Bridging Healthcare Gaps Externship
Bridging Healthcare Gaps Externship (EMED 8011)
Apply for our electives by searching for Emergency Medicine in ‘University of Colorado SOM’ on VSLO.
Offered June-November for 2026
The purpose of this program is to guide and support senior medical students who have demonstrated
commitment to building healthy communities and who will be pursuing emergency medicine as a career. This
externship is a combination of a sub-internship with the Department of Emergency Medicine at Denver
Health Medical Center and University of Colorado Hospital and community engagement that focuses on
improving healthcare for all. In addition to 14 clinical shifts at our two Level 1 trauma hospitals (Denver Health Medical Center and University of Colorado Hospital), students will engage in community outreach opportunities from various organizations that share a
mission to bridge healthcare gaps for our local Denver community including: AIM and Denver Public High Schools, Medical Career Collaborative (MC²) program, Denver The Harm Reduction Action Center, and the BA/BS MD Medical School University Program. Students accepted for this program will be awarded a $2500 scholarship stipend to offset travel, lodging, and other expenses.
Dates for our 4-week DENVER Externship rotation for 2026 are:
6/28/26 - 7/24/26
7/26/26 - 8/21/26
8/23/26 - 9/18/26
10/11/26 - 11/6/26
Curriculum
The externship is a 4-week rotation with clinical shifts and community engagement experience.
Prerequisites
This course is open to fourth year medical students who are interested in working with and caring for patients who have traditionally experience barriers to accessing healthcare, and who intend to match into an emergency medicine residency program.
We encourage all interested applicants to apply, including those who have personally experiences barriers to accessing health care, education, economic opportunities, etc., i.e. individuals from under-resourced backgrounds and communities.
Clinical and Didactic Experience
The clinical and didactic experience will be identical to our traditional Career Track Elective EMED 8006. Students will complete a total of 14 clinical shifts allocated between Denver Health and the University of Colorado Hospital. You will participate in various learning opportunities including a weekly medical student didactic experience, teaching rounds in the Emergency Department, core student workshops in US/EMS/Sim, as well as a monthly collaborative Perspective-Taking Project utilizing patient interviews, literature searches and a group presentation. Students will also have the opportunities to attend our weekly Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) and resident education conference. During this time, you will be assigned a resident mentor. The resident mentor will be a resource for students during their clinical rotations.
Community Engagement Activities
Students will have the opportunity to engage in community outreach opportunities from various organizations that share a mission for improving the health, access, and education of our local Denver community. Examples include the diverse and talented undergraduate students at the University of Colorado BA/BS MD pipeline program whose goal is to increase diversity and representation among young professionals entering the medical field in Colorado.
BA/BS MD Pipeline Program - Click here to learn more!
Previous community engagement activities included working with the At-Risk Intervention and Mentoring (AIM) program, as well as students from Denver Public Schools with this system.
Mentorship, Advising, and Social Activities
For the duration of their clinical rotation and extending into the application season, students participating in our Bridging Healthcare Gaps externs will be paired with a dedicated resident mentor specific to this experience. Students will also receive career advising through conversation with residents and faculty as well as informal advising get-togethers during the month including a social evening with residents and faculty hosted at the house of one of the Clerkship or Residency Leadership.
Letters of Recommendation and Residency Application
All externs will be offered an Emergency Medicine Standardized Letter of Evaluation (eSLOE) written for them after their rotation for use during residency applications later that fall. In addition, all Bridging Healthcare Gaps externs will receive a guaranteed interview and be automatically considered for a residency position with the Denver Health Residency in Emergency Medicine. Interviews will be held during the traditional residency interview season later in the fall/winter (rather than ahead of time during this clinical rotation).
Application for 2026-2027 Academic Year
The externship is open to senior medical students at any US medical school (MD or DO). Students accepted for this program will be awarded a $2500 scholarship stipend to offset travel, lodging, and other expenses. Applications are due 60 days before the start of the rotation. You are encouraged to apply early as acceptances will be awarded after application review on a rolling basis and positions fill up quickly. All interested students must apply via VSLO, and please also complete the below survey. The course name is EMED 8011 - Bridging Healthcare Gaps Externship. Students are welcome and encouraged to apply both to EMED 8011, and to EMED 8006 (traditional career track elective).
Application Checklist
☐ Complete Survey above
☐ Apply to EMED 8011 in VSLO and upload all required items
☐ Submit supplemental essay on VSLO:
Prompt: In 500 words or less, describe any experiences in your personal life or training that have led you to appreciate the challenges faced by patients from under-resourced backgrounds or communities. How have your previously contributed to improving the health of all communities by helping to eliminate barriers to accessing healthcare, and/or how do you anticipate your future career in emergency medicine will contribute to these efforts?
Submit this as an Essay question on VSLO
Questions?
If you have questions regarding the information presented here or regarding our electives in general, please contact us! Thank you for your interest, we look forward to reviewing your application to rotate with us!
Grace Lambert, MD
Clerkship Director/Assistant Program Director
Denver Health Residency in Emergency Medicine
Department of Emergency Medicine
Denver Health Medical Center
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Manuel R. Montaño, MD
Bridging Healthcare Gaps Co-Clerkship Lead
Associate Program Director
Denver Health Residency in Emergency Medicine
Staff Physician, Denver Health Medical Center
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Renee King, MD
Bridging Healthcare Gaps Co-Clerkship Lead
Director of Diversity Equity Inclusion & Belonging
Denver Health Medical Center
Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Mario Rivera
Clerkship Coordinator
Denver Health Residency in Emergency Medicine Mario.Rivera@dhha.org
