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 CdnElectives@dal.ca.
1. ELIGIBILITY
CANADIAN STUDENTS
You can apply as a Canadian student if you are from a Canadian medical school (outside of Dalhousie University) and are in your penultimate or final year of your 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.
2. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
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 Portal; we endeavour to have these as up to date as possible.
NUMBER OF ELECTIVES
- Learners can apply for multiple electives at Dalhousie University; however, we do not accept multiple applications for the same dates. The maximum number of choices is five per application.
- The maximum combined elective duration is four weeks per calendar year, while the maximum combined elective duration is eight weeks per academic year. Our academic year is September to August.
PROCESSING TIMES
We try to obtain a response from departments within four weeks of receiving the application; however, this varies depending on preceptor availability.
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:
- If there is capacity in the elective choices provided on the application.
- How many times elective choices are changed/updated.
- How quickly the department/preceptor provides confirmation of availability.
3. DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS
PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT DEPARTMENTS WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT AFMC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.
WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION
- A recent and clear photo of yourself (Registrant Account)
- Colour photo only; black and white photos are not accepted.
- AFMC Student Portal Immunization and Testing Form
- COVID Vaccination
- Letter of Good Standing with anticipated graduation date
- This document is obtained from your home school.
- Police Records Check for Service with Vulnerable Sector
- Must be valid within 12 months of the end date of the placement.
- Completed and/or Scheduled Core
CLOSER TO ELECTIVE START DATE
- Influenza vaccine
- Proof of current N95 Mask Fitting
- Proof of current CPR-HCP or BLS
IMPORTANT NOTES
- Elective requests will not be accepted that are less than 16-weeks from the start date.
- Electives start on Monday and end on Friday (except holidays). Emergency Medicine – Halifax electives end on Sunday. Your confirmation letter will have the correct dates.
- Add any additional available dates in the comments section. These are not considered official elective requests – they are just comments that departments may consider. Official requests are only those entered as an elective request in the application.
- Choices are processed in the order in which they are entered in your application.
- In the comment section, PRIOR to submitting your application, add any additional information that you want departments to see (i.e., preceptor and/or language preferences, etc.).
Notice to International Students:
Elective opportunities for non-Canadian students studying abroad will be suspended for placements in July and August 2025, and until further notice.
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
1. ELIGIBILITY
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 (no exceptions). Your application will not be processed if all five core rotations, whether completed and/or scheduled, are not entered.
2. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
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
- Learners can apply for multiple electives at Dalhousie University; however, we do not accept multiple applications for the same dates. The maximum number of choices is five per application.
- The maximum combined elective duration is four weeks per calendar year, while the maximum combined elective duration is eight weeks per academic year. Our academic year is September to August.
PROCESSING TIMES
We try to obtain a response from departments within four weeks of receiving the application; however, this varies depending on preceptor availability.
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:
- If there is capacity in the elective choices provided on the application.
- How many times elective choices are changed/updated.
- How quickly the department/preceptor provides confirmation of availability.
3.DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS
PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT DEPARTMENTS WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT AFMC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.
WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION
- A recent and clear photo of yourself (Registrant Account)
- Colour photo only. Black and white photos are not accepted.
- AFMC Student Portal Immunization and Testing Form
- COVID Vaccination
- Letter of Good Standing with the following details:
- Your full name(s) and last name
- The program you are registered in as well as the program length in years and the language of education. Our electives are only offered in English.
- That you are in academic good standing, your current year of the program and that you are approved to do a clinical elective as part of your curriculum requirements.
- Expected graduation date (day, month, and year).
- Police Records Check for Service with Vulnerable Sector
- Must be valid within 12 months of the end date of the placement.
- Completed or Scheduled Core
- Proof of language competence
- Canadian students must upload a driver’s licence or passport.
CLOSER TO ELECTIVE START DATE
- Influenza vaccine
- Proof of current N95 Mask Fitting
- Proof of current CPR-HCP or BLS
IMPORTANT NOTES
- Elective requests will not be accepted that are less than 16-weeks or more than 26-weeks from the start date.
- Electives start on Monday and end on Friday (except holidays). Emergency Medicine – Halifax electives end on Sunday. Your confirmation letter will have the correct dates.
- Add any additional available dates in the comments section. These are not considered official elective requests – they are just comments that departments may consider. Official requests are only those entered as an elective request in the application.
- Choices are processed in the order in which they are entered in your application.
- In the comment section, PRIOR to submitting your application, add any additional information that you want departments to see (i.e., preceptor and/or language preferences, etc.).
- All clinical electives must be done for academic credit. We do not offer core clinical training, pre-clinical electives, or observerships through the AFMC Student Portal.
- After being confirmed for an elective, it is okay to communicate with the Placement Contact to clarify scheduling or program specific details.
- Under no circumstances can new dates be requested or renegotiated after an elective offer is accepted by the applicant.
