The Visiting Observer program is primarily for:

• Medical Students
• Medical Residents/Fellows
• Medical Doctors and similar medical professionals

No one under 18 years old is allowed to observe.

All observers must be hosted by a specific faculty member.

Stanford Hospital and Clinics visiting observer program only allows:

• One period of observing during a 12-month period
• The observing period cannot be more than 30 consecutive calendar days, total, per year, per person
• Observation does not take place on weekends or holidays, but these days ARE counted in the 30 day total

Stanford cannot provide visas for visiting observers and we cannot assist in obtaining one.

Visiting observers usually come on a visitor visa or a business visa.

There is a fee for practicing physicians and other medical professionals of $1,500.00 for observing in clinics and/or operating rooms. There is no fee for medical students, medical residents/fellows, undergraduate students and other trainees.

Amount of Fee

• $1500 per work week (regardless of length of observation)

Payment Due Date

Full payment is due 30 days before the approved observation start date.

Payment Method

When the faculty member has agreed to host a visiting observer and a date has been set, the administrative associate will send the payment instruction to the visiting observer.  Payment may be made in US dollars by cheque or wire (A $50 surcharge will be added to payments by wire).

Refund Policy

• Rescheduling is strongly discouraged, and refunds are generally not available.  There is no refund for cancellations less than 14 days in advance.
• In rare cases, the department may need to cancel a scheduled observation due to a change in the host faculty’s availability. If this occurs, the department will refund the full amount paid, or re-schedule the observation, if possible, or arrange for the observer to observe other faculty, if possible. The observer will be given a choice about this.

Location will be at Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, CA.

No, Stanford does not offer any housing for visiting observers.

The cost of accommodations is very high due to the general cost of housing in the Bay Area.

There are many nearby hotels but they can be expensive, and so Airbnb.com and Vrbo.com maybe useful sites to find lodging to rent.

Some housing options are listed on Stanford’s website.

Please visit our faculty webpage and their areas of specialization.

In order to request the opportunity to observe, the prospective observer must submit Visiting Observer Request and Inquiry Form.

The requested faculty member’s administrative associate will let the prospective observer know whether that faculty is available and coordinate all the steps of the approval process.

The administrative associate will explain what forms and medical records are required from the prospective observer and will manage scheduling during your visit. 

THIS FORM IS A REQUEST ONLY. The prospective observer will be notified whether the requested faculty member is available to host.

After being notified that a requested faculty member is available to host the prospective observer, and the start and end dates have been confirmed, the administrative associate will start the process to obtain:

• Approval from by Stanford Hospital and Clinics (SHC) Compliance Department
• A medical clearance from SHC Workforce Health and Wellness
• Approval from the manager of the clinic and/or operating room in which they will observe

The administrative associate for the host faculty will manage all of this and will send the accepted observer another form via email through which the observer will provide all the required documents and records. This will include a link for payment if it is required.

Please see question 11 for more details regarding medical records.

It typically takes about 4 weeks to determine whether the requested faculty can host and what dates will work.

It typically takes at least 4 weeks from when an accepted observer provides all the required documents and medical records until a final approval is received.

Proof* of the Following Vaccines Is REQUIRED for Clearance to Observe in Operating Room and Clinics.

*acceptable proof is a copy of official medical records with observer’s name and birthdate and official stamp or doctor’s logo and date of vaccine or test

All non-English records must be accompanied by a translation. The translation does not have to be “official”.

• COVID-19: Evidence of full vaccination** (**Full vaccination means: 14 days after 2nd dose mRNA or 1 dose vector (approved for Emergency Use Authorization in the USA) and a booster vaccine (as of January 24, 2022)
• Varicella (Chickenpox): Evidence of Positive Titer or of 2 Varicella vaccines (history of the disease is NOT acceptable)
• Measles: Evidence of Positive Titer or of 2 MMR vaccines
• Mumps: Evidence of Positive Titer or of 2 MMR vaccines
• Rubella: Evidence of Positive Titer or of 2 MMR vaccines
• Tuberculosis: (1) Completed TB Screening Questionnaire, (2) ONE of the following within 365 days of start date (even if you have received a TB vaccine)
  • TB Skin Test: Evidence of an injection, a reading and the result
  • Quantiferon Test (QFT): Evidence of test
  • Chest x-ray for history: Copy of x-ray and reading
• IF observing from November 1 to April 30: Flu Vaccine Evidence of vaccine for CURRENT flu season 

If the observer is a physician practicing in the USA, they may provide a letter from their institution’s occupational health department listing all the required tests and vaccines.