University Of Calgary

Contact Information

Visiting Electives Coordinator

cumming.ucalgary.ca

3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4

About the Faculty of Medicine

The University of Calgary Medical School was founded in 1970 and renamed as the Cumming School of Medicine in June, 2014. We are an innovative medical school committed to excellence and leadership in education, research and service to society. To learn more about the faculty of medicine, visit our website.

Policies &
Requirements

1. Eligibility

Medical Students enrolled in Canadian Medical Schools
University of Alberta Students: You do NOT need to apply for a Rural Family Medicine elective through the portal, as UofA students are able to do any rural electives throughout Alberta through their home school. All other students must apply for a Rural Family Medicine elective through the portal.

2. Application Instructions

AVAILABILITY

Electives cannot be set up directly with a department and must be applied for through the AFMC Student Portal.
We do not offer waitlists.

APPLYING FOR AN ELECTIVE

Please read the elective prerequisites.

Some departments require students to complete their mandatory rotation prior to completing an elective. If you do not meet the requirements before your elective choice start date, your application for that elective will be declined.

Application Window

We accept applications from 12 weeks before the start date of your requested elective. Electives run from Monday – Sunday. You can apply as early as 10pm MST on the Sunday of the 16^th week.

One application = one elective.

To maximize an application, we encourage students to list up to three elective options from one discipline. We will work through your choices and offer you the first that is available.

Multiple Applications

Students can submit a maximum of 3 applications per school and a maximum of 12 applications per 2 week-block

Processing Times

Electives must be confirmed at least 8 weeks prior to the start date. Once your elective is confirmed, check your inbox for instructions closer to the start of your elective.
If we are unable to place you with an elective, we will cancel your portal application at the 8-week mark.
There is an 12-week maximum length of elective time per student, not per year, for electives scheduled at the University of Calgary.
All cancellation requests must be received through the AFMC Student Portal no later than 6 weeks prior to the elective start date. If it is cancelled with less than 6 weeks notice, a letter of professionalism will be sent to the student’s home school.

Fees: $50 application fee followed by $150 when student accepts offer of elective (both non-refundable)

3. Document Requirements

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

WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION

A recent and clear photo of yourself (PNG, JPEG, GIF)
The AFMC Immunization form which is available on this page.
Criminal Records Check for Service with Vulnerable Sector. Must be current within 12 months of the elective start date and valid at the start of elective. This can be provided in the form of an updated police check from the RCMP or your local PD as long as it checks nationally.
Proof of BLS Provider (Basic Life Support)
- Certification is only valid for one year from the date of issue.

1. Eligibility

Medical Students enrolled in Canadian Medical Schools
University of Alberta Students: You do NOT need to apply for a Rural Family Medicine elective through the portal, as UofA students are able to do any rural electives throughout Alberta through their home school. All other students must apply for a Rural Family Medicine elective through the portal.

2. Application Instructions

AVAILABILITY

Electives cannot be set up directly with a department and must be applied for through the AFMC Student Portal.
We do not offer waitlists.
The University of Calgary has a blackout period for visiting electives from the beginning of January to end of April 2025. Specific departments may have other blackout periods – please refer to individual elective opportunities to see availability.
Requests are placed on a first come, first served basis.

APPLYING FOR AN ELECTIVE

Please read the elective prerequisites.

Application Window

We accept applications from 16 weeks – 10 weeks before the start date of your requested elective. Electives run from Monday – Sunday. You can apply as early as 6pm MST on the Monday of the 16th week.

One application = one elective.

To maximize an application, we encourage students to list up to three elective options from one discipline. We will work through your choices and offer you the first that is available.

Multiple Applications

Submitting multiple applications at the same time or while other applications are pending is acceptable. Applications will be considered independent of each other. Visiting students attending a Canadian medical school must follow the national 12-4-2 rule regarding number of visiting electives and weeks.

o max 12 weeks visiting electives for any student

o maximum 4 visiting electives for any student (individual elective)

o each elective minimum 2 weeks long

Processing Times

Applications are processed in order of which they are received.

• Electives must be confirmed at least 8 weeks prior to the start date. Once your elective is confirmed, check your inbox for instructions closer to the start of your elective.

• If we are unable to place you with an elective, we will cancel your portal application at the 8-week mark.

• There is an 12-week maximum length of elective time per student, not per year, for electives scheduled at the University of Calgary.

