Angie Hill
Administrator, Visiting Electives
CdnElectives@dal.ca
Canadian Students (includes MD Extension Program and Family Medicine student types)
intl.electives@dal.ca
International Students (includes CSA and IFMSA student types)
homeelectives@dal.ca
Dalhousie University Students
c/o Undergraduate Medical Education
PO Box 15000
Halifax, NS B3J 1T0 CANADA
Please ensure you review Dalhousie UGME Policies prior to your elective, including policies on health and safety, professionalism and harassment
Dalhousie Medical School is the medical school of Canada’s Maritimes (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island). We offer elective experiences in a variety of disciplines, and at over 100 teaching sites, in both tertiary and community-based settings in all three provinces. We welcome visiting medical students from both Canadian and non-Canadian schools.
Almost 900 electives are offered to visiting students each year! Please come join us!
Canadian/Domestic Students:
Electives beginning August 4, 2025 onwards: Applications will open on a rolling schedule 12 weeks prior to the elective start date, beginning on May 11, 2025. This timeline is in alignment with the new AFMC capacity-based model for domestic visiting electives, being implemented across Canada.
Please continue to visit the AFMC student portal for future updates regarding application timelines, eligibility criteria, required documents, policies and fees.
International Visiting Elective application rounds (Sept-Dec 2025)
Please see the available elective rounds below for both CSA and non-Canadian student studying abroad.
Note that students must choose one of the blocks listed. Off-cycle electives are not permitted. If you submit an off-cycle request, your application will be cancelled.
Application Period (Round) | Portal Opens | Portal Closes | 2-Week Placement Block | 4-Week Placement Block |
Round 1 | May 26, 2025 | June 30, 2025 | Sept 1-Sept 14, 2025 Sept 15-Sept 28, 2025 Sept 29-Oct 12, 2025 | Sept 1-Sept 28, 2025 Sept 15-Oct 12, 2025 |
Round 2 | July 7, 2025
| Aug 3, 2025 | Oct 13-Oct 26, 2025 Oct 27-Nov 9, 2025 Nov 10-Nov 23, 2025 | Oct 13-Nov 9, 2025 Oct 27-Nov 23, 2025 |
Round 3 | Aug 18, 2025
| Sept 14, 2025 | Nov 24-Dec 7, 2025 Dec 8-Dec 21, 2025 | Nov 24-Dec 21, 2025 |
Please be advised that students are prohibited from contacting preceptors or departments directly to arrange visiting electives. Any attempt to do so may result in rejection. Students must apply for all visiting electives directly through the AFMC portal.
ANNOUNCMENTS- Capacity-Based Model Launch
Electives beginning August 4 and later: applications will open on a rolling schedule
Please continue to visit the AFMC Student Portal for future updates regarding application timelines, eligibility criteria, required documents, policies and fees.
CANADIAN STUDENTS
You can apply as a Canadian student if you attend a Canadian medical school (outside of Dalhousie University) and are in your penultimate or ultimate year of your Undergraduate medical program.
MD EXTENSION PROGRAM STUDENTS
This student type has been implemented for Undergraduate learners who are interested in completing electives after completion of their final undergraduate year and have gone unmatched through CaRMS.
PRECEPTOR SEARCH
Learners are prohibited from contacting their own preceptor. Departments will attempt to match you to a preceptor in your preferred area of specialty or community.
NUMBER OF ELECTIVES
CAPACITY-BASED MODEL APPLICATION PROCESS
Students will apply for domestic visiting electives in 2-week blocks with alignment on dates for 2-weeks blocks across all school. Application rounds will open on the same days for all medical schools across Canada. A standardized approach during the 2-week blocks has been defined. A lottery will be applied to determine students who will receive elective offers. Please apply to domestic visiting elective opportunities on the AFMC portal under the year level labelled “eligible”.
More detailed information on the capacity-based model application process can be found here AFMC Capacity-Based Model Student Presentation.
CONFIRMATION PROCESS
Students will receive a confirmation letter via email after acceptance of their visiting elective offer. They will then be contacted via email by the placement contact for their elective, with reporting instructions for their first day.
Students offered an elective as a Nova Scotia Health site, will be prompted and required to submit an NSH Pledge of Confidentiality to their placement contact via email, once they receive their reporting instructions. This is a Nova Scotia Health requirement.
PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT DEPARTMENTS WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT AFMC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.
Please note that we are working with AFMC to finalize a home school verification process for required documents for visiting electives. Until this process has been finalized the following documents are still required to be uploaded with your visiting elective applications.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION
IMPORTANT NOTES
Should an evaluation for this rotation be required, please remember to bring a copy of the appropriate form from your home University. Should you need assistance tracking down an assessment post-elective please contact the UGME Office at CdnElectives@dal.ca.
