The ACPA Visiting Scholar Program (VSP) selects a cleft and craniofacial care provider from a developing country to travel to the United States to learn more about cleft and craniofacial care from ACPA Approved Teams. The mission is to ensure that every healthcare professional can provide quality care for all individuals affected by cleft and/or craniofacial conditions.

Visiting Scholar Program Goals:

  1. Expose visiting scholars with specific skills needed for elevating the level of cleft and craniofacial care in various regions of the world.
  2. Develop a continuing relationship between ACPA and the visiting scholars.
  3. Strengthen the scholars’ understanding of interdisciplinary care through professional development and mentoring.
  4. Ensure that scholars have access to current research, best practices, standards of care, and innovative thoughts and ideas.
  5. Support the development of the scholars’ clinical and research skills.

The visiting scholar travels to two institutions of ACPA Approved Teams in the spring (2 weeks per site) and attends ACPA’s Annual Meeting. Total duration of the scholar visit is approximately 5 weeks.  Applicants must:

  • Have the capacity to implement change in their home institution.
  • Reside in a country that is included on the World Bank’s list of low and middle-income countries.
  • Be sponsored by an ACPA Member who will assist with the application, identify objectives and select host sites. For assistance finding a sponsor, contact ACPA at least 45 days before the application deadline. View the sponsor form.
  • Upload three reference letters, including a letter from their current medical/professional director. The ACPA Sponsor is not a reference.
  • Select ACPA Approved Team Host Sites that match their specialty.

Individuals in the final stages of their training are welcome to apply. Preference will be shown to more established professionals.

Visiting Scholar Applications typically open in January of each year.

ACPA Visiting Scholar Host Sites

All ACPA Approved Teams are invited to apply to become a Visiting Scholar Host Site. To qualify, teams must be current ACPA Approved Teams and have the capacity to host a scholar for two weeks between the months of February and May. Any team interested in being a host must apply, including teams that have previously submitted an application to host a Visiting Scholar.

Submit an application. The deadline to submit is December 1, 2022.