McGill University

Contact Information

Administrative Student Affairs Coordinator

680 Sherbrooke Ouest, 17e étage
Montréal (Québec) H3A 2M7

About the Faculty of Medicine

The McGill Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is home to a stimulating community of professors, clinicians, researchers and students. We invite eligible students to apply for clinical electives or medical research electives conducted under the supervision of leading McGill physicians, who will inspire and support you throughout your training.

Policies & Requirements

1. Eligibility

Students must be in clerkship at the time of the requested elective.
The student must have had the equivalent to our Transition to Clinical Practice (i.e., know how to take a history and do a physical exam). The Faculty does not have the resources to teach the basis of these clinical skills to visiting elective students.
The student must be able to speak, write and read English fluently. The ability to speak, write and read French fluently is mandatory if the requested elective is to be carried out in a rural area or in Campus Outaouais; otherwise, the student is highly encouraged to have a working level of the French language (spoken, written, and read). Students who come to pursue an elective but do not possess the requisite level of language skills will be required to withdraw from the elective.

2. Application Instructions

Applying does not guarantee a placement. All required supporting documents must be provided, otherwise the elective application will not be processed. For students from other Quebec medical students, the visiting elective will also need to be approved by the host and home registrars within AEHE system.
Electives totaling more than 8 weeks are not permitted. Additional electives will not be approved once the student has arrived at McGill.
There is no remuneration offered for visiting elective students, nor is financial assistance available.
It is prohibited to contact departments directly to inquire about elective availability. All electives must go through the AFMC Portal. Failure to comply with these rules will result in refusal of the application. Incorrect documents, or incomplete applications will also be refused.
Change requests are not permitted once an application is being processed.

3. Document Requirements

Acceptable file formats (unless otherwise specified): PDF, PNG, JPEG, DOC

WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION

A recent and clear photo of yourself (Registrant Account) (PNG, JPEG)
Proof of health insurance
Student Acceptance Form
Collège des médecins du Québec (CMQ) number
An up-to-date seasonal influenza immunization.

1. Eligibility

Students must be in clerkship at the time of the requested elective.
The student must have had the equivalent to our Transition to Clinical Practice (i.e., know how to take a history and do a physical exam). The Faculty does not have the resources to teach the basis of these clinical skills to visiting elective students.
The student must be able to speak, write and read English fluently. The ability to speak, write and read French fluently is mandatory if the requested elective is to be carried out in a rural area or in Campus Outaouais; otherwise, the student is highly encouraged to have a working level of the French language (spoken, written, and read). Students who come to pursue an elective but do not possess the requisite level of language skills will be required to withdraw from the elective.

2. Application Instructions

Applying does not guarantee a placement. All required supporting documents must be provided, otherwise the elective application will not be processed. For students from other Quebec medical students, the visiting elective will also need to be approved by the host and home registrars within AEHE system.
Electives totaling more than 8 weeks are not permitted. Additional electives will not be approved once the student has arrived at McGill.
There is no remuneration offered for visiting elective students, nor is financial assistance available.
It is prohibited to contact departments directly to inquire about elective availability. All electives must go through the AFMC Portal. Failure to comply with these rules will result in refusal of the application. Incorrect documents, or incomplete applications will also be refused.
Change requests are not permitted once an application is being processed.

3. Document Requirements

Acceptable file formats (unless otherwise specified): PDF, PNG, JPEG, DOC

WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION

A recent and clear photo of yourself (Registrant Account) (PNG, JPEG)
Proof of health insurance
Student Acceptance Form
An up-to-date seasonal influenza immunization
AFMC Student Portal Immunization and Testing Form

All international electives are currently suspended at McGill.

Canadian Students Abroad:

Students must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
Students from the US must be registered at a university recognized by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). Students from other countries must be registered at an institution recognized by the World Directory of Medical Schools (World Directory) http://www.wdoms.org/.

Arabian Gulf University:
Students pre-selected by the Arabian Gulf University.

Gifu University School of Medicine:
Students pre-selected by the Gifu University School of Medicine.

IFMSA:
Students pre-selected by IFMSA.

King Saud University:
Students pre-selected by King Saud University.

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland:
Students pre-selected by Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

Sultan Qaboos University College of Medicine:
Students pre-selected by Sultan Qaboos University College of Medicine.

United Arab Emirates University:
Students pre-selected by United Arab Emirates University.

University of Sharjah:
Students pre-selected by University of Sharjah.

