Pre-Placement Requirement Clearance in Partnership with Synergy Verified

Western University has partnered with Synergy Verified to provide support and clearance for pre-placement requirements. You will not be required to upload prerequisite documents into the AFMC portal with your initial application. Once you have applied, and if a visiting elective placement offer is made and accepted, you will then undergo prerequisite verification through Synergy Verified.

To have your documents validated you are required to book an Electronic Student Permit Checking (ESPC) appointment through Verified, a proprietary platform that is used by students across Ontario for the purpose of digitally collecting placement requirements and documentation for verification.

As part of your visiting elective application, you will need to complete and upload a form providing consent for your personal information to be shared with Synergy for the purpose of pre-placement clearance. On this form, you will be required to provide your MINC number so that you can be uploaded into the Synergy Verified system, should you accept a visiting elective offer.

Your ESPC Appointment

After you have accepted a visiting elective offer, your information will be turned over to Synergy. Once Synergy has added you to their system, you will receive login credentials to access your Verified account. You will use Verified to:

• Upload your required documentation for review.
• Book your ESPC review. The service reviews the documents you have uploaded and provides you a status indicating your eligibility for placement.

You will have three weeks from the time you accept your visiting elective offer to complete and pass your Synergy Verified clearance. You are encouraged to book your appointment early, even if you do not have all documentation in place. Do not wait until a week or two before the deadline to book your appointment; appointment times will fill.

You are encouraged not to book your appointment for the last available date to allow time for you to book a follow-up appointment before the deadline should you have documentation missing.

Ensure all pre-placement documents are uploaded to your account by 9:00am on the day of your appointment. If documents are missing or a requirement is not complete, you will not be cleared for placement and will need to book a follow-up appointment for an additional fee.

You do not need to be “present” on the day of your appointment – this is the date that staff at Synergy Verified retrieve your documents for review. Your Verified account status will be updated (pass/fail/pending) once your documents have been reviewed and verified by Synergy staff.

Once you have been cleared by Synergy Verified for your elective placement, the elective coordinator will notify the clinical department of your status.

Synergy Pre-Placement Requirement Clearance Information – Canadian Students

Synergy Pre-Placement Requirement Clearance Information – International Students

Consent to Disclose Personal Information

Health & Safety

Important
Information

Policy Statements

Purpose

• The Doctor of Medicine (the Program) or Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry (SSMD) at Western University supports student learning at our school campuses from other universities in Canada, accredited LCME schools in the USA and FAIMER/IMED accredited medical schools across the globe. This process provides: diversity in clinical learning for our students and residents; allows students to be enriched by educators/clinicians/scholars in all clinical departments; an opportunity for programs and learners to explore filling residency positions; and, fulfills our social responsibility allowing our international partner schools to access clinical, scholarly and basic science learning.
• This statement will provide guidance for applicants and departments when planning and addressing requests for visiting electives.

Statement

• Visiting Student Electives in clinical learning across all campuses (London, Windsor, Distributed Education) must fit with the context of the student’s learning and not encroach on Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry MD Program’s students’ educational opportunities. These electives must be requested and processed through the AFMC Portal.
• The impact on Schulich student clinical experiences in relation to the number of Visiting Student Electives will be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee (after review by the Clerkship and Electives Committee) annually.
• Issues and concerns with Visiting Students Electives will be addressed to the Chair of Clinical Electives. 

Principles

• For the purposes of this statement, all will adhere to the following:
  For students registered at Canadian medical schools: Only senior medical students who have entered their school’s clerkship curriculum are eligible to apply for SSMD visiting electives. This includes students participating in a longitudinal clerkship program.
• Previous core training covering the area in which the student wishes to do an elective will not be required for applicants from any school unless that specific elective’s description in the Portal notes that core training is “MANDATORY – without exception”. For electives which require that core training be completed prior to the elective start date, the applicant must clearly specify start and end dates of all relevant core training. If the VSE coordinator is unable to confirm relevant core training completion, the student will be deemed ineligible for core training “MANDATORY – without exception” electives.

