ELECTIVES
Electives provide an opportunity for all students to carry out a suitable study program of their choice. Opportunities exist throughout the province and at approved hospitals and medical schools elsewhere in the world.
Electives comprise eight (8) weeks during Third Year and four (4) weeks in Fourth Year.
Third year electives cannot be used for credit in Fourth Year and Fourth Year electives cannot be used for credit in Third Year.
These are credit courses and you cannot pass the respective year unless you have completed them successfully.
Successful completion of an elective comprises of both
a) prior approval from the Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) office before the elective starts (see UGME Elective Application Form for Approval below), and
b) evaluation reports received after the elective is completed. Please note that evaluations are now completed using the One45 System.
UGME Elective Application Form for Approval
This serves to register you with both Memorial University and the Provincial Licensing Authorities (i.e. the Newfoundland and Labrador College of Physicians and Surgeons). UGME Elective Application Forms are available in the UGME Office and at the following clerkship electives websites: www.med.mun.ca/clerkshipelectives (under Applications & Forms) and Desire2Learn.
Part A: It is your responsibility to complete the top portion of the application form.
Part B: Prior approval must be obtained from the UGME Office or:
- you will NOT be registered for the elective (either at Memorial University or with Provincial Licensing Authorities).
- you will NOT be covered by malpractice insurance. This means that you will be practicing illegally and the Provincial Licensing Authorities must be notified.
- you will NOT receive credit, and you will be required to complete a properly approved elective rotation.
The elective is approved when the Electives Co-ordinator reviews your application and signs / dates the form on Part B. Once the elective is approved, a copy of the signed form will be sent back to you from the UGME. You can NOT start your elective without a copy of this signed form.
Verbal communication from the UGME does NOT confirm you have approval.
Seeing the elective on One45 scheduling does NOT confirm the elective is approved.
Verifications from the host institution (as per below) does NOT confirm the elective is approved.
Getting reimbursed for travel (if applicable) for the elective does NOT confirm the elective is approved.
You MUST keep a copy of this form once it is approved (signed / dated by the Electives Co-ordinator) to ensure you are registered, covered by malpractice insurance and receive credit for your elective.
Part C: Your supervisor must sign the bottom portion (or, you may attach to the form a copy of e-mail or letter of confirmation of placement). For evaluation purposes you must identify who will be ultimately responsible for filling out your evaluation on One45 (especially relevant if your evaluation will be done by committee whereby you will still need to identify who will be responsible for completing the evaluation on One45).
It is your responsibility to submit the application and confirm approval has been obtained from the UGME Office before you start your elective. Thus, it is not acceptable to send in the form to UGME and assume you have approval.
Please note that the UGME Elective Application Form is in addition to any other application you may need for visiting another medical school/institution. The deadline for receipt of the UGME Elective Application Form is 2 months in advance to starting your elective and changes to electives will not be recognized by the UGME Office after this.
Host Institution Approval
If you are applying for an elective outside of Newfoundland and Labrador, you will most likely need to apply with the host institution. Plan 6-12 months in advance, as a fair number of elective rotations have limited spaces. UGME signatures for the host institution’s applications do NOT constitute UGME approval as above—you MUST still seek approval with the UGME Elective Application form.
If the host institution requires Memorial University to confirm your academic standing etc using a web-based portal you will likely require an email address for a UGME contact. Please use: ugme.electives@med.mun.ca
Upon notification of acceptance for an elective, please write promptly to thank them for accepting you. If you have also applied to other programs, write to them immediately to thank them for their consideration and to ask them to please disregard your request. This maintains goodwill for future Memorial University students.
You may also need to obtain an educational licence from the respective licensing authority. This is sometimes done through the respective University. For example, if a McGill student does an elective at the Janeway, he/she will have to apply to Memorial’s UGME. Part of that process entails Memorial’s UGME compiling the relevant documents and forwarding the information to the NFLD College of Physicians and Surgeons who will grant the educational licence. However, if this same McGill student wanted to do a rotation in Labrador City (with a Family Doctor with no affiliation to Memorial), the McGill student must still apply through the UGME at Memorial University to process documents for the NFLD College to grant an educational licence. Every province / state / country may be different. It is your responsibility to ensure you have the proper licence before you start your elective.
There may other information / data / fees etc the local health authorities / governments may require from you. It is your responsibility to know what is required from these authorities before you book travel / start your elective etc.
Cancellation of Electives
If, for any reason, you must cancel an elective which you have arranged, it is your responsibility to inform your supervisor that you will be unable to accept the elective. You must inform the Undergraduate Medical Education Office, in writing, of cancellation of electives.
Insurance
Health and Accident: You are covered as outlined in the Council of Student's Union Health and Accident pamphlet, and by MCP if you are registered. You are also covered by Workers' Compensation if injured while registered as a full-time student and while performing required duties during courses and clerkship rotations.
Travel Insurance Outside Canada: You are strongly advised to have adequate health and accident insurance when traveling outside Canada. In some countries it is not possible to be admitted to a hospital or have access to an ambulance unless you pay cash in advance or show an internationally recognized travel insurance policy. You should contact the Council of Students' Union for current information on the student group travel plan.
Liability: You are covered by Memorial University in or out of the province while performing approved required duties during courses, approved electives and clerkship rotations. You must be supervised at all times.
Vaccination/Immunization:
If you are going to a developing country, you should contact the Department of Health in advance to find out what vaccinations you will require. Specific vaccinations are required by other countries and certain provinces as well.
International immunization certificates must be obtained and stamped by authorized officials of the Department of Health. Further, the Department of Health is notified of outbreaks of diseases that might affect the international traveler.
Other Information
Financial assistance for travel
Aavailable for clerks in the amount of 1/2 economy airfare or gas up to a maximum of $300 for one elective outside the province, or full travel is paid for one elective within the province. Obtaining financial assistance does NOT constitute UGME approval as above—you MUST still seek approval with the UGME Elective Application form.
Housing / Accommodation during electives:
If you require / arrange housing, ensure that you confirm / cancel housing well in advance.
Additional important information
We do not allow spouses or close relatives to act as elective supervisors. Furthermore, we expect all potential conflicts of interest to be declared prior to application.
The minimum time for an elective is two consecutive weeks (i.e. one week electives will not be approved). Electives are to be done in a continuous manner (e.g. you cannot do one week of your elective in August then another week in October, etc.). Similarly you cannot do a continuous two week elective during third to fourth year transition period where the first week is in third year and the second week is in fourth year (or other similar variations where only one week is done for credit for a particular year and other weeks for the other year).
Electives are from Monday of the first week to Friday of the final week. Weekends between these dates are considered as part of the elective. Working days (and on-call duties if applicable) are to be decided upon by the supervisor of the elective (including weekends or nights).
If you are requesting time off (e.g. conference leave), then the number of days for leave are calendar days (not just weekdays).
You must discuss your elective learning objectives with your supervisor before starting your elective.
Prior to the completion of your elective, you MUST make an appointment to meet with your supervisor a few days before you leave so that the evaluation form can be completed. It is your responsibility to ensure the evaluation reports are completed on the One45 system (or printed, filled out and returned to the UGME Office if your supervisor is unable or refuses to use the One45 system). You MUST also complete your own assessment reports covering your electives after you have reviewed the evaluation.
Advice and guidance of elective choice may be discussed with the Electives Coordinator by contacting the UGME Office for assistance if you have further electives questions, ugme.electives@med.mun.ca