What We Do -> Reproductive Health Externship Program

Resources:

RHE Host Facility Catalog for Medical Students
RHE Host Facility Catalog for Residents
RHE Funding Application
RHE Budget Format
Host Facility Confirmation Form

Quick Links:
About the Program
RHE Program Requirements
How to Set Up an Externship
Contacting a Provider/Facility Listed in the Catalog
Contacting a Provider/Facility NOT Listed in the Catalog

About the Program

The primary goal of the Medical Students for Choice Reproductive Health Externship (RHE) Program is to fund students’ efforts to obtain clinical exposure to abortion care. We hope to demarginalize abortion in health care by expanding the base of pro-choice physicians who, regardless of their specialty, are comfortable discussing the full range of reproductive health issues, including abortion, with their patients. The long-term goal of this program is to ensure that abortion becomes a standard part of women’s reproductive health care by increasing the number of medical students who provide abortion care in their future practices.

RHE Program Requirements

In order to qualify for funding, you must be a 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th year medical student or a resident currently enrolled and in good standing at an accredited medical school or residency program in the United States or Canada who wishes to obtain clinical exposure to abortion care. All applicants are responsible for locating a host facility and arranging a Reproductive Health Externship before applying for funding. In order to qualify for funding, applicants must do the following:

• Arrange an Externship with a facility that will provide clinical exposure to the provision of at least 50 abortion procedures during the course of their Externship.
  
• Submit a complete Funding Application along with the Host Facility Externship Confirmation Form completed by your host facility, and all supporting documents to MSFC for consideration at least 1 month prior to the start date of your Externship.

Funding Applications will be accepted year-round and up to $1,000.00 in funding will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis to applicants meeting all program requirements. Priority is given to applicants who are not likely to receive clinical exposure to abortion care in their medical school or residency curricula. Funding is intended to help offset expenses incurred by students during the course of their externships such as travel, housing, transportation, etc. and does not cover your ongoing living expenses (i.e. current rent, food, car payments, etc). It is anticipated that this funding will cover most, if not all, of the additional expenses you will incur in seeking this training opportunity.

Students and residents approved for funding must complete a Pre-Externship Survey and a Post-Externship Survey prior to and upon completion of the Externship, respectively. Funding is distributed in two payments with the first payment issued halfway through the Externship and the second payment issued upon externship completion and receipt of the Post-Externship Survey.

How to Set Up an Externship

The first step for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year medical students or residents interested in receiving clinical exposure to abortion provision is to find an abortion-providing host facility. We recommend you choose a location where you will be able to acquire housing. After choosing a location, you can either contact a provider/facility listed in our Host Facility Catalog (broken down by state in the U.S. and province in Canada) or you can contact an abortion provider/facility not listed in the Catalog. Keep in mind that each facility follows specific security protocols and some facilities may require that students complete an application process before inviting students to complete an Externship. After arranging your externship dates you will need to complete all parts of the Funding Application, and have your Host Facility complete the Host Facility Externship Confirmation Form before submitting both documents to the RHE Program for consideration. The RHE Program must receive both documents before applications will be considered complete, and only complete applications will be reviewed for funding.

Contacting a Provider/Facility Listed in the Catalog

When you contact a provider/facility from the Catalog, explain who you are (your name, year in medical school or residency program, and name of your medical school or residency program), why you’re calling (to inquire about arranging an Externship opportunity), and ask to speak with the contact person or title listed. If a specific contact person or title was not listed, or the contact person listed is no longer at the facility, ask to speak with the most appropriate person. If the contact person for a facility has changed, please inform the RHE Program Manager of the change via email at externs AT ms4c DOT org . Keep in mind that each facility follows specific security protocols and some facilities may require that students complete an application process before inviting students to take part in an Externship.

Contacting a Provider/Facility NOT Listed in the Catalog

You may choose to arrange your externship at an abortion-providing facility not listed in the Catalog. Keep in mind that your externship must guarantee exposure to at least 50 abortion procedures to qualify for funding. If the person you speak to is not familiar with Medical Students for Choice or the Reproductive Health Externship Program, give the person you speak to the name and contact information of MSFC’s RHE Program Manager. Keep in mind that each facility follows specific security protocols and some facilities may require that students complete an application process before inviting students to take part in an Externship. If you have any questions or need assistance in this process please contact RHE Program Manager at externs AT ms4c DOT org or 215-625-0800.