AFMC | IPAC
Association of Faculties of Medicine of da | Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada

BRIEFING NOTE
Supporting Indigenous Medical Learners in Visiting Electives
June 2026 | Issued by AFMC in collaboration with IPAC

 

Purpose

This note has been prepared to provide an important clarification regarding visiting electives
arranged directly between Indigenous medical learners and Indigenous family physicians,
specialists, and/or physician experts in Indigenous Health.

 

Background

The AFMC provides and manages the online platform for the application to visiting electives at host
institutions for Canadian and International medical students. Additionally, the AFMC provides
application guidance to medical students to support their application including instructions and
consequences on improper conduct and professionalism in contacting host institutions directly to
arrange electives. The current AFMC Student Portal Guidelines state:

“All visiting clinical elective bookings must be made through the AFMC Portal ( or other
established structures) to ensure an equitable and transparent process.

• • Students are not permitted to contact preceptors, sites, or faculty directly for any
    elective-related reason, including to arrange, hold, or inquire about elective availability.

• • Students who are uncertain about the appropriate process should contact their home school for
    clarification and guidance.
    Any attempt to arrange electives outside of the Portal ( or other established structures) will not
    be processed or recognized as a valid placement.

• • Such actions will be reported to the student’s home school and may be considered a
    professionalism concern, potentially resulting in disqualification from future elective
    opportunities at the host institution.”

In the spring of 2026, representatives from the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC)
met with staff of the AFMC during the AFMC Indigenous Health Committee to raise concerns that
Indigenous medical students seeking to arrange direct mentorship or visiting electives with
Indigenous physician preceptors or in Indigenous Health fear receiving
professionalism citations or disqualification from future elective applications because of direct
contact.

The intent of the professionalism guidelines is meant to address unfair access to competitive
electives facilitated by unequal personal or professional networks. The guideline intends to
promote fairness and transparent processes, not to create barriers to cultural ly and
professionally relevant experiences for Indigenous medical students.

 

Clarification

• • Indigenous medical students must apply through the AFMC Student Portal for a visiting elective
    with a faculty-associated Indigenous physician (regardless of specialty) if the elective is offered
    on the Portal.

• • For electives not offered on the AFMC Student Portal, Indigenous medical students applying or
    directly arranging for a visiting elective with a faculty-associated Indigenous physician
    (regardless of speciality) and/or an Indigenous Health elective through connections made at the
    Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC) Annual Mentorship Gathering or through other
    Indigenous mentorship networks is recognized as an “other established structures” under the AFMC
    Student Portal guideline.

• • Indigenous medical students seeking to pursue visiting elective opportunities through these
    “other established structures” pathways will not receive professionalism complaints or
    disqualifications from being eligible to apply to future electives at the host institution.

• • For further clarity, this applies to both Indigenous health electives and specialty-specific
    electives with Indigenous family physicians and specialists.

 

What This Means for You

If you are an Indigenous medical student, AFMC and IPAC support you in:

• • Connecting with Indigenous physicians.

• • Reaching out to Indigenous preceptors for elective opportunities in any specialty, not only in
    Indigenous health.

• • Using the internal coordination processes at your home faculty (if established) where mentors
    and administrators can help facilitate formal placements.

• • Reporting to your program administration and the AFMC Student Portal any
    professionalism complaints you have received — or may inadvertently receive in the future — related
    to pursuing Indigenous-based elective opportunities.

If you are a non-Indigenous medical student seeking to arrange an elective in Indigenous Health,
the clarifications above apply noting. Please ensure you use the internal coordination processes at
your home faculty before applying.

If you are a visiting electives administrator and have further questions regarding this guideline
clarification, please contact the AFMC Student Portal at service@afmcstudentportal.ca or through
pre-established AFMC contacts, as appropriate.

 

Reporting a Concern

If you are an Indigenous medical student that receives a professionalism complaint or
disqualification for future applications related to arranging a visiting elective directly in
Indigenous Health or with an Indigenous physician through an established mentorship pathway, please
contact your respective Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) program administration and the AFMC
Student Portal Helpdesk at service@afmcstudentportal.ca.

AFMC is committed to reviewing and, where appropriate, reversing such complaints or
disqualifications.

 

Next Steps

AFMC and IPAC are working together on the following:

• • A joint announcement will be made at the upcoming IPAC Annual Mentorship Gathering meeting to
    ensure educators, preceptors and learners across the country are informed of the guideline
    clarification.

• • The finalized communication will be presented at the AFMC Undergraduate Medical Education
    (UGME) meeting on June 17, 2026, so all Deans can provide their input and support consistent
    implementation at their institutions.

• • Longer-term, AFMC and IPAC is pursuing systemic improvements and exploring pathways to ensure
    Indigenous preceptors in community settings are appropriately recognized for their teaching
    contributions and supported in removing barriers to faculty
    recruitment processes to expand opportunities for learners.