International Visiting Elective application rounds (Sept-Dec 2025)
Please see the available elective rounds below for both CSA and non-Canadian student studying abroad.
Note that students must choose one of the blocks listed. Off-cycle electives are not permitted. If you submit an off-cycle request, your application will be cancelled.
Application Period (Round) | Portal Opens | Portal Closes | 2-Week Placement Block | 4-Week Placement Block |
Round 1 | May 26, 2025 | June 30, 2025 | Sept 1-Sept 14, 2025 Sept 15-Sept 28, 2025 Sept 29-Oct 12, 2025 | Sept 1-Sept 28, 2025 Sept 15-Oct 12, 2025 |
Round 2 | July 7, 2025
| Aug 3, 2025 | Oct 13-Oct 26, 2025 Oct 27-Nov 9, 2025 Nov 10-Nov 23, 2025 | Oct 13-Nov 9, 2025 Oct 27-Nov 23, 2025 |
Round 3 | Aug 18, 2025
| Sept 14, 2025 | Nov 24-Dec 7, 2025 Dec 8-Dec 21, 2025 | Nov 24-Dec 21, 2025 |
Please be advised that students are prohibited from contacting preceptors or departments directly to arrange visiting electives. Any attempt to do so may result in rejection. Students must apply for all visiting electives directly through the AFMC portal. Failure to comply with any policies may result in cancellation of your elective and/or application, and/or a Letter of Professionalism.
EVALUATIONS
Should an evaluation for this rotation be required, please remember to bring a copy of the appropriate form from your home University. Should you need assistance tracking down an assessment post-elective please contact the UGME office at intl.electives@dal.ca
INTERNATIONALS & CANADIAN STUDENTS STUDYING ABROAD
“International” student type = Students abroad, including Canadian citizens/permanent residents registered in a full-time undergraduate MD program at a FAIMER/WHO or LCME accredited medical school outside Canada.
Students must be in their final year of undergraduate studies and have completed five core rotations (Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry or Surgery) prior to the start of the desired elective date. Students requesting Emergency Medicine and Emergency EMS electives MUST have their Emergency core completed prior to the start of the elective. Your application will not be processed if all five core rotations, whether completed and/or scheduled, are not entered.
PRECEPTOR SEARCH
Learners are prohibited from contacting their own preceptor. Departments will attempt to match you to a preceptor in your preferred area of specialty or community.
ELECTIVE CAPACITY
Please note that the elective portal capacity feature is not an indication of capacity, but rather a representation of all the electives we offer throughout an academic year. Therefore, an elective may or may not be available for your intended timeline. Dalhousie University implements black outs for electives that are unavailable. Please check elective opportunities via the AFMC Student Portal. We endeavour to have these as up to date as possible.
NUMBER OF ELECTIVES
PROCESSING TIMES
Student applications will remain in the portal queue until our home/domestic elective scheduling is complete. While we aim to process requests as promptly as possible, please note that you may not receive a response until up to 8 weeks before the start date of your requested elective
CONFIRMATION TIMELINE
We will attempt to secure a placement until eight weeks prior to the elective start date. All applications are processed on a first-come, first-serve basis.
If an elective has not been secured by this time, applications will be cancelled to provide students the opportunity to book an elective at their home school.
Due to capacity, we cannot guarantee that all applicants will receive a confirmed elective.
The timeline in which students receive a confirmation is subject to variables, such as:
PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT DEPARTMENTS WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT AFMC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.
WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION
CLOSER TO ELECTIVE START DATE
IMPORTANT NOTES
School | Canadian Student Application Fee | Canadian Student Acceptance Fee | International Student Application Fee | International Student Acceptance Fee | Additional Fees Outside Portal |
Dalhousie University | $0 | $200 | $100 | $744 | International Acceptance Fee includes $244 malpractice insurance fee. |
CANADIAN
While extremely rare, should a confirmed/accepted elective be cancelled by Dalhousie University (via site or preceptor) due to unforeseen/mitigating circumstances, a student must complete the following steps:
Note that no refund will be issued if an alternative is found.
A refund will only be issued if a student does not request/consent for Dalhousie University to search for a reasonable alternative, OR if an alternative elective placement is not available/offered.
CANCELLATION POLICY AND PROFESSIONALISM
INTERNATIONAL
Change Requests
We do not accept requests to make changes to an elective once it has been accepted. If you can no longer attend an accepted elective, you will have to cancel it within a minimum of six weeks from the start date of the elective. Cancelling your elective under this limit is deemed unprofessional. Note: This will cancel your application.
Cancellations/changes less than six weeks from the start date of the elective are not permitted once an elective is accepted by the student, except under extenuating circumstances. Notice of this must be submitted in writing by your home school to the International Electives office via email to intl.electives@dal.ca
Accommodations and transportation are the responsibility of the clerk/student. If assistance is required with accommodation, it can be discussed with the site coordinator once an elective has been offered.