For students registered at international medical schools:

• Only students who are in their penultimate or final year of clerkship who will have completed their clerkship core training at their home school covering the area in which they want to apply to do an elective in can apply for an elective at Schulich.
• Applicants must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in order to apply for clinical electives.
• Visiting students will not be accepted for core clerkship rotations.
• All VSE Elective applications must be processed via the AFMC portal through the UME office’s VSE coordinator.
• Departments are responsible annually for updating opportunities and restrictions for approval of Electives requests. These will be posted on the AFMC Student Portal Web Page for Schulich Medicine.
• No Elective in any Department/Division/location of learning for a Schulich Medicine faculty will be approved if it limits or restricts the opportunity for MD Program students undergoing Clerkship, Year 4, or summer Electives learning.
• Observerships in Clinical Departments will not be accepted and should be referred to the hospital processes for Observerships.
• No clinical electives for AFMC School students in senior years will be undertaken unless formally registered through the AFMC Portal. Lack of registration results in no insurance for students and breach of College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario policies.

Appeal

There may arise in the process of application, a dispute on acceptance of a VSE experience from a learner or faculty. If the request does not meet the processes of the AFMC Portal or there are concerns communicated, the request may affect Schulich Medicine student learning.

Written requests for relief from a VSE denial or review of an application for VSE or Observership in clinical learning through the MD Program will be reviewed by the Chair of Clinical Electives for decision and action.

Blood Borne Pathogens

Potential Health Risks

SMOKE-FREE CAMPUS

• Ontario government regulations under the Smoke-Free Ontario Act prohibit the smoking of cigarettes or any other smoking product anywhere on hospital, psychiatric or university property. This applies to all buildings, grounds, parking lots, and includes smoking in cars.

  Tobacco Enforcement Officers can conduct inspections of public places and workplaces to ensure compliance with the law, respond to complaints about offences and lay charges when necessary. Smoke-Free Ontario Act fines range from $300 to $300,000.

• The smoke-free policy includes cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars or pipes containing burning tobacco, or any other substance (such as marijuana) that can be smoked in any other manner.
• This policy applies to all of WRH, Regional hospitals and LHSC’s properties including the Byron Family Medical Centre, Victoria Family Medical Centre, and 54 Riverview Ave.
• Smokers Helpline
  Those trying to quit smoking are encouraged to access the Smokers’ Helpline. This toll-free telephone service (1-877-513-5333) connects callers with a “Quit Specialist” who will help create a quit plan and provide ongoing support. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in both English and French. Visit the Smoker’s Helpline website for more information.

Observerships and Post Grad Residency info

• Observerships have no Western University (academic) status. Medical learners who wish to arrange an observership do so by contacting the department / hospital where they wish to have observer status.

WESTERN POST GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION CONTACT

• Students already in a postgraduate residency program or Fellowship and interested in doing electives in our Western Residency Program, can contact the Western Postgraduate Medical Education office at: medicine@schulich.uwo.ca

Teaching hospitals and partner sites

• There is no funding for transportation or accommodation provided for visiting student electives. Transportation and accommodation need to be arranged by the student, at the student’s expense. Western University, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry is in London, Ontario, with hospital and partner training sites all over Southwestern Ontario covering a geographical area of approximately 400 km2 – as far south as Windsor to as far north as Goderich, and as far west as Sarnia and far east as St. Thomas on the map.
• Most of our clinical electives are offered and delivered at the following sites in Ontario and is indicated as such in the electives catalogue: (certain student types may be excluded from certain clinical electives)
• Rural / regional Southwestern Ontario (Distributed Education (DE) (no Residency program offered in any of the electives offered).
• Our Schulich clinical electives are categorized in three distinct geographical placement sites areas and applicants can therefore indicate their preference in a more specific geographical area as identified by the following three placement sites – (each elective we offer as per the electives catalogue, includes the site specific gerenal area). Applicants can indicate a site preference as far as Rural/Regional and Family Medicine placement requests – please indicate such in the “Student Comment” box on the application. We will take such a request in consideration but it doesn’t guarantee that placement will be secured at the preferred site:
  • All clinical electives in the electives catalogue are therefore indicative of the broad geographical placement area. Each area has several sites/campuses within, and the full site address and preceptor will be provided once an offer is confirmed by the department, and extended to the applicant.

