Our summer clinical externship is designed for medical students between their first and second years of medical school.
The externship provides exposure to emergency medicine by giving you the opportunity to shadow physicians in a high-volume clinical setting. It allows you to continue developing patient history and physical examination skills with the help of emergency medicine attending and resident physicians.
You’ll progressively grow in responsibility and hone your skills to perform independent patient evaluations and present them to the senior resident or attending physician.
As part of our program, you’ll also:
- participate in resident and medical student didactics
- develop skills for reading and interpreting evidence-based medicine at our journal club
- strengthen your oral presentation skills
In our simulation laboratory, you’ll learn and practice procedures such as:
- intubation
- central lines
- chest tubes
- suturing
- splinting
- ultrasound
- running resuscitations
Training in electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation and other clinical skills are also part of the specifically designed curriculum for our externship program.
Externship details and how to apply
The summer clinical externship is a four-week program and takes place in June. Housing is provided at an off-site location, and you’ll need a vehicle for transportation.
The application period opens on Dec. 1 each year and closes Feb. 1. Students accepted into the externship will be notified by email by March 1.
To apply, complete the medical student program application form and attach a current copy of your curriculum vitae (CV) and a brief essay outlining your interest in the program (500 words or fewer).
Please save your CV and essay files as follows:
<Your last name> Externship CV
<Your last name> Externship Essay
2026 Summer Externship Program
Eligible Students:
- Medical students between their first and second year of medical school.
Student Benefits:
- Early exposure to emergency medicine via shadowing physicians in a busy community academic center.
- Continue to develop history and physical examination skills with the help of Emergency Medicine attendings and residents.
- Progressive responsibility with the ability to perform independent patient evaluations and present directly to the senior resident/attending.
- Participation in resident and medical student didactics. These are in addition to a curriculum specifically designed for the externship.
- Learn and practice various procedures in our simulation center (i.e. intubation, central lines, chest tubes, suturing, splinting, ultrasound and running resuscitations.)
- Develop skills reading and interpreting evidence-based medicine by attending our monthly Journal Club.
- Specific training in ECG interpretation and other clinical skills.
- Development oral presentation skills.
Requirements:
- Successful completion of MS-1 year.
- Weekly clinical shadowing shifts and observed history and physical exams.
- Attendance at Thursday medical student academic days.
- Attendance at scheduled medical simulation sessions.
- Completion of oral case presentation.
Externship Logistics:
Monday, June 1, 2026 to Friday, June 26, 2026
$1500 stipend provided to accepted students. (Housing is not included). All students must have a vehicle, no exceptions. Parking is provided.
How do I apply?
You may apply starting in December 2025. Send an essay outlining your interest in the program (500 words or less) and a curriculum vitae to gboyer2@wellspan.org and CC cdowney3@wellspan.org by the application deadline of February 20, 2026.
PLEASE STRUCTURE THE FILE NAME OF YOUR CV AND ESSAY AS FOLLOWS:
<Your last name> Externship CV
<Your last name> Externship Essay
Accepted students will be notified via electronic mail by March 13, 2026.
Dr. Gregory Boyer, DO
Director of EM Medical Student Clerkship
Dr. Nicole Peters, DO
Assistant Director of EM Medical Student Clerkship
