2024-2025 Pediatric Electives and Acting Internships
Welcome to University of Colorado Pediatrics!
The University of Colorado Department of Pediatrics is proud to offer more than 20 acting internship and elective courses for fourth year medical students who are interested in Pediatric clinical experiences. Our courses are generally four weeks in length and are structured to gauge a student's clinical abilities based on six core clinical competencies. These courses are appropriate for students who are interested in Pediatrics and supplemental to students who are pursuing adult specialties.
Our courses provide students with exposure to all aspects of pediatrics including general academic pediatrics, sub-specialized care, inpatient medicine, emergency and intensive care, along with research courses that support scholarly activities. Each course has its own course director who oversees the development and implementation of the curriculum for their course. Most of our courses are open to visiting students who are currently enrolled in an accredited medical student program. We hope the information provided in the ensuing paragraphs is informative and helpful for students who are planning their 4th year of medical school.
Contact Information:
| Jennifer Soep, MD | Michael Baca, MHA |
4th-Year Medical Student Director
| Mentoring Scholarship & Fellowship Education Coordinator Email: Michael.Baca |
For Visiting Medical Students - Our Application Season will open March 3, 2025
Are you Interested in One of Our Courses?
Our fourth year student program welcomes students from over 130 LCME accredited medical schools from across the U.S. and like most medical schools, we use the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO), program, which is an online application service developed by the AAMC for senior "away" electives. Please check with your institution to see if they use this service. In order to register for a rotation with our program, you will need to submit a request through VSAS. It is important to know that VSAS will not open for registration until March of each academic year. Any applicant who applies to VSAS also needs to complete our supplemental application form below.
Disclaimer: Being accepted for an externship rotation with our institution does not constitute or imply an endorsement by our residency program and sponsoring faculty. Application approval and participation in a rotation does not guarantee an invitation for an interview for a residency position. In addition, availability for a preferred sub-specialty rotation is left to the discretion of each division considering the division’s resources and the needs of learners who are already part of the University of Colorado Department of Pediatrics. Any applicant who applies to VSAS also needs to complete our supplemental application form below.
Link: University of Colorado Externship Supplemental Application
Are you an Osteopathic or International Medical Student?
Osteopathic or international medical students who are interested in registering for one of our pediatric courses should review the University of Colorado Visiting Student webpage for a more detailed information about the application requirements. For additional information, please contact the University of Colorado School of Medicine Visiting Student Coordinator: For additional information about our pediatric courses, please contact the Pediatric 4th Year Medical Student Coordinator:
Are you Curious About our Pediatric Residency Programs?
We are proud to have one of the top pediatric residency programs in the U.S.. Detailed information about our residency program can be found on the University of Colorado Pediatric Residency Program webpage. We also offer pediatric focused residency positions in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Medicine-Pediatrics and Child Neurology.
Colorado Child Health Diversity Stipend and Experience
The University of Colorado’s School of Medicine and the Children’s Hospital Colorado believe that diversity is a value that is central to their educational, research, service and health care missions. The Diversity In Pediatrics Committee’s (DIPC) mission is to recruit and support diverse pediatric residents, to better reflect the community we serve, and to increase cultural competency in the health care workforce; all while fostering a program culture that promotes and values diversity.
As part of this mission, the DIPC “Colorado Child Health Diversity Stipend and Experience” was designed to help offset the costs of an away externship rotation for fourth year medical students interested in caring for medically underserved pediatric populations in Colorado and increase the exposure that medical students have.
Unique Program Highlights
- In addition to their assigned rotation, scholars have the opportunity for an immersion experience in an outpatient underserved clinic
- Additional unique experiences can also be crafted to meet the scholar’s interests
- Each scholar will have an assigned resident mentor and also a faculty advisor to assist with connecting with the greater University of Colorado and Denver/Aurora community
For additional information, you may visit our Diversity and Inclusion website, or contact the Resident Diversity Committee at: DIPC@childrenscolorado.org
For University of Colorado Students
Are you Interested in Pediatrics?
The University of Colorado Department of Pediatrics is committed to advising any medical student who is considering a career in Pediatrics or Med/Peds. Dr. Jennifer Soep, Director of the Infant Child and Adolescent Care Clerkship and Pediatric Phase IV Sub-internship and Elective medical student programs. Jenny is happy to meet with any University of Colorado medical student who is contemplating a career in pediatrics.
Dr. Soep advises students about career exploration, fourth-year scheduling, applying to residency and specific information about residency programs across the country. Students who are fully committed to a career in pediatrics are encouraged to meet with the Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Stephen Daniels.
- Dr. Jennifer Soep: Jennifer.Soep@childrenscolorado.org
- Phone: 720-777-5417
- Dr. Stephen Daniels' assistant: Laurie.Arnold@childrenscolorado.org
- Phone: 720-777-5822
For more detailed information about each of the courses we offer, please view the CU School of Medicine Course Book. You can also visit the Office of the Registrar's website to learn how to register. Any specific questions about registering for a course should be directed to the University of Colorado School of Medicine Student Life Registrar:
- Deborah Jackson: deborah.jackson@cuanschutz.edu
- Phone: 303-724-6404
Planning Your Fourth Year?
In August of each year, the Department of Pediatrics hosts an evening meeting for all senior students interested in pediatrics. This is an opportunity for students to ask questions about selecting a residency program, preparing a CV, writing a personal statement and interviewing for a pediatric residency position. At this meeting, we provide students with a copy of our University of Colorado Pediatric Residency Preparation Manual.
Additional websites that may be helpful for students considering a career in pediatrics:
- FREIDA
- COMSEP
- AAP Becoming A Pediatrician
- Prospective pediatric residents are encouraged to contact our current residents directly regarding the pediatric residency program at the medical school they have attended. A photograph of the current housestaff with a list of their names and the medical schools they have attended can be found on the “Who We Are” link.
- Students are also encouraged to contact our pediatric fellows by clicking the hyperlink below for a list of our fellowship programs. On each fellowship webpage you will find a "current fellows" tab. This is where you will see a list of fellows for each of our sub-specialties, along with the name of the medical school they attended and the residency program they have completed.