Department of Pediatrics
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, along with the downtown Madison Isthmus and Wisconsin State Capitol, are pictured in an early morning aerial taken from a helicopter on Oct. 23, 2018. (Photo by Bryce Richter /UW-Madison)

Visiting Pediatrics Rotation & Scholarship Opportunities in Pediatrics

Scholarships are currently available for the 2025-2026 academic year.  Read on for more information!

The University of Wisconsin Department of Pediatrics is an academic department located in vibrant Madison, Wisconsin. Our Department and residency program believe that achieving greater diversity will enhance our organization even further. We strive to recruit a workforce that mirrors our patients, and recognize this is an important factor to promoting health equity. We embrace diversity in all its forms— race, ethnicity, culture, gender, experience, ability status, and more.

A visiting rotation is a great way to get to know our program and our city! All students are welcome to apply for visiting rotations through the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) process. Interested students who meet all eligibility requirements (below) can also apply for a $2000 scholarship for travel expenses and housing. This is a competitive application process. Students who are not offered a scholarship are still encouraged to apply for an unfunded visiting rotation through our regular VSLO process.

With more than 200 faculty members, 15 pediatric residents per year, and numerous sub-specialty fellowship programs, there is always something new and exciting happening.  But if you ask most people who work here what they value most, nearly everyone will mention the wonderful people as our greatest asset.

Department Overview

Our Department includes

  • A free-standing 111-bed children’s hospital
  • 16 subspecialty Divisions
  • Numerous primary care and outreach sites both within and outside of Madison
  • Robust clinical, research, advocacy and educational activities

Our relationships with interdisciplinary UW Health Sciences programs, including nursing, pharmacy, and public health; access to the vast resources of the other colleges and schools on the UW’s main campus; and proximity to the state capitol mean the possibilities for innovation, collaboration and advocacy are endless.

To learn more about our commitment to elevating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism please visit our Departmental and Residency Program websites.

Program Overview

Visiting students will have the opportunity to rotate for four weeks with one of a variety of available subspecialty services, which will include outpatient clinics and may also include inpatient consultative opportunities:

    • 7/7/25-8/1/25 (Cardiology; Hematology/Oncology)
    • 9/1/25-9/26-25 (Cardiology; Hematology/Oncology)
    • 9/29/25-10/24/25 (Infectious Disease; Pulmonology)
    • 10/27/25-11/21/25 (Cardiology; Infectious Disease)

Regardless of rotation selected, the student will have the opportunity to:

  • Participate in learning conferences such as morning report, journal club, and block didactic sessions
  • Meet with our program director and faculty engaged in clinical and/or academic work in area(s) of particular interest to the applicant
  • Experience first-hand the collegial atmosphere within or program, while having an enriching educational experience
  • If desired, we will facilitate optional meeting(s) with faculty and/or residents with shared identities, interests, or life experiences

Eligibility Requirements

All students interested in rotating here are encouraged to apply via VSLO. If not applying for a scholarship, no further action is needed.

To be considered for a scholarship, an applicant must:

  • Be in the final year of their medical training
  • Have completed their core clerkship in Pediatrics
  • Plan to apply for residency positions in Pediatrics in the upcoming application cycle
  • Attend an LCME or AOA accredited medical school
  • Be a U.S. citizen, Canadian citizen, or permanent resident of the United States
  • Have received a passing score on USMLE Step 1 or COMLEX Level 1
  • Be available to participate in a visiting clerkship in at least one of the designated time frames listed above
  • Be willing to adhere to institutional safety practices. At the time of this posting these include providing evidence of COVID-19 vaccination and booster; and ability to provide documentation of N-95 fit testing from your home institution.  These are subject to change
  • Meets one or more of the following criteria:
      1. High level of financial need.
      2. First generation college student (neither parent received a baccalaureate degree).
      3. Students who contribute to the intellectual and cultural enrichment of the program because of their life experiences, including overcoming personal adversity or family hardship, records of extensive community service, or successful careers in other fields.
      4. Significant barriers to achieving higher education, such as experience in the foster care system, living in a single-parent household, having an incarcerated parent, or responsibilities for providing financial support or primary care for other household members.
  • Complete the additional application instructions listed below

Application Instructions

Students who are interested in applying for this competitive scholarship should submit the following materials via email to Emily Ruedinger, MD MEd at eruedinger@wisc.edu.

  • Brief cover letter which includes specification of all dates and subspecialties that you would be willing to accept; and if you have any preferences among those dates/specialties
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Copy of your medical school transcript (unofficial transcript is acceptable)
  • One- to two-page essay that incorporates all of the following:
      1. Explicit confirmation that you meet all scholarship criteria listed above; elaborate to provide specifics where appropriate. You may create a bulleted list for this portion of the essay
      2. Your career goals
      3. Why you are interest in the visiting clerkship with the University of Wisconsin Department of Pediatrics
      4. Please include any additional information that you feel is relevant. This may include unique characteristics or experiences that you would like us to know about; explanation(s) of any irregularities in your transcript or training; or similar content

Scholarship applications will be reviewed starting on May 5, 2025 and on a rolling basis thereafter. If you are applying after May 5, 2025, please reach out regarding remaining availability.

Students who are offered a scholarship must also apply through VSLO, but may defer on the VSLO application until their scholarship application has been reviewed. Students who have not yet completed a VSLO application when a scholarship is offered must apply for a visiting student rotation in Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin and submit all required VSLO materials within five business days of accepting the scholarship.

Please direct questions to Emily Ruedinger MD, MEd at eruedinger@wisc.edu.