Placement Sites

London, Ontario

• Area/Hospital:
  • London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC)
  • St. Joseph’s Health Care (SJHC)
  • There is no funding for transportation or accommodation for any of our clinical electives. Transportation and accommodation need to be arranged by the student, at the student’s expense.
• Site/Campus:
  • University Hospital
  • Victoria Hospital
  • St. Joseph’s Hospital
  • Parkwood
  • (Other Psychiatry Sites – St. Thomas)

Distributed Education = Rural/Regional Community Site placement

Southwestern Ontario (Approximately 400km/2)

Distributed Education electives are referred to as “Regional” electives in the Portal

• Area/Hospital:
  • Community placements are mostly in the following rural/regional areas:
    • Chatham
    • Owen Sound
    • Sarnia
    • St. Thomas
    • Stratford
    • Woodstock
  • Under “Student Comments” in the AFMC Portal application, please indicate your preferred locations. If you omit indicating your preference, then placement will be made by random selection based on site/preceptor availability.
  • There is no funding for transportation or accommodation for these electives. Transportation and accommodation must be arranged by the student, at the student’s expense.
  • You can contact the Office of Distributed Education for more information about other possible areas covered in Southwestern Ontario. Distributed Education can be contacted at: distributed.education@schulich.uwo.ca
  • (Note that there is no residency program exposure at any of these Distributed Education community sites but offers opportunities to experience learning, living and working in over 40 communities located in Southwestern Ontario)
• Site/Campus:
  • Grey-Bruce
  • Elgin-Middlesex
  • Kent-Lambton
  • Huron-Perth
  • Oxford
  • Essex

Windsor and (Windsor Area), Ontario

(Approximately 200km south west from London Ontario)

• Area/Hospital:
  • Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH);
  • Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare;
  • Regional Family Practices in the Windsor/Ahmerstburg area.
  • (Windsor offers a Post Graduate Residency program in Family Medicine and Psychiatry only;
  • All other Windsor and Windsor area electives will provide excellent hospital, professional and patient management coverage.)
• Site/Campus:
  • Windsor

London Family Medicine

• Area/Hospital:
  • (London) Family Medicine placement sites
  • Note that this elective option does not do placements in WINDSOR but covers all of Southwestern Ontario including rural/regional placements.
  • Under “Student Comments” in the AFMC Student Portal application, please indicate your preferred locations. If you omit indicating your preference, then placement will be made by random selection based on site/preceptor availability.
  • There is no funding for transportation or accommodation for these electives. Transportation and accommodation need to be arranged by the student, at the student’s expense.

Travel &
Accommodation

Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation at their own cost.

As a visiting student you are responsible for your own accommodations while on elective.

Please do not make any travel arrangements unless you have a confirmed elective.

Also please note special notes on the “Formal Elective Offer” as some rural placements do have a contact person to assist with housing needs.

Parking information for London Hospital sites (correct as at July 12, 2019):

https://www.lhsc.on.ca/about-lhsc/lhsc-maps-and-directions

Helpful Links

• London Off Campus Housing
• London Health Sciences Centre hospitals
• St. Joseph’s Health Care Hospital
• City of London Info (including city maps, bus routes, etc)
• Windsor Regional Hospital
• Windsor Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare
• City of Windsor Info

Immunization Requirements

The AFMC Student Portal Immunization and Testing Form 2020 is now available on Immunization requirements page of the Portal.

All students entering the AFMC Student Portal process for the first time must use the 2020 form. If a student had the 2018 or 2019 AFMC Student Portal Immunization and Testing Form completed prior to January 1, 2020, the student may continue to use the previous versions of the Form for the duration of the student’s time in medical school.

Note that applicants from Canadian medical schools should not upload actual proof of immunizations unless required. Only upload the FULLY completed immunization (plus completed addenda as and where required).

Please also see the “FAQ” and “International/Canadian Medical School Trainees: Forms to be completed and uploaded” tabs listed to the left of this page.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

• The AFMC Immunization form must be fully completed and reviewed during your Synergy Verified ESPC appointment after an elective placement is offered and accepted. See the Synergy page for more information. 
• Proof of Influenza immunization: Is only required from students who will complete an elective between November and June of each year. 

