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US Travel Supplements

OSE provides travel supplements to MD students who apply and are approved for short-term, US-based travel to conduct scholarly work. You likely will need additional funding sources to cover your expenses. Contact OSE for advice on obtaining external funding.

Funding Overview

Two types of US Travel Supplements are available and all applications must be submitted at least six weeks prior to departure:

  • Short-term US Travel: Modest airfare, and limited ground transportation, housing, and food costs for scholarly project-related travel outside of New England and not near your home (minimum of three weeks and no more than eight weeks).
  • Indian Health Service Clinical Electives: Up to $1000 towards modest airfare, ground transportation and housing costs.

Save your original receipts for submission. Purchases should be made up front and in your name. Instructions for submitting receipts can be found in the Once Approved section for the type of travel supplement you are approved for.

US Travel Supplements

Short-term Funding

Eligibility
 

Funding is available for short-term US-based travel for your scholarly project. You must meet these eligibility requirements:

  • Your scholarly project proposal must be approved by your Scholars in Medicine (SIM) reviewer prior to applying for this funding
  • Your trip must be at least three weeks long and be in a location/institution outside of New England and not near your home
  • You must be working full-time for the duration of your project (part-time work is not eligible for funding)
  • Scholarly project mentors: Students who have an off-site mentor are asked to identify an HMS faculty member or a SIM Fellow as their HMS mentor. This Boston-based mentor can provide guidance to complement the advice of your off-site mentor or help troubleshoot if necessary.

Funding Details
 

  • Modest airfare: Economy class fare booked 2 months in advance will be reimbursed at 100%
  • Limited ground transportation: Ground transportation for airport transfers will be reimbursed at 100% and the cost of a rental car will not be reimbursed
  • Limited housing: Housing costs will be reimbursed up to $200/week for up to eight weeks
  • Limited food: Food costs can be reimbursed up to $150/week for up to eight weeks and alcohol will not be reimbursed
If your application is approved for OSE funding, save your original receipts for submission to OSE. Purchases should be made up front and in your name. Instructions for submitting reimbursements can be found in the Once Approved section.
 

Application and Deadlines
 

Apply at least six weeks prior to the intended start or travel date of the project (retroactive funding is not available). Submit the following to ose@hms.harvard.edu:
  • Approved scholarly project proposal (Your proposal must be approved by your reviewer before you commit to your travel dates)
  • A travel budget and descriptive timeline of your activities during your time away
  • Complete the OSE funding application
  • Ask your mentor to complete the OSE Mentoring Agreement
  • Required approvals from:
    • Off-Site Mentor - Submit evidence that the off-site mentor is expecting you to carry out the work you propose for the time period for which you are requesting funding
    • Society Director or Advisor Approval Form (signed by you and your Society Advisor)

After Approval
 

Before departure

As soon as your airfare is booked, submit a copy with receipt to ose@hms.harvard.edu.
 

Within 1 month of your return

Submit the following by email to ose@hms.harvard.edu for reimbursements:

All original and/or electronic receipts for your expenses. Receipts should show date of purchase, what was purchased, amount paid and method of payment. The OSE will issue you a stipend within 60 days after receiving your receipts.

Indian Health Services

The Office of Scholarly Engagement (OSE) offers MD students up to $1000 in funding to defray some costs associated with participation in HMS courses at two Indian Health Services sites. The two electives are:

  • ME563M.3 at the Indian Health Service site in Rosebud, South Dakota
  • ME528M.40s at the Indian Health Service site in Shiprock, New Mexico

Application & Deadlines

Deadline: At least two months prior to the intended start or travel date of the project the following items must submitted to ose@hms.harvard.edu:

  • Complete the OSE Funding Application Select “clinical elective abroad” as the project type and skip the State Dept and CDC questions. Answer all the other questions.
  • A travel budget detailing your airfare, housing and transportation needs AND include where you plan to stay while you are on the elective
  • Travel Course waiver for domestic travel located on Harvard Global Support Services Forms & Checklist page.

After Approval 
 

Within 1 month of your return, the following items must be submitted to ose@hms.harvard.edu:
  • Your report (Report Instructions for Students who have Completed an HMS-Sponsored Clinical Electives Abroad)
  • All original and/or electronic receipts for your expenses. Receipts should show date of purchase, what was purchased, amount paid and method of payment.
The OSE will issue you a stipend within 60 days after receiving your report and your receipts