• All cancellation requests must be received through the AFMC Student Portal no later than 6 weeks prior to the elective start date. If it is cancelled with less than 6 weeks notice, a letter of professionalism will be sent to the student’s home school.

Fees: $50 application fee followed by $150 when student accepts offer of elective (both non-refundable)

3. Document Requirements

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

WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION

A recent and clear photo of yourself (PNG, JPEG, GIF)
The AFMC Immunization form which is available on this page.
Criminal Records Check for Service with Vulnerable Sector. Must be current within 12 months of the elective start date and valid at the start of elective. This can be provided in the form of an updated police check from the RCMP or your local PD as long as it checks nationally.

1. Eligibility

Medical Students enrolled at an LCME accredited Medical School and completing and receiving their degree from an LCME-Accredited school. Only students in their final year of the MD program can apply for electives. If you apply for an elective and are NOT from an LCME-accredited school, your application will be cancelled and you will not be refunded.

2. Application Instructions

AVAILABILITY

Electives cannot be set up directly with a department and must be applied for through the AFMC Student Portal.
We do not offer waitlists.
The University of Calgary has a blackout period for visiting electives from the beginning of January to end of April 2025. Specific departments may have other blackout periods – please refer to individual elective opportunities to see availability.
Requests are placed on a first come, first served basis.

APPLYING FOR AN ELECTIVE

Please read the elective prerequisites.

Application Window

One application = one elective.

To maximize an application, we encourage students to list up to three elective options from one discipline. We will work through your choices and offer you the first that is available.

Multiple Applications

o max 12 weeks visiting electives for any student

o maximum 4 visiting electives for any student (individual elective)

o each elective minimum 2 weeks long

Processing Times

Applications are processed in order of which they are received.

Electives must be confirmed at least 8 weeks prior to the start date. Once your elective is confirmed, check your inbox for instructions closer to the start of your elective.
If we are unable to place you with an elective, we will cancel your portal application at the 8-week mark.
There is an 12-week maximum length of elective time per student, not per year, for electives scheduled at the University of Calgary.
All cancellation requests must be received through the AFMC Student Portal no later than 6 weeks prior to the elective start date. If it is cancelled with less than 6 weeks notice, a letter of professionalism will be sent to the student’s home school.

Fees: $75 application fee followed by $400 when student accepts offer of elective (both non-refundable)

3. Document Requirements

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

AFTER ELECTIVE CONFIRMATION

A recent and clear photo of yourself (PNG, JPEG, GIF)
The AFMC Immunization form which is available on this page.
Criminal Records Check for Service with Vulnerable Sector. Must be current within 12 months of the elective start date and valid at the start of elective. This can be provided in the form of an updated police check from the RCMP or your local PD as long as it checks nationally.
Proof of Malpractice & Liability Insurance
- $2 million CAD for malpractice insurance and $1 million CAD for general liability insurance must be valid in Canada for the elective period. Malpractice and general liability insurance can both be on the same document but must be uploaded for both required items.
Proof of Health Insurance
- Must be valid for the elective period.
- If you are unable to provide proof of malpractice liability insurance, it can be purchased through U of C. Please contact the visiting electives coordinator for the process.

1. Eligibility

A FINAL YEAR medical student who has been pre-selected by the IFMSA for an elective placement in Calgary. Prior notice of elective is required to be submitted to the Visiting Elective Progam Coordinator no later than 4 months prior to the start of any elective.
Disclaimer: Direct application for an IFMSA elective via this portal will not be considered. Students who apply without prior IFMSA approval will have the applications CANCELLED as they do not meet the eligibility and therefore should NOT be applying.

2. Application Instructions

APPLYING FOR AN ELECTIVE

Once you have been selected by IFMSA for an elective with The University of Calgary, the national liaison will email the visiting electives office to inform the coordinator of your selection and top 3 choices for electives.
You will also receive emails from the national liaison, the local liaison, and the visiting electives coordinator with further details and information.
The visiting electives coordinator will contact the departments of your top 3 choices to inquire about a placement. If needed the coordinator will ask for additional departments. Once there is a confirmed elective, the coordinator will email the student to confirm this is acceptable and connect them with the department.
The coordinator will communicate with the student regarding the required documents for the portal application. If the student needs assistance with the immunization form, that can be provided. As well, if the malpractice insurance cannot be provided by the student’s school, we can arrange this once we receive payment for it.
Student must set up a portal profile and submit an application for review.
There is a 4-week maximum length of elective time per student for electives scheduled at the University of Calgary.
Applications are processed based on earliest elective start date. Your patience is appreciated.
Once your elective is confirmed, check your email for instructions during elective
Contact the placement contact if you have not received any information by two weeks before your elective start date.

