Frequently Asked Questions
Learners' Perceptions Survey: FAQs
Who should take the survey?
All clinical trainees and residents who have completed their rotation at VA and whose most recent clinical training experience occurred on or after July 1, of the current Academic Year.
How long is the survey open?
The survey is open 11 months of the year. It closes in July for data extraction and updates.
I took the survey a few months ago and want to take it again. Is that okay?
In a given Academic Year (AY), the survey should be taken once and only after your last rotation at the VA. Also if a trainee will have rotations in VA that spans multiple AYs (such as Physician Residents) they SHOULD take the LPS again for each academic year.
VA Nursing Academy: FAQs
How can I get into the VA Nursing Academy?
The VA Nursing Academy is not a nursing school itself but is a partnership with accredited nursing schools. Therefore, the VA Nursing Academy does not select or admit students. This is the responsibility of the school of nursing in the partnership.
Which VA sites have a VA Nursing Academy partnerships?
The VA facility-nursing school partnerships listed below have been competitively selected to participate in the VA Nursing Academy. Additional VA-nursing school partnerships will be selected in 2009, for a total of 14 partnerships in the pilot program.
The list below gives the location of the VA facility, followed by the partnering nursing school.
- Birmingham, AL - University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing
- Charleston, SC - Medical University of South Carolina
- Detroit, Saginaw, Battle Creek & Ann Arbor, MI - University of Detroit Mercy and Saginaw Valley State University
- Gainesville, FL - University of Florida
- Hines, IL - Loyola University Chicago
- Honolulu, HI - University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygeine
- Oklahoma City, OK - University of Oklahoma
- Providence, RI - Rhode Island College
- Salt Lake City, UT - University of Utah
- San Diego, CA - San Diego State University
- Tampa, FL - University of South Florida
- West Haven, CT - Fairfield University
Trainee Application: FAQs
How do I sign up for a VA clinical training program?
Contact the training coordinator at your medical school, college or university to see if they have an affiliation with VA in your clinical area of interest. You must be enrolled in an accredited clinical training program in a school that is affiliated with the VA in order receive any clinical training at VA.
Does the VA require an Affiliation Agreement for an unpaid student to simply observe at a VA?
Yes. The Affiliation Agreement specifies responsibilities of both VA and the school and affords important legal protections to both, as well as to the trainee.
However, once signed, the Affiliation Agreement remains in effect until one party terminates it, so there would be no need to repeat it each year or for each instance.
I am an international medical graduate(MD). I have completed my USMLE exams for ECFMG certificate and I would like to volunteer at one of the VA hospital as an extern.
Our office does not handle such rotations. You would have to make contact with the appropriate service chief or associate chief of staff for education at the VA nearest to where you live. That facility may or may not allow such rotations, which we call "observer" rotations. It is up to their discretion and local policy as to whether or not they will accept your proposal. You may also wish to try any of the affiliated medical centers with which the VA is affiliated.
