Weeks
Prerequisites: Completion of third year required Surgery clerkship, third year medical student standing
Sites: Sports Medicine Center at Husky Stadium, UW Medical Center, and Harborview Medical Center (for Trauma call)
When the clerkship is completed, the student will be able to perform and present a history and directed physical exam of patients presenting with sports-related musculoskeletal complaints. Recite a differential diagnosis for shoulder pain in the active patient (with and without a history of injury) and describe the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with post-traumatic hemarthosis of the knee. List the common treatment recommendations for patient with patellofemoral pain. Describe the expected history and physical findings in a patient with tendonitis, stress fracture, torn meniscus, ACL tear, rotator cuff tear, shoulder dislocation, AC separation and ankle sprain. Taking call is required.
Availability: 1 student per 4-week rotation
ORTHP 684-Spine Surgery
Clerkship Offered AWSpS - 4 Weeks
Prerequisites: Completion of third year required Surgery clerkship, third year medical student standing
Sites: Harborview Medical Center
This course is preceptor-based outpatient, inpatient, emergency and operative orthopaedic care. Students will work with the faculty in the Spine Service which specializes in adult reconstructive spine surgery, with a goal to maintain the highest standards of care in the evaluation and management of all patients with spinal disorders. This goal applies to education and research activities of the Spine Service in addition to providing state-of-the-art direct patient care. You will have an opportunity to participate in each aspect of this mission.
Availability: 1 student per 4-week rotation
ORTHP 685 -Adult Reconstruction Total Joint Clerkship
Offered AWSpS – 4 Weeks
Prerequisites: Completion of third year required Surgery clerkship, third year medical student standing
Sites: UW Medical Center Northwest Hospital and Harborview Medical Center (for Trauma call)
Preceptor-based outpatient, inpatient, emergency, and operative orthopaedic care. Students work with faculty in the Total Joint Service which specializes in lower extremity adult reconstructive surgery, including: complex primary hip/knee arthroplasty; less invasive approaches to hip/knee arthroplasty; revision hip/knee arthroplasty; periacetabular and proximal femoral osteotomy; osteotomy about the knee; and hip arthroscope.
Availability: 1 student per 4-week rotation
ORTHP 687 - Shoulder and Elbow Clerkship
Offered AWSpS – 4 Weeks
Prerequisites: Completion of third year required Surgery clerkship, third year medical student standing
Sites: UW Medical Center, UW Medical Center Roosevelt Clinic, UW Medical Center Northwest Hospital, and Harborview Medical Center (for Trauma call)
Preceptor-based outpatient, inpatient, emergency, and operative orthopaedic care. Work with the faculty in the Shoulder and Elbow Service, which provides comprehensive evaluation and management for a wide range of shoulder and elbow problems, including: arthritis, dislocation or instability, fractures, rotator cuff/tendon tears, joint stiffness, and unsuccessful previous surgery.
Availability: 1 student per 4-week rotation