Queen’s University

Contact Information

Dana Brundige

Electives Assistant

meds.queensu.ca

80 Barrie Street
Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6

About the Faculty of Medicine

Founded over 150 years ago, Queen’s medical school provides a formative and challenging hands-on MD program as well as a significant number of postgraduate opportunities that emphasize the fundamentals of clinical medicine in the context of ongoing change, innovation, and discovery.

Today, the Queen’s medical program boasts a tradition of excellence, innovation and success upon which it builds a future dedicated to improving the health of people and populations in Canada and beyond. Its graduates and faculty exhibit leadership on the local, provincial, national and global stages.

To learn more about the faculty of medicine, visit our website.

Policies &
Requirements

1. Eligibility

Students must be enrolled in the final clerkship phase of a Doctor of Medicine program at an CACMS accredited Canadian Medical School.
Prior to enrolment in an elective, a student may be required to have completed his/her core clinical clerkship rotation in the discipline for which they have applied.
The elective experience cannot be used to complete a core rotation.
Students must submit all the required documentation before an elective can be finalized.
The maximum duration of elective time that may be carried out at Queen’s University is 12 weeks.
Students must have up-to-date Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS).
Students who are granted an elective will be able to participate in supervised patient care activities.
Adequate health coverage for the duration of the elective is the responsibility of the student.

2. Application Instructions

Electives are centrally coordinated and scheduled through the MD Program office only. Students are not permitted to make prior arrangements with any department or physician at any of the hospitals or clinics
Preceptors who arrange a learning experience independently of the MD Program office will be fully responsible for all actions of the student and the experience will not be recognized as an elective.
Summer electives are currently open until September 10, 2023. Fall electives from September 11, 2023 onward will begin processing in June. Application windows will range from 12 – 22 weeks prior to an elective. Outstanding documentation must be provided no later than 6 weeks prior to an elective.
Students wanting to switch their elective choice after an application has been completed and approved must cancel the elective and re-apply.
Cancellations received less than 6 weeks prior to the start date are deemed unprofessional and the home school will be notified.
Capacity is unknown until all applications have been processed for the time period requested.
Processing times will average between 1 – 8 weeks.
Once your elective is confirmed, you will receive a confirmation letter by email.
Contact medelect@queensu.ca if you have not received any information by 8 weeks before your elective start date.

3. Document Requirements

DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION

A recent and clear photo of yourself (JPEG, PDF)
Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Screening (JPEG, PDF)
Immunization Records & Serology Results (PDF)
CV/Letter of Intent (JPEG, PDF, DOC)
- This is required for specific elective opportunities, please ensure that you review the prerequisites for each elective

1. Eligibility

Students must be enrolled in the final clerkship phase of a Doctor of Medicine program at an CACMS accredited Canadian Medical School.
Prior to enrolment in an elective, a student may be required to have completed his/her core clinical clerkship rotation in the discipline for which they have applied.
The elective experience cannot be used to complete a core rotation.
Students must submit all the required documentation before an elective can be finalized.
The maximum duration of elective time that may be carried out at Queen’s University is 12 weeks.
Students must have up-to-date Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS).
Students who are granted an elective will be able to participate in supervised patient care activities.
Adequate health coverage for the duration of the elective is the responsibility of the student.

2. Application Instructions

Electives are centrally coordinated and scheduled through the MD Program office only. Students are not permitted to make prior arrangements with any department or physician at any of the hospitals or clinics
Preceptors who arrange a learning experience independently of the MD Program office will be fully responsible for all actions of the student and the experience will not be recognized as an elective.
Summer electives are currently open until September 10, 2023. Fall electives from September 11, 2023 onward will begin processing in June. Application windows will range from 12 – 22 weeks prior to an elective. Outstanding documentation must be provided no later than 6 weeks prior to an elective.
Students wanting to switch their elective choice after an application has been completed and approved must cancel the elective and re-apply.
Cancellations received less than 6 weeks prior to the start date are deemed unprofessional and the home school will be notified.
Capacity is unknown until all applications have been processed for the time period requested.
Processing times will average between 1 – 8 weeks.
Once your elective is confirmed, you will receive a confirmation letter by email.
Contact medelect@queensu.ca if you have not received any information by 4 weeks before your elective start date.
We encourage MD Extension students to apply, however, it is strongly advised to contact us (medelect@queensu.ca) prior to submitting an application, if you are applying less than 16 weeks prior to the elective date, as there are greater chances that most elective spaces are already filled.