Clarification regarding special requirements for Western applicants 

• Section F: Tuberculosis (TB): Western University requires documented proof of a *TWO step TB skin test, any time in your life. IGRAs may be accepted in lieu of this requirement. (*A TWO step means two discrete tests at least a week apart, but up to one year apart. Adequate documentation means the date the test is planted must be recorded, the date it is read, and the mm of induration.)
• All schools require a baseline TB assessment upon entry into medical school, as outlined on the AFMC Form. A two-step TST given at any time in the past is acceptable; a two-step TST does not need to be repeated. If the two-step TST was done more than six months prior to medical school entry, the student needs to have a single TST performed.  In addition, Western University requires a repeat TST for students who answered “Yes” to any of the three TB exposure questions found in Section F. Tuberculosis (TB) of the AFMC Form. The TST must be performed eight or more weeks after the last known possible contact with infectious TB disease (e.g., return from an international elective) A TST should not be repeated if a student has a positive TB history.
• All schools require students with a positive TST documented or any other positive TB history to have a chest X-ray dated subsequent to the positive TST or other positive TB history. A routine repeat or recent chest X-ray is not required unless there is a medical indication (e.g., symptoms of possible TB disease). Attach the report (or letter from a TB physician specialist or TB clinic report describing the film). This requirement does not apply to the following situations:
  • Students who submit documentation showing adequate treatment for latent TB infection or active TB disease
  • Students with a positive TST but negative interferon gamma release assay (IGRA), regardless of treatment history.
  • Students who are currently pregnant
• Section H. Hepatitis B: All applicants must have documented proof of a) hepatitis B immunization series; b) serology for Hep B surface antibody (anti-HBs) and c) Hep B surface antigen (HBsAg). Students with an incomplete documented series must complete Hepatitis B Not Immune, Self-Declaration Form (Appendix D).
• Section I: Influenza: Western requires proof of an up-to-date seasonal influenza vaccination for all electives between November and June each year. We recognize that vaccines are only available in all provinces sometime during October.
• Note that if the vaccine is administered WITHIN 14 days of the elective start date, then the student will still be subject to the same protocol applicable to non-vaccinated staff and healthcare workers. Should there be an influenza outbreak at the hospital at the time of the elective, then you can be required to wear a mask for the duration of the elective period / and a possible removal from clinic.

Schulich Statement on Immunization

Immunization Policy

Blood Borne Pathogens Policy 

Please take note and be aware of this CPSO Policy Statement #2-16: Physicians Treatment of Self, Family Members, or Others Close to Them. 

International trainees

Note that you must also upload proof of the information completed on the immunization form i.e childhood immunization records (yellow card), titers, lab reports, physician letters TOGETHER with the fully completed immunization form.

Canadian trainees

We do not require any proof of actual documentation/lab reports – do ensure that the immunization form is fully completed and signed off.

Health Care Professional (HCP)

If any documents are found to have been signed by a parent or a relative, you will be removed from our electives list and your money will not be refunded.

Upload only the requested and required documentation into ONE pdf file: DO NOT upload extraneous health information. 

Laboratory proof

Laboratory proof means an actual laboratory report with your name on it. We will not accept transcribed information.

Assessment & Evaluations

STUDENT EVALUATIONS AND ASSESSMENTS

It is the SOLE responsibility of every visiting student to ensure that their homeschool assessment/evaluation form has been completed by their preceptor and returned to their home school.

Schulich administration will not be responsible for tracking down any assessment forms after the student has returned to their home school.

Should a homeschool require a completed elective assessment/evaluation, then the student MUST provide such directly to the preceptor at the time of the elective.
The supervising physician or resident is responsible for evaluating students while on an elective. Electronic requests prior or after the elective will not be completed.
Western does not require or keep a copy of any of the completed forms.
Preceptors are Western appointed physicians/residents and can duly complete and sign these assessment/evaluation forms on behalf of the Western Visiting Student Electives Office/Undergraduate Medical Education Dean.
International Homeschool Single Elective Agreements should be sent directly to the Visiting Student Electives Office for completion PRIOR to the elective start date. These can be emailed to electives@schulich.uwo.ca. These completed forms will be duly completed and emailed back to the homeschool. Due to the unreliability of the postal services, forms will not be mailed back to homeschools.

