Observerships

The Brigham and Women’s Hospital takes enormous pride in training and educating the next generation of physicians and healthcare workers. Most such training occurs as part of formal training arrangements such as medical student clerkships, ACGME accredited internships and residency training programs, and ACGME accredited fellowship programs. However, certain BWH Departments also offer non-credit, informal observation experiences for trainees not enrolled in the above entities but who desire to learn or gain basic exposure to the clinical environment. The following documents are to ensure that all trainees, including those pursuing clinical observational experiences, are documented and abide by BWH Hospital policy ensuring no adverse impact on patient care or the academic environment.

Departments interested in hosting a clinical observer should complete a ‘BWH Application for Observational Experience’, and ensure all necessary attachments are provided. These documents are then submitted to the sponsoring Department Chair or their designee for approval. Once completed, the approved documents are then submitted to the Office of Sponsored Staff (OSS), for final approval, along with the completion of the digital POI onboarding form that is found on the Office of Sponsored Staff's onboarding platform.