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 ne sont pas permitted. If you submit an off-cycle request, your application will be cancelled.

International Visiting Elective application rounds (Jan-May 2026)

Please note that the International electives office will be closed from December 22, 2025-January 3, 2025. Emails will not be responded to during this time.

June-Aug  2026

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. 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 two per application.
• The maximum combined elective duration is four weeks per calendar year, while the maximum combined elective duration is eight weeks per Dalhousie academic year. Our academic year runs from September to August.

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:

• 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.

AVEC LA SOUMISSION DE LA DEMANDE

• A recent and clear colour photo of yourself (Registrant Account)
• AFMC Immunization and Testing Form -2024 version
• 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 (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 Attestation of Core rotations and Electives

• Proof of language competence (Canadian students studying abroad may upload their driver’s license or passport)

CLOSER TO ELECTIVE START DATE

• Influenza vaccine
• Proof of current N95 Mask Fitting
• Proof of current CPR-HCP or BLS

IMPORTANT NOTES

• Electives always start on Monday and end on Friday (except holidays). Emergency Medicine – Halifax electives end on Sunday. Your emailed 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.
• Students may not cancel or make changes once an elective has been accepted