Visiting Student Electives Program

Applicants from International Medical Schools

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Please note that effective March 1, 2013 we will no longer be accepting applications for 2013 elective requests from students studying at international medical schools as capacity has been reached. Please do not submit any applications after February 28, 2013. Applications received after that date will unfortunately be returned.

Please note that electives are available between March and August of each calendar year. We look forward to hearing from you after October 1, 2013, when applications will be accepted for March – August 2014 elective requests; please do not send applications before that date, as they will be returned.

All placements are facilitated through the Visiting Student Electives Office. Please do not contact the department or the hospital coordinators directly.

Please check our website for any updates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Health Requirements for Students in Clinical Placements

Malpractice Liability Insurance

Police Records Check for Service With the Vulnerable Sector

Specific Pre-Entry Requirements into Canada

Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry Policy on Infectious Diseases

Specific Pre-Entry Requirements in Clinical Experience Areas

Pre-Placement Notification to Occupational Health Services

Application Proccess:

For full consideration, the completed application form along with the completed VSE student immunization record and an elective fee must be received and processed no earlier than 9 months and no later than four (4) months in advance of the start date of the elective. Please attach an original passport-size photo to your application and forward all documentation to the address indicated below.
Any student studying at the non-Canadian WHO (World Health Organization) schools is required by Western University to pay a minimum of $530.00 (Cdn) elective fee per 4-week elective (fee subject to change).
The elective fee will only be accepted in the form of an International money order in Canadian funds (for money orders drawn on non-Canadian banks, you may incur bank processing charges). Please note that US postal money orders are not accepted by Western. The money order should be made payable to "Western University" and should include your name and MUST accompany the application form (no personal cheques will be accepted). Please attach a photo with your application and forward all documentation to the address indicated be.
IMPORTANT: Receipt of application and fee does not guarantee confirmation of placement. If a request for placement cannot be accommodated, your fee will be returned to you. Should you decide to cancel the elective period more than four weeks before its intended start date, your application fee will be returned less an administration fee of $100.
Please Note: Once you have been accepted by the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University, you are required to contact the Canadian Embassy or Consulate well in advance of your trip to obtain a visa and physical medical examination.
You should not make any travel arrangements until your elective has been confirmed. Once you have received an acceptance letter, please contact the Electives office if you need assistance in obtaining accommodation.
For more information, see FAQs or email electives@schulich.uwo.ca.

Guidelines for Eligibility:

Medical Students enrolled in the final year of a Doctor of Medicine program at a WHO school (subject to approval by Western) may apply for an elective.
Admission may be subject to the requirement of a satisfactory Vulnerable Sector and /or Police Record check.
Applicants cannot complete core rotations in the Visiting Student Electives Program at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. Prior to enrolment in an elective, a student will be required to have completed his/her core clinical clerkship rotation in the discipline applied for.
For students enrolled in non-Canadian medical schools, electives are available for up to a total of 8 weeks maximum (4 weeks in London and 4 weeks in Windsor or rural). No exceptions can be made.
Effective immediately, proof of a minimum of $5 million (Cdn) medical liability (malpractice) insurance MUST be provided.
Electives offer no remuneration, nor is financial aid available from this faculty.
Health insurance is compulsory for all visiting elective students, and is the responsibility of the student.

Departmental Electives Offered at UWO:

Clinical Neurological Sciences	Family Medicine ¹	Medicine ²
Oncology ³	Paediatrics ⁴	Pathology
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation	Psychiatry⁵	Rural Electives ⁶
Surgery⁷	Windsor ⁸

¹ Department of Family Medicine will give priority to Canadian medical schools from September to December. Electives are offered only to Canadian citizens studying in International medical schools, up to a maximum of 4 weeks.

²Department of Medicine provides a minimum of 2 weeks and maximum of 4 weeks in: Cardiology, Clinical Immunology & Allergy, Clinical Pharmacology, Critical Care, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Gastroenterology, General Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, Haematology/Oncology, Nephrology, and Respiratory Medicine. Please note that Emergency Medicine can only offer a 2-week elective, while Rheumatology will only offer a 4-week elective.