3. Document Requirements

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

WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION

A recent and clear photo of yourself (PNG, JPEG, GIF)
The AFMC Immunization form which is available on this page.
Criminal Records Check for Service with Vulnerable Sector. Must be current within 12 months of the elective start date and valid at the start of elective. This can be provided in the form of an updated police check from the RCMP or your local PD as long as it checks nationally.

Health & Safety

If you are in an Alberta Health Services (AHS) setting and you have an incident, injury, or exposure, please read the information below. If you are not in an AHS setting, follow the process below but in step 3 report it to Workplace Health and Safety at that location.

Incident Reporting:

Workplace Incident Reporting https://insite.albertahealthservices.ca/hr/Page962.aspx

All incidents must be reported immediately.

If you experience a Blood and Body Fluid Exposure (BBFE) or Communicable Disease Exposure (CDE):

TAKE ACTION: First Aid / Emergency Response
TELL YOUR SUPERVISOR (preceptor and clinic/unit manager): Immediately
REPORT: Call 1-855-450-3619; extension 4 for Calgary Zone; extension 5 for South Zone
REPORT INCIDENT TO YOUR HOME SCHOOL

The Student Advocacy and Wellness Hub (SAWH):

The Student Advocacy and Wellness Hub (SAWH) is a resource here for you if you find yourself needing support, emotional counselling, or guidance while in Calgary on electives. Our services are completely free and confidential. To book please contact md.studentaffairs@ucalgary.ca or stop by in person at G740 Health Sciences Centre, Foothills Campus between 8:00-4:30 Monday- Friday.

Mistreatment:

Safe Reporting at the Cumming School of Medicine

Precision Equity & Social Justice Office (PESJO) – Cumming School of Medicine’s centralized resource for promoting equity, accessibility, and authentic belonging. Formerly the Office of Professionalism, Equity and Diversity (OPED).

Physician and Family Support Program (PFSP)

The PFSP provides confidential support to you and your immediate family members 24/7. Phone 877-767-4637 . Find Provincial and Territorial Physician Support Services

Some of the reasons to call PFSP:

Family and relationship issues
Career, educational and workplace concerns that are impacting your health
Dealing with adverse events
Stress, anxiety, other mental health issues and psychiatric disorders
Substance misuse
Concern for a colleague

You have access to a Prayer Room located in the Health Sciences Centre 1001, available 24/7, Foothills Campus.

Clinical Access Processes for AHS (Alberta Health Services)

I wish to welcome you to your undergraduate training with the University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine and Alberta Health Services (AHS) through our partnership. The Medical Education Office (MEO) works with the Undergraduate Medical Education Office and your training program to facilitate your placement and clinical access withing the hospitals and facilities operated by AHS.

Together with our colleagues, we share the AHS’s Mission “To provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.” While remaining accountable to the Cumming School of Medicine for your educational program, you will be expected to perform clinical duties in an appropriate, professional manner and comply with the codes of conduct, general bylaws, standards, policies, procedures, and applicable guidelines of your host site or institution including, but not limited to, those of Alberta Health Services (https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/about/Page210.aspx). Non-compliance or failure to satisfy the prerequisites and conditions for your training may result in termination of your placement.

The Health Information Act requires everyone at AHS (including our staff, physicians, students, volunteers and contracted affiliates) to be responsible for protecting the confidential health and personal information of our patients, co-workers, the public, and AHS business information and to complete mandatory privacy awareness training prior to commencing duties and recurrent every three years.

You will be provided with an AHS network account (AHS UserID, AHS Email, and temporary password) two three weeks prior to your start date. You may contact AHS IT 1-877-311-4300 if you have issues logging-in or need a password reset.

AHS PRIVACY AWARENESS TRAINING.

Once you’re able to login to the AHS network (my.ahs.ca) you will need to complete the AHS Privacy Training (InfoCare – On Our Best Behaviours) (OOBB) in our learning management system (MyLearningLink MLL) https://mylearninglink.albertahealthservices.ca/elearning/bins/index.asp. This is a prerequisite for clinical access and must be done before you commence training (it takes about 20 minutes).

If you are having issues with MLL, please contact HelpMyLearningLink@ahs.ca or AHS IT 1-877-311-4300.