Please note that all accommodations listed below are community rentals and are not Dalhousie verified accommodations.
Contact: Ann
H: (902) 423-5663
Email: nortonan@icloud.com
CAD $425.00 per week or $825.00 per month
Furnished bachelor with cooking facilities, private bath and entrance. Safe, pleasant neighbourhood – short run with several buses going directly to the hospitals and universities. Includes towels, linens and Wi-Fi. On-site laundry. Quiet, non-smoking property.
Contact: Alison Barnim
Phone: (902) 452-4443
Email: allers402@gmail.com
Price: (CAD) $200/week
Bright, sunny fully furnished bedroom with everything you need for your stay (Queen bed/bedding, closet space, towels etc.) in a quiet home located in Dartmouth. Popular beaches, lakes and hiking trails are within a 5 minute drive – Great for hikers, cyclists, surfers/SUPers during your down time. The rate includes high speed internet, separate office space, parking, large front and back decks, laundry, shared bathroom, kitchen and livingroom with a cosy electric fireplace. I am a friendly female professional working mostly from home and am respectful of personal space – Must love dogs (I have a sweet 10 year old lab).
30-minute direct express bus route from my home to the front entrance of the IWK, and a 10 minute walk from there to Victoria General. The house is located 12 minutes to Dartmouth General, accessible via car or taxi.
No smokers please. Photos available.
Contact: Maureen Young
Email: ymaureen@hotmail.com
CAD $250.00 per week
North End Halifax fully furnished flat with separate entrance and parking included (partners welcome), 35 minute walk to the Infirmary, 4 minutes to the Robie Street bus stop, self-contained with your own kitchen, bedroom, den, bathroom with tub and shower, TV, Wi-Fi, double bed. Sheets and towels included with furnishings.
Contact: Cynthia Shupe
Email: cynsh@icloud.com
CAD $325/week (prorated if necessary)
One room in my home is available for rental. Room includes a double bed, your own bathroom, free Wifi, linens, full access to the shared living and dining rooms, kitchen and laundry. One parking space is also available if necessary.
I work in the medical field, and my home is a 15 minute walk from the QEII, and 25 min walk from Dalhousie University, Victoria General Hospital and the IWK. I am also a block away from Metro Transit, grocery store, drug store, liquor store, and several restaurants. The Halifax Commons is only a few blocks away with a long track speed skating oval that also has recreational skating times and I think free skate rentals.
REPORTING MISTREATMENT
Students experiencing mistreatment while doing an elective with Dalhousie University are encouraged to file a report through the Confidence Line. The Confidence Line reporting system offers a secure, state of the art, web reporting communications process that allows for direct and confidential communication between you and the Office of Professional Affairs (OPA), Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University.
Further details and instructions on how to create a report can be found here: https://dalhousiemedicine.confidenceline.com/%23backtotop.
Once you have reviewed this information, we encourage you to complete this voluntary survey regarding your knowledge of reporting mistreatment at Dalhousie University: https://surveys.dal.ca/opinio/s?s=KnowledgeOfReportingMistreatment
Student elective requirements
Vanessa Voerman
Med4Coordinator@dal.ca
AFMC portal issues
AFMC portal Help Desk via the portal
General Elective Inquiries and Support
Tyler Creelman
homeelectives@dal.ca
The AFMC Student Portal Helpdesk is where you can ask questions, consult help documents, and find general information related to visiting electives in Canada.
Or reach us directly at
service@afmcstudentportal.ca
Not ready to talk to someone? You can also download a series of comprehensive student resources.
Login
Register
Search Electives
The AFMC Student Portal Helpdesk is where you can ask questions, consult help documents, and find general information related to visiting electives in Canada.
Or reach us directly at
service@afmcstudentportal.ca
Not ready to talk to someone? You can also download a series of comprehensive student resources.
Login
Register
Search Electives
© Student Portal 2022
The AFMC Student Portal for visiting electives is currently closed. Visiting Electives for the Class of 2022 were suspended during the AFMC Board meeting on April 18, 2021. That includes electives for both Canadian and International students. The Undergraduate Deans of Canada’s medical schools are meeting on a regular basis and the decision to re-open the Portal will be made collaboratively and consistently across the country taking into account learning opportunities, provincial covid restrictions and other public health concerns.
We are working with our new Service Provider to build out the new visiting elective service portal. It will be ready when electives are offered again.
The AFMC Student Portal will be offline starting December 23, 2021. The refreshed portal will being rolling out in late February 2022.
For MCAT® Fee Assistance Program Applicants please verify eligibility and submit application through our AFMC website.
We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience.
If you have any questions, please contact the Help Desk at service@afmcstudentportal.ca