International Visiting Scholars

At the Memory and Aging Center (MAC), we welcome the opportunity to train physicians, psychologists and other medical professionals from around the world. The MAC International Visiting Scholar Program offers opportunities to collaborate on ongoing research projects.

International Visiting Scholar Application

International visiting scholars are physicians, psychologists or other medical professionals who wish to observe in our clinic or potentially collaborate in ongoing research projects at the MAC. Visiting scholars are often from abroad and funded by their home institutions during their time at the MAC. Visiting scholars are not required to have a US medical license and are not permitted to evaluate patients on their own. Please note that observation in the clinic is limited to one to two days per week per scholar, but there are clinical research visits to observe on other days.

Requirements

There are two types of visiting scholars: 1) Clinical Observers and 2) Research Scholars. Clinical Observers may participate for up to three months, with a minimum of one month. Please note medical students are not eligible for clinical observation. For Research Scholars, a minimum six-month stay is required. All applicants will have to show proof of English proficiency, preferably through recent TOEFL scores.

Visas and Administrative Fees

For Clinical Observation visits lasting up to three months, a B visa is required. Clinical Observation visits are submitted to the Department of Neurology Education Division, for processing. For visits longer than three months, a J1 visa is required and will be sponsored through UC San Francisco. The cost for a short-term J1 visa (less than one year) is $590 and a J1 (more than one year) visa is $670. The J1 visa fee increases with each additional year. Upon arrival, scholars reimburse the UC Regents for any visa costs. The source of funding/payment for the visit must be identified before acceptance to the program. Visiting scholars are responsible for their own accommodations. Candidates who demonstrate a strong interest or record of leadership in dementia research or clinical work may apply for limited financial assistance.

Application Process

The first step is to complete the Application Form. Please submit the completed application via email to [email protected]. The application deadline is five to six months before the applicant’s preferred start date. We ask that applicants begin their visit on the first of the month. Once the application has been reviewed, we will contact you.

In addition to the program packet, prospective Research Scholars are required to submit a five-page research proposal that outlines their research question and hypotheses, summarizes relevant literature and the significance of the proposed research, and includes methods and specific planned analyses.

For further inquiries, please contact [email protected].