Once you have completed the credentialing requirement (OOBB) and emailed a screen shot, the MEO will distribute a Recognition Memo that acts as approval for the release of your clinical access CAL.MedicalEducationOffice@ahs.ca

CLINICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS ACCESS

Connect Care (Epic). Connect Care (Epic) is the primary clinical information system used within AHS facilities. As we approach your commencement date you will receive and email 14 days prior from the Chief Medical Information Officer’s (CMIO), regarding the mandatory training and training in (MyLearningLink). For more information on ConnectCare training for Clinical Clerks (google.com).

The website for clerk Connect Care training site https://link.edgepilot.com/s/65ca4876/FC-z5Y0WG0Gk-wp1954JOw?u=https://ahs-cis.ca/clerks.

Connect Care Questions and Support

Training support is available Mon-Fri by emailing cmio@ahs.ca
24/7 support can be accessed by contacting the AHS helpdesk at 1-877-311-4300 option #1

Alberta Netcare Portal. We will email your user ID and password to your AHS inbox shortly before your commencement of training.
Remote Access.We are also in the process of provisioning RSA Tokens for remote access to Alberta Netcare Portal and other AHS systems. Soft Tokens require the installation and activation of the RSA Secure app on your smartphone. You will set a 4 digit PIN that you will use in the app to obtain an 8 digit passcode needed when logging in remotely. Instructions for the RSA Token will be emailed to you by IT. You may require this to access the Connect Care training environment or to access the clinical information systems while on-call.
AHS Provincial ID and Access Card.If you haven’t had an AHS ID before you will need to present in-person to one of the Card Access Offices to obtain your AHS Provincial ID and Access Card once your recognition memo is issued. If one was issued prior it will be reprogrammed automatically, otherwise a replacement card can be purchased from the Card Access Office.

ONLINE ORIENTATION

Prior to arriving for your elective, please complete AHS General Student Orientation http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/careers/Page12728.aspx. The page includes reference information and online modules (Flash Player Required) that will introduce you to AHS’s values, policies, procedures and other important information for a placement in our facilities

CPSA

Students are automatically registered for no charge with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta upon confirmation of their elective. With the implementation of Bill 21, the CPSA now must collect Criminal Record Checks (CRC) for all new applicants November 19, 2018 forward. Information regarding the new criteria is as follows:

• STEP 1 CPSA will email you with a form that will need to be filled out. Fill this out, send it in and wait for further instructions.
• STEP 2 HOLD OFF on sending in your CRC until you have received an email from CPSA with further instructions.
• STEP 3 Once you have received the email from CPSA, you can forward your CRC to registration@cpsa.ab.ca.

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA STUDENTS

You will still need to fill out the form from the CPSA, as this will pertain to your elective with us. You will NOT have to send in a Criminal Record Check.
If you were just accepted and try to contact CPSA, they may not have received your elective details yet. They will not do anything until they receive confirmation from us that you have accepted an elective.
The UME office or Visiting Electives coordinator are not able to provide you your CPSA number.

SHADOWING/OBSERVERSHIPS

If you are not eligible for a University of Calgary elective, you may still find an opportunity for a hands-off shadowing/observership experience with Alberta Health Services: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/Policies/clp-ahs-pol-job-shadowing.pdf. Job Shadowing is subject to the requirements of the Alberta Health Services’ Job Shadowing Policy (http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/Assets/about/policies/clp-ahs-pol-job-shadowing.pdf).

Travel &
Accommodation

Electives in Calgary can be scheduled at any one of the five hospital sites, private sites across the city, as well as in rural locations. Please be aware that you must have a valid ID badge issued by the Alberta Health Services while you are completing your electives in Calgary. During your first day, please go to the site (usually the Parking Office or Security Office) specified by your department contact person. Please note that some departments want you to meet them first then go obtain your ID badge so please follow the instruction provided by the specified department contact person.