1. Eligibility

The student must be in the final year of medical school at the time of the requested elective.
The student must have had the equivalent to our Transition to Clinical Practice (i.e., know how to take a history and do a physical exam). The Faculty does not have the resources to teach visiting elective students how to do a physical.
The student must be able to speak, write and read English fluently. The ability to speak, write and read French fluently is mandatory if the requested elective is to be carried out in a rural area; otherwise, the student is highly encouraged to have a working level of the French language (spoken, written, and read). Students who come to pursue an elective but do not possess the requisite level of language skills will be required to withdraw from the elective.

2. Application Instructions

Electives are either a 4-week or an 8-week.
There are very limited elective opportunities for international medical students in Anaesthesia, General Internal Medicine (Clinical Teaching Unit electives only), and Obstetrics and Gynecology (Obstetrics in month of July only). All other departments and subspecialties will consider applications.
Students must ensure they have completed the required prerequisite courses by the start date of their planned rotation.
Submitting an application does not guarantee a placement. All required supporting documents must be provided, otherwise the elective application will not be processed.
Electives totalling more than 8 weeks are not permitted. Please allow up to 8 weeks of processing time for your application. No additional electives will be approved once the student has arrived at McGill. There is no remuneration offered for visiting elective students, nor is financial assistance available.
It is prohibited to contact departments directly to inquire about elective availability. All electives must go through the Portal. Failure to comply with these rules will result in refusal of the application. Incorrect documents, or incomplete applications will also be refused.
Once an application is submitted, no additional electives are allowed.
Change requests are not permitted once an application is being processed.
Please allow up to 8 weeks of processing time.
A placement is considered final once the student has been issued a formal acceptance letter. No further changes either in elective disciplines or dates are permitted.

3. Document Requirements

Acceptable file formats (unless otherwise specified): PDF, PNG, JPEG, DOC

WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION

A recent and clear photo of yourself (Registrant Account) (PNG, JPEG)
Proof of health insurance — Proof of Personal Health Insurance by your university or other organization. Please ensure that the start and end dates of the elective period(s) concerned are indicated on the insurance form.
Student Acceptance Form
Attestation of Core Rotation Form
Resume/CV
Proof of General Liability Insurance — Proof of General Liability Insurance by his/her home university or other organization. McGill University does not provide a list of insurers. It is the student’s responsibility to research and acquire suitable insurance coverage for his/her elective period. Please ensure that the start and end dates of the elective period(s) concerned are indicated on the insurance form.
AFMC Student Portal Immunization and Testing Form

McGill is not currently offering electives to students in MD Extension programs.

1. Eligibility

Only students registered in their Canadian medical schools in an extended undergraduate MD Program.
Students must be in their final year of medical school at the time of the requested elective.
The student must be able to speak, write and read English fluently. The ability to speak, write and read French fluently is mandatory if the requested elective is to be carried out in a rural area; otherwise, the student is highly encouraged to have a working level of the French language (spoken, written, and read). Students who come to pursue an elective but do not possess the requisite level of language skills will be required to withdraw from the elective.

2. Application Instructions

Electives of 2, 3, or 4 weeks are available. 2 week electives are discipline specific, please review the discipline description prior to applying.
Students must ensure they have completed the required prerequisite courses by the start date of their planned rotation.
Submitting an application does not guarantee a placement. All required supporting documents must be provided, otherwise the elective application will not be processed.
Electives totalling more than 8 weeks are not permitted. Please allow up to 8 weeks of processing time for your application. No additional electives will be approved once the student has arrived at McGill. There is no remuneration offered for visiting elective students, nor is financial assistance available.
It is prohibited to contact departments directly to inquire about elective availability. All electives must go through the Portal. Failure to comply with these rules will result in refusal of the application. Incorrect documents, or incomplete applications will also be refused.
Once an application is submitted, no additional electives are allowed.
Change requests are not permitted once an application is being processed.
Please allow up to 8 weeks of processing time.
A placement is considered final once the student has been issued a formal acceptance letter. No further changes either in elective disciplines or dates are permitted.

3. Document Requirements

Acceptable file formats (unless otherwise specified): PDF, PNG, JPEG, DOC

WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION

A recent and clear photo of yourself (Registrant Account) (PNG, JPEG)
Proof of health insurance
Student Acceptance Form
Attestation of Core Rotation Form
Resume/CV
AFMC Student Portal Immunization and Testing Form

Important Information

McGill electives are formal courses given for credit towards an MD degree. The Visiting Students Electives Program is not offered to health science degree students. The student must be in good standing at their home institution.