3. Document Requirements

DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION

A recent and clear photo of yourself (JPEG, PDF)
Immunization Records & Serology Results (PDF)
- All items must be completed with the exception of Section J
CV/Letter of Intent (JPEG, PDF, DOC)
- This is required for specific elective opportunities, please ensure that you review the prerequisites for each elective

1. Eligibility

The availability of electives for students from non-North American schools depends upon the scheduling requirements for Queen’s students and the hospital departments’ capacity for undergraduate and postgraduate trainees, visiting physicians, visiting elective students from North American medical schools, and patient volume in the clinical learning environment. he following policy has been developed to facilitate the scheduling of students from non-North American schools.
Students must be from an IMED-accredited international medical school.
The maximum duration of electives that may be carried out at Queen’s University is 4 weeks.
Prior to enrolment in an elective, a student will normally be required to have completed his/her core clinical clerkship rotation in the discipline for which they have applied.
Students, who are accepted for an elective, will be able to participate in supervised patient care activities.

2. Application Instructions

Electives are centrally coordinated and scheduled through the MD Program office only. Students are not permitted to make prior arrangements with any department or physician at any of the hospitals or clinics.
Preceptors who arrange a learning experience independently of the MD Program Office will be fully responsible for all actions of the student and the experience will not be recognized as an elective.
Electives will open for International Students for electives beginning January 2024. A completed application and supporting documents must be submitted 16 – 22 weeks prior to the beginning of the requested elective. Outstanding documentation is due no later than 6 weeks prior to the approved elective.
Students wanting to switch their elective choice after an application has been completed and approved must cancel the elective and re-apply.
Cancellations received less than 6 weeks prior to the start date are deemed unprofessional and the home school will be notified.
Capacity is unknown at the time of application
Processing times are 1 – 8 weeks
Once your elective is confirmed, check your email for instructions during elective
Contact medelect@queensu.ca if you have not received any information by 8 weeks before your elective start date.

3. Document Requirements

WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION

A recent and clear photo of yourself (JPEG, PDF)
Immunization Records & Serology Results (PDF)
- All items must be completed with the exception of Section J
CV/Letter of Intent (JPEG, PDF, DOC)
- This is required for specific elective opportunities, please ensure that you review the prerequisites for each elective
Reference Letter/Letter of Attestation (JPEG, PDF)
- We require one reference from a clinical supervisor under whom the applicant has worked for a period of at least 8 weeks OR two Letters of Reference from clinical supervisors under whom the applicant has worked for periods of at least 4 weeks each. The letter must be uploaded with your application
Proof of Language Competency (JPEG, PDF)
- Students who are enrolled in medical school where instruction is in English, are not required to provide proof of language proficiency. Your home school will complete an electronic verification to confirm this. If instruction is not in English, the following outlines the requirements for Queen’s University.

WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Proof of Health Insurance (JPEG, PDF)
- Please provide documentation that you are covered for health insurance in the event of a medical emergency
HepC and HIV (PDF)
- Please complete Section J of the AMFC Immunization and testing form
N95 Mask Fitting (JPEG, PDF)
- If testing is unavailable in your area, you may complete the testing upon arrival for an additional fee.
Criminal Record Disclosure and Consent (PDF)

CLOSER TO ELECTIVE START DATE

Visa Confirmation (PNG, JPEG, PDF, DOC)
- Must be provided by no later than 6 weeks prior to your elective, or you are required to cancel

School

Canadian Student Application Fee

Canadian Student Acceptance Fee

International Student Application Fee

International Student Acceptance Fee

Additional Fees Outside Portal

Queen’s University

$100

$725 – includes $400 registration fee, $325 malpractice insurance fee

$10 deposit for security badge

Scrubs require a cash deposit of $60 at the KGH Cashier Office. A scrub form will be provided by the UGME upon registration.