Once an elective offer is approved and accepted and confirmed

• Student Evaluations and Assessments
  It is the SOLE responsibility of every visiting student to ensure that their homeschool assessment/evaluation form has been completed by their preceptor and returned to their home school.
• Schulich administration will not be responsible for tracking down any assessment forms after the student has returned to their home school.
• Should a homeschool require a completed elective assessment/evaluation, then the student MUST provide such directly to the preceptor at the time of the elective.
• The supervising physician or resident is responsible for evaluating students while on an elective. Electronic requests prior or after the elective will not be completed.
• Western does not require or keep a copy of any of the completed forms.
• Preceptors are Western appointed physicians/residents and can duly complete and sign these assessment/evaluation forms on behalf of the Western Visiting Student Electives Office/Undergraduate Medical Education Dean.
• International Homeschool Single Elective Agreements should be sent directly to the Visiting Student Electives Office for completion PRIOR to the elective start date.
• These can be emailed to electives@schulich.uwo.ca. These completed forms will be duly completed and emailed back to the homeschool. Due to the unreliability of the postal services, forms will not be mailed back to homeschools.
• Your home university ID must be worn visibly at all times during your elective rotation

HOSPITAL ONBOARDING REQUIREMENTS/ELEARNING

• Medical Affairs at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s) will send an email to all confirmed visiting elective students approximately 60 days prior to the elective start date (please check your spam emails as we often find these emails are redirected by spam filters). This email will provide information on how to complete all hospital requirements, including training for the Electronic Health Records (EHR) system. Students with more than one confirmed elective at one of the LHSC or St. Joseph’s sites will only need to do the EHR training ONCE within a 12-month period.
• Elective placements in Medical Imaging and Pathology are not required to complete the standard EHR training, as specific training aligned to these departments will be provided directly from Medical Imaging/Pathology.
• Elective placements in Emergency Medicine will not be required to complete the standard EHR training; students will be provided with information on how to completed FirstNet training.
• All confirmed visiting elective students completing an elective at one of the following sites are required to completed all hospital requirements:
  • London Health Sciences Centre
    • Victoria Hospital
    • University Hospital
    • Children’s Hospital
    • Child and Parent Resource Institute
    • Byron Family Medical Centre
    • Victoria Family Medical Centre
  • St. Joseph’s Health Care London
    • St. Joseph’s Hospital
    • St. Joseph’s Family Medical Centre
    • Parkwood Institute
    • Mount Hope
    • Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health
• All hospital application requirements and eLearning must be completed before your elective will be approved to begin.
• If you do not receive an email from Medical Affairs at LHSC and St. Joseph’s within 60 days of your confirmed elective start date, please email medical.affairs@londonhospitals.ca
• Department Elective Coordinators are aware of the mandatory training and will allow this into the first day orientation schedule.

London Medical Affairs

Alison Clemens – Alison.Clemens@lhsc.on.ca

Contact person for Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Mandatory Online Training Modules

Windsor Hospital Placements

Visiting students with placements in Windsor at the Windsor Regional Hospitals are required to contact:

• If you are scheduled at Windsor Regional Hospital – Ouellette and/or Met Campuses, please contact Alyssa Sirianni Alyssa.Sirianni@wrh.on.ca in Medical Affairs to set up an appointment to meet on/or prior to the morning of your elective start date in order for Alyssa to provide you with a swipe card, computer access and parking information. www.wrh.on.ca
• If you are scheduled at Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, located at 1453 Prince Road, please contact Linda Di Rosa at Linda.DiRosa@hdgh.org in Medical Affairs to set up an appointment to meet on/or prior to the morning of the elective start date in order for Linda to provide you with your with a swipe card, computer access and parking information. 

Rural/Regional and Community Hospital Placements

• Students doing an elective in a rural community can arrange for this training via the rural electives coordinator as these students will not be required to come to London for the training and can arrange in-house training at the elective site (if required by preceptor).
• Rural/regional and Community placements do have different requirements and the placement contacts will communicate these details directly to those doing placements outside of the Windsor / London Hospitals.

COVID-19

Coronavirus Update: for latest updates

Additional resources and information?

Public Health Ontario has excellent resources as does Health Canada and the CDC.

Please feel free to reach out and inquire if you have any questions or concerns.