Visiting Physician Program

At Baptist Health South Florida, we understand the importance of continuing professional development and the value of peer-to-peer learning. The Visiting Physician Program is designed for independently licensed physicians who wish to observe our world-renowned clinicians in a dynamic, real-world setting. This program provides a unique opportunity to gain new perspectives, learn about different healthcare models, and observe patient care in a variety of specialties, all within our leading-edge facilities. The duration of the observership is at the discretion of the sponsoring clinician and can last between 1 day and up to 4 weeks. It is open all year to independently licensed physicians that meet the criteria listed below. If you are not an independently licensed physician, click here.

An observership is a voluntary experience that does not constitute employment, compensation, medical education or any training leading to academic credit, licensure or board certification. Baptist Health will not issue grades or written evaluations for this program. For information on Student rotations for academic credit, click here.

To complete an Observership at Baptist Health, please follow the steps outlined below.

1. Step 1

   • Find a Sponsor

     Before completing the online application, observers must have confirmed a sponsor, such as a Baptist Health employee or medical staff member, including physicians.  

     • If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, please complete the International Eligibility Form, and follow the steps outlined on the document, prior to beginning the Visiting Physician Program application process.
     • Visit baptisthealth.net and in the search bar, enter the name of the department, specialty, or provider you are interested in observing to obtain their contact information. For physicians, use Find a Doctor.
     • While many Baptist Health providers enjoy teaching interested individuals about medicine, there is no guarantee or obligation for providers to take on observers. Please be polite and give the potential sponsor plenty of time to set up the observership, as well as the right to refuse.
     • Please note: If you are a current Baptist Health employee, you cannot participate in the Observer program in the same entity in which you work.

     Once the sponsoring clinician has accepted your observership, they are required to sign the Visiting Physician Observer Sponsor Approval*. 

2. Step 2

   • Collect Required Documents

     The following documents are required as part of the application process. Please be sure to download and complete any required forms before proceeding to fill out the application:

     1. Visiting Physician Observer Sponsor Approval and Supplemental Health Form*
        1. Sponsor Signature(s) required on page 1.
        2. Visiting Physician Signature(s) required on page 2.
     2. Government-issued Photo ID
     3. Copy of current medical license

     INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS (Non-US citizens/Residents): Applicants are required to complete the International Eligibility Form and submit it to the International Department. Applicants must receive approval from the International Department prior to submitting the Observer application
3. Step 3

   • Submit Application

     The electronic application can be found below. Applicants will be prompted to upload the above documents as part of the process.

     Applications are required to be submitted a minimum of 15 business days prior to the intended start date. This gives our office the opportunity to review and process your documents in a timely manner, particularly if we need the applicant to provide updated or missing documentation.

4. Step 4

   • Pay the Administrative Fee

     A non-refundable administrative fee must be paid to Baptist Health upon acceptance of your application.

     A link for electronic payment will be emailed from Observer@baptisthealth.net based on the following:

     • Visiting Physicians: $450*
     • Additional fees may be collected at the discretion of the receiving department that the observership experience will take place.

     *Updated fees for applications submitted on or after July 1^st, 2025

5. Step 5

   • Receive Clearance

     Once your application is approved by our office, you will receive a clearance email from AcademicClearance@BaptistHealth.net confirming your Observer experience within 3 business days of making your payment.