The availability of electives depends upon the scheduling requirements for our own McGill students, the hospital department’s scheduling requirements and patient numbers. Scheduling can only be done through the Visiting Electives Office. There is a restriction on the number of electives available during July and August and peak periods.

Registration on with Collège des médecins

All visiting students approved for electives at McGill must register with the Collège des médecins du Québec (CMQ) and obtain a registration certificate delivered by the CMQ. The registration with the CMQ is compulsory to perform professional medical acts in Québec. Once accepted for an elective, McGill University will forward the necessary information to CMQ. Subsequently the CMQ office will contact the student by email with instructions for registration and payment with them. The student will then receive a letter of eligibility from the CMQ, without which they will not be able to begin the elective. This letter is also necessary for visa application purposes. McGill requires the student to have their file completed (registration, fee and notarized documents) 6 weeks prior to the confirmed elective start date.

Upon commencing the elective, the student must provide their CMQ Registration Number to their supervisor/hospital department so that the physician can bill the Régie d’Assurance Maladie (RAMQ) for teaching activities. For more information, please refer to the Collège des médecins du Québec.

Assessments

McGill’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and its teaching hospitals will not provide assessment forms to visiting students or to the hospital department, nor send them to the visiting student’s home university. Students must provide their home medical school’s assessment form(s) to the supervising physician/department upon arriving at McGill. Copies of the student’s assessment form should not be sent to the Visiting Electives Office.

Observerships

Observerships are not arranged by the Visiting Electives Office. Medical students who wish to arrange an observership can do so by contacting the Directorate of Education or the Direction of Professional Services of the clinical site where they wish to do the Observership.

Elective Sites

Electives will be undertaken at the various sites within the Réseau Universitaire Intégré de Santé et des Services Sociaux de McGill (https://www.mcgill.ca/ruisss/fr) which includes the McGill University Health Centre, the Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et des Services Sociaux (CIUSSS) du Centre-Ouest de Montréal, the CIUSSS de l’Ouest de l’Île de Montréal, the Centre Intégré de Santé et des Services Sociaux (CISSS) de la Montérégie-Ouest, the CISSS de l’Outaouais, the CISSS de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue, space permitting.

Travel & Accommodation

Students are responsible for arranging their own accommodations. The Visiting Electives Office does not provide any information regarding housing, though students may contact McGill’s Off-Campus Housing Office for information.

If you have been accepted to a rural site and require lodging, it is your responsibility to contact the site directly to arrange the details.

Tourism and Public Transit

Immigration (Visa and Work Permit)

Non-Canadian students are required by Canadian immigration regulation to undergo a medical examination before entering Canada. Your own doctor cannot do the medical examination. You must see a physician on Canada’s list of Designated Medical Practitioners.

Without this medical exam, the student will be refused at the border and not permitted entry into Canada. The student should plan to have this exam carried out 3-4 months in advance of your elective to ensure that the results will be available in time.

Students are responsible for obtaining the appropriate visa from the Canadian Consulate in the country of study for entry into Canada, if necessary. Visas cannot be obtained after arrival in Canada. International health care students can do their clinical clerkships or short-term work in Canada without a work permit if the work is for the primary purpose of acquiring training. A normal training practicum should not exceed four months.

Cancellation & Change

Visiting School Elective Cancellation Process

While extremely rare, should a confirmed/accepted elective be cancelled by the McGill (via site or preceptor) due to unforeseen/mitigating circumstances, a student must complete the following steps:

immediately notify McGill Electives Office (electives.med@mcgill.ca) and copy/notify the student’s home school Elective Office
student must provide consent if they desire McGill to find an alternative elective, with the understanding that a student must proceed with the offered alternative. All attempts to find a reasonable placement will be made, however since this is highly dependent on capacity, students must be prepared to be flexible. Students can decline the alternative elective offered, but a refund will not be issued in these circumstances

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 McGill to search for a reasonable alternative, OR if an alternative elective placement is not available/offered.

CANCELLATION POLICY AND PROFESSIONALISM

In the AFMC Capacity-Based Model, students are not permitted to cancel an accepted elective placement. If there are mitigating circumstances, students must contact their home schools for permission to cancel an elective placement with a visiting school. The home school’s Elective Office must notify McGill’s Electives Office that an elective placement has been approved for cancellation.

School	Canadian Student Application Fee	Canadian Student Acceptance Fee	International Student Application Fee	International Student Acceptance Fee	Additional Fees Outside Portal
McGill University	$0	$200	$100	$400

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