Please note: Queen’s runs on a limited capacity-based system. It is not guaranteed that all electives will be available.
We post capacity where available and students should monitor accordingly.

International Students will be eligible to apply for electives starting in January 2024.

Priority for Scheduling:
Queen’s Learners
Domestic Learners
International Learners

The below schedule applies to Visiting Electives only

Elective Period	Application Period Opens	Application Period Closes
October 2 – Nov 5, 2023	Closed	Closed
November 6 – December 1, 2023	August 1, 2023	August 20, 2023
December 4 – 17, 2023	August 21, 2023 Urology, Ophthalmology, Radiology	September 24, 2023
January 14 – September 1, 2024 Rolling window	September 11, 2023	May 12, 2024

Travel &
Accommodation

Public Transit

City of Kingston Bus Schedules

Accommodations

Please note we cannot arrange or be responsible for accommodation and/or parking while here on elective.

Here are some links for housing around Queen’s University

Maps

FAQ

Does the Undergraduate Medical Education office have access to availability of electives?

Our office does not have access to availability prior to receiving an application and contacting the department on the student’s behalf with their request.

Can students contact preceptors or departments prior to submitting an application to arrange an elective?

Students are not to contact preceptors or departments directly to arrange an elective. This will be done on the students’ behalf once the application has been received.

How long can a student expect to wait prior to receiving confirmation for an elective request?

The wait time is dependent on the department the request is submitted to. Only one placement request can be submitted at a time, and then we must await the response from the department. Wait time can range from one week to 2 months.

What if I have accepted an elective and need to make a change?

You must cancel the elective and submit a new application for a later date, within the 16-26 week application window.

I do not have an N95 Mask Fitting. How do I obtain one?

If you are unable to complete an N95 mask fitting prior to your elective, a mandatory appointment will be arranged upon arrival for a fee of $55 CAD

I am an international student. May I opt out of the Malpractice insurance required?

Purchase of malpractice insurance is a mandatory requirement for all international students to complete an elective at Queen’s.

I am available for multiple dates; can I mention this on my application?

You may indicate alternate dates in the student comments, but the alternate dates must be within 26 weeks from the date you submitted your application.

What is required for the Letter of Attestation? (This pertains to International Students only, as per list of document requirements)

This is not to be confused for a Letter of Good Standing. We require one reference from a clinical supervisor under whom the applicant has worked for a period of at least 8 weeks OR two Letters of Reference from clinical supervisors under whom the applicant has worked for periods of at least 4 weeks each. The letter must be uploaded with your application.

I forgot to change the draft dates when I submitted my application, how can I change it?

Please do not cancel the application! You may contact the UGME by email (medelect@queensu.ca) to notify us of the error. Please provide the application number and the correct dates you meant to apply for.

What is your policy on change requests?

The start date must be within 26 weeks from the date of application. Each application allows 3 choices. You may not change the choices, only the dates. If you only select one choice, you will not be considered for alternate choices.

May I apply more than once for the same dates?

Only one application is permitted per student for the same dates. The second application will be automatically cancelled with no refund.

I have applied more than once for the same elective.

You may only be confirmed for the same elective once. If you wish to complete more than one elective, you must apply for a different discipline. Please note that international students may attend Queen’s for 4 weeks maximum, whether that is one 4-week elective, or two separate 2-week electives.

Cancellation &
Change Requests

Change requests are not permitted once an elective is accepted, unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Notification is required no later than six weeks prior to the elective start date. Notice of an elective cancellation must be submitted in writing to the Visiting Electives office and the clinical department in which the elective is scheduled. As per the National Electives Policy, if a student cancels an elective less than six weeks prior to the start date the home school will be notified in writing. Cancelling an elective at this point is deemed unprofessional unless there is just cause.

AN INITIATIVE OF