Parking & ID Badges

Alberta Children’s Hospital: ACH Parking Office Main Bldg.Rm 203 28 Oki Drive NW Calgary Office hours – 0800 ‐ 1600 hrs (M‐F); ParkingCalgary@ahs.ca
Foothills Medical Centre: FMC Parking Office 1403 29 St NW Calgary Office hours – 0800 ‐ 1600 hrs (M‐F); Parking Services Central Parkade – Lot 1 parkade, main floor, in front of Foothills Hospital; ParkingCalgary@ahs.ca
Peter Lougheed Centre: PLC Parking Office Main Bldg Rm 0332B 3500 26 Ave NE Calgary Office hours – 0800 ‐ 1600 hrs (M‐F); ParkingCalgary@ahs.ca
Rockyview General Hospital: RGH Parking Office 4003A 7007 14 St SW Calgary Office hours – 0800 ‐ 1600 hrs (M‐F); ParkingCalgary@ahs.ca
South Health Campus: SHC Parking Office 2nd Floor Room 210140 Office hours (M-F – 8-4); ParkingCalgary@ahs.ca
Richmond Road Diagnostic Treatment Centre (RRDTC): PLC Parking Office Main Bldg Rm 0332B 3500 26 Ave NE Calgary Office hours – 0800 ‐ 1600 hrs (M‐F); ParkingCalgary@ahs.ca
Public transit: Calgary has buses that go to all hospitals, as well as two train lines. For more information, please check out this link: https://www.calgarytransit.com/

Accommodations: If you are looking for a place to stay during your elective, please email visiting@ucalgary.ca to receive a pdf copy of our accommodations list.

Immigration (visa and work permit)

FAQ

General Questions

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

Students are not permitted to contact preceptors directly to arrange electives. This will be done by the placement contacts on the students’ behalf once their elective request has been confirmed.

Can students request a specific preceptor for an elective?

If you wish to work with a specific preceptor please let the placement contact know that in your communication requesting an elective. We do consider these requests but cannot guarantee a specific preceptor as placement is dependent on preceptor/department availability.

How long does it take for an elective to be confirmed?

This depends on the specialty/subspecialty you have requested an elective with, and the placement contact’s availability.

What happens if an elective placement cannot be found?

If an elective cannot be found through your first three contacts, then your application will be cancelled.

Can the dates or specialty be changed after an elective has been accepted by the student?

We do not accept change requests. Any changes or additions to dates, specialty, location or preferred order of specialties will require a new application and fee, after which placement in queue will be according to the new application submission date. Unless we receive a formal cancellation request, we will continue to process your original application exactly as it was submitted.

Application Questions

I do not have all my documentation ready, can I still apply?

All documents should be uploaded at the time of submission. However, if you are waiting for your police check OR for serology please upload the most recent documentation and submit your application in order to ensure that it is submitted before the 8-week deadline. In order for you to upload documents once your application has been submitted you will need to wait until after the visiting electives coordinator has reviewed your application. Once reviewed, if new documentation is required you will be notified to upload them before the 6-week deadline. Please put all pages together, pdf, and upload as ONE document. The coordinator will proceed with your application but will not be able to finalize any elective until all requirements are met.

I am missing an item on my immunization form. Can I still submit my application?

Yes. Please submit the incomplete immunization form with your application and ensure that it is completed within 30 days of notification that requirements have not been met.

I only had a two-series Hepatitis B, do I need to get the third step of the series?

No. Please include the dates of the two step series and Anti-HBs date/result. Also please ensure that your Anti-HBs and HBsAg is documented with the uploaded U of C immunization form. This will meet our requirements.

What are the requirements for a criminal records check for service with vulnerable sector?

The criminal records check with VSC MUST be valid within 12 months of the start date of your elective. If it will be outdated by the requested start date that item will be flagged as missing and you will be notified. If you do not currently have a criminal records check with VSC which will be current within 12 months of the start date, you can still apply using the old documents but MUST provide updates no later than six weeks prior to the start of your elective or you risk having the elective cancelled. Note that the CPSA now requires students to submit the criminal record check; no substitutions are permitted.

What happens if I decline an elective offer?

If you decide you do not want to pursue an elective please make sure that you cancel it via the AFMC student portal prior to the 6-week deadline. If an elective offer is declined your application will move to your next choice. If it is your final choice the application will be cancelled.

Cancellation &
Change Requests

Any elective cancellations MUST be submitted via the AFMC student portal PRIOR to the SIX (6) week cancellation deadline. We request that electives are cancelled as early as possible (preferably no later than 10 weeks prior to the start of any elective). If a student cancels an elective less than six weeks prior to the start date, the home school will be notified in writing and the student will receive a professionalism letter. Cancelling an elective at this point is deemed unprofessional

School	Canadian Student Application Fee	Canadian Student Acceptance Fee	International Student Application Fee	International Student Acceptance Fee	Additional Fees Outside Portal
University of Calgary	$0	$200	$75	$400

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