This scholarship is intended to support students who identify with historically underrepresented groups in orthopedic surgery, including but not limited to:

• Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Southeast Asian (i.e. Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian, Vietnamese)

• Disabled persons / Persons with a disability

• Socioeconomically disadvantaged persons*

• Gender diverse, including but not limited to transgender, gender expansive, and/or nonbinary**

• Individuals with unique experiences in advocacy for these populations

Candidates must ALSO meet the following requirements:

• Plan to apply for residency in Orthopedic Surgery

• Enrolled in an LCME or AOA accredited medical school

• U.S. Citizen, Canadian citizen, or permanent resident of the United States

• In their final year of training at the time of rotation at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

*Socioeconomic disadvantage is not always experienced in neat concentrations of people in recognizable communities or circumstances – it may broadly apply to educational or social disadvantage, such as, but not limited to, coming from a low-income family, an underserved rural or farming community, being a first-generation college student, previously or currently experiencing homelessness, or previously being in the foster care system.

**Gender diversity is an umbrella term used to describe gender identities that demonstrate a diversity of expression beyond the binary framework.

To apply for the UW Orthopedic Surgery Diversity Scholarship, complete this online application and include the following pdf documents with your application:

• Curriculum vitae

• Personal Statement (500 words or less)
  Please provide information you would like to share about your background and tell us why you would like to do a sub-internship at UW-SMPH.

• Supplemental Essay Question (500 words or less)
  Describe a challenge you have faced in which you were able to share a unique perspective. Describe how the principles of diversity, equity, and/or inclusion impacted both your personal experience with the challenge and the experiences of other participants. (500 words or less)

Note: Candidates must also apply as a visiting student at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. 

The Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation offers fourth-year electives in orthopedic surgery to visiting medical students during the months of July through October (Course # 936-939 – Adult Orthopedics for Future Ortho Clerkship).
Students find this a great opportunity to evaluate the program. These four-week rotations are approved and competitively arranged by the Department.

VISTING STUDENT APPLICATION DEADLINE:

March 15, 2025
Decisions are made on a rolling basis.

To apply as a visiting student, please submit the following documents to Heidi Ableidinger

• Letter of Interest
• Medical Student Transcripts
• Current CV
• USMLE 1 Score

Please review the UW SMPH Visiting Medical Student Clerkship Program page for specific University of Wisconsin policies regarding visiting students.

Each application will be reviewed by the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation DEI Committee. Scholarships will be awarded based on an individualized, holistic review of each application, including (but not limited to) the students’ demonstrated commitment to and/or interest in the following:

1) The principles of diversity, equity and inclusion,

2) Service and civic/community engagement,

3) Academic success, and

3) Rotating at UW-SMPH.

An annual review will be undertaken by the scholarship committee for the purpose of tracking number of applications, recipients, and whether or not the program is satisfying its mission. Scholarships will be revised as needed.

Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation DEI Committee
Brian Nickel, MD
Tamara Scerpella, MD
Andrea Spiker, MD

For more information, contact:

Heidi Ableidinger

Education Program Manager
ableidinger@ortho.wisc.edu