The American Academy of Medicine and Surgery (AAMS) is a community of learning and connection for young aspiring physicians and surgeons. Through the Academy, you can apply to our highly selective surgical skills summer programs in cardiothoracic and trauma surgery.
Yes! Some students each year enroll in all three programs, traveling directly from UCLA to Maui in order to complete the most rigorous surgical training. This requires acceptance into each program independently. Some students also complete the Basic-Intermediate Program one summer and plan on doing both the Advanced and Trauma Programs the following summer.
The Fellowships are extremely selective opportunities for students that have excelled in the Programs. You must have completed the prerequisite Program to be able to apply for the Fellowships. The Dr. Gates Fellowship in Surgical Education and the Dr. Singh Fellowship in Surgical Education allow interns to undergo rigorous training and serve as Teaching Assistants (TAs) for the Basic - Intermediate and Advanced Programs respectively. The Dr. Lam & Dr. Sandhu Fellows in Trauma Surgery will be awarded a week-long shadowing opportunity with Dr. Lam and Dr. Sandhu within clinics and ORs at the Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, and the Keck Hospital of USC. For more info visit the Fellowships site.
The Basic – Intermediate Cardiothoracic Surgical Skills Summer Internship is held at the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden at UCLA. All other programs are held at the Sheraton Maui Resort, located in Lahaina, Hawaii. In both locations, students will develop hands-on skills with surgical-grade instruments, porcine hearts, and instruction from world-renowned surgeons.
Yes! Over 20% of our students are international. We highly value and encourage international students to apply. However, it should be noted that AAMS does not sponsor or assist students with the U.S. Visa application process. In the past, our international students have made their own arrangements to attend the Programs.
The AAMS does not assist students with the U.S. Visa process. AAMS is not responsible for and does not provide any assistance in obtaining a U.S. Visa.
Yes. Your housing or program fee does not include airfare. You will receive arrival and departure schedules in your welcome packet. Your transportation from the airport to the housing/hotel is included and provided for you.
Yes, AAMS welcomes all students. If you are a student with special needs or with disabilities, we encourage you to enroll. Please contact us and let us know your particular needs prior to enrolling in the program.
All participants are provided with 2 sets of scrubs. This includes tops and pants. You will choose the size desired on your general application.
Yes! These are yours to keep!
In order to apply for any of the AAMS programs, you must be over the age of 15 by the program start date. If you are in High School, College, or Medical School, you are welcome to apply to the program. Since these skills are not typically taught in traditional schools, interns from all sorts of educational backgrounds have found immense value in developing these skills.
There are two introductory Programs you can apply to with no prior experience: the Basic – Intermediate Cardiothoracic Surgical Skills Summer Internship at UCLA and the Trauma, Acute and Critical Care Surgery Internship held in Maui. Once you have completed the Basic – Intermediate Program, you can apply to the Advanced Cardiothoracic Surgical Skills Conference, which builds on the skills you have already mastered.
Acceptance letters will be sent via email to the account you used to apply.
For general Slideroom questions, please visit the Help tab in the top right corner of the application on Slideroom. For program-specific questions or if you are unable to upload a file, please email us at info@aa-medsurg.com.
All interns are required to stay at the housing that is arranged by AAMS. Lodging is double-occupancy with another AAMS intern of the same gender.
Minors traveling alone will be supervised 24/7 by our Residential Advisors.
Curfew is at 10:00 pm every day of the week. Residential advisors will check each room for compliance.
Roommate requests are not accepted. You will be randomly assigned a room prior to your arrival date. A benefit of this program is having the opportunity to connect with others.
Housing Check-in will be one day prior to the program start date. Check-Out is on the next day after the program ends. You will receive specific dates, times, and airport information in your Welcome Packet.
All students are required to stay at the Sheraton for the entire duration of the program. Lodging is double-occupancy with another student of the same gender.
Organized group activities are provided for all interns during the weekends, such as paddle boarding, hiking, swimming, and much more. For those attending the Maui programs, a full Hawaiian luau experience is included for delegates alongside dinner at a local Lahaina restaurant.