Visiting Elective opportunities are available only to Canadian Citizens or Landed Immigrants who are currently working on the MD program at an International School. Please note, International Students will only be accepted from March - August.

³ Department of Oncology: maximum of 4 weeks during the period of March to August. Due to limited elective spaces available, the Department may not be able to approve the elective of your choice during the time period requested.

⁴ Department of Paediatrics: International Students will only be accepted from March - August. Minimum of 2 weeks and maximum of 4 weeks in: Cardiology, Critical Care, Emergency, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Genetics, Haematology, Neonatology , Nephrology, Neurosurgery and Respirology.

⁵ Department of Psychiatry: - minimum of 2 weeks and maximum of 4 weeks in: Child & Adolescent, General Adult, Geriatric, Psychosis, Mood & Anxiety Disorders, Consultation-Liaison, Addictions and Forensics.

⁶Rural Electives: offered depending on preceptor availability in Psychiatry, Family Medicine, ER, Pathology, Paediatrics, General Surgery, Ob/Gyn and Internal Medicine.

⁷ Department of Surgery: at this time, elective requests are accepted from International medical students, who are non-Canadian citizens, for a maximum of 4 weeks (during the period of March to June) in Cardiac Surgery only.

Elective requests are accepted from Canadian citizens studying at International medical schools in all the Surgical Specialties except Plastic & Reconstructive.

⁸Windsor Electives: Anaesthesia, Family Medicine, Medicine (including Allergy/ Immunology, Cardiology, Dermatology, Emergency, Endocrinology/Metabolism, Gastroenterology, Geriatrics, Nephrology, Respirology, Rheumatology), Obstetrics & Gynaecology (General), Oncology, Paediatrics (General), Surgery (including General, Orthopaedics, Plastics, Urology, Vascular), Psychiatry (General), Otolaryngology, Ophthalmology, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Neurosurgery, and Rehabilitation. Please note: General Internal Medicine is offered in both CTU and Ambulatory.

All Electives are offered to Canadian citizens studying at International medical schools and non-Canadians between March - August of each year for all departments, depending on availability.

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Health Requirements for Students in Clinical Placements:

Please read the health requirements carefully. You MUST be prepared to provide proof of any or all requirements at any given time during your clinical placement at Western. Click here for current Immunization Policy.

Malpractice Liability Insurance:

As you know, you are required to provide liability coverage of $5 million (Cdn). If you are unable to provide it, Western will offer the coverage at a cost of $325.00 (Cdn) upon confirmation of your elective.

Police Records Check for Service With the Vulnerable Sector:

Students will be required to provide proof of Police Records Check upon confirmation of the elective. More details will be provided at a later date.

Specific Pre-Entry Requirements into Canada:

Once you have been accepted by the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University, you are required to contact the Canadian Embassy or Consulate, well in advance of your trip to obtain a visa. It is also the requirement of Immigration Canada that medical students attending clinical medical electives must undergo a physical medical examination prior to entry into Canada by a physician who is classified as a "designated medical practitioner" by the local Canadian Consulate where you reside.

Policy on Infectious Diseases:

When dealing with patients with infections diseases, students are expected to provide care in keeping with the learning objectives for the program and the needs of the patient. It is the obligation of trainees to familiarize themselves with hospital precaution policies and to follow these precautions.

The Undergraduate Education Committee expects all students to govern themselves according to the long standing tradition that the physician has an obligation to treat all patients regardless of affliction and without prejudice.

Pre-Entry Requirements In Clinical Experience Areas:

The three teaching hospitals are required, under the Public Hospitals Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Act, to ensure that students receiving clinical experience in the hospital, and the faculty involved, comply with the Act and its regulations. Any problem related to the failure of a student to comply could lead to the student being removed from the clinical experience and liability being placed on the university for the resulting damages to either the patients or staff.

Pre-Placement Notification to Occupational Health Services:

Students who have any of the following that may affect their duties while at the hospital are to contact Occupation Health Services at the hospital prior to their placement:

1. a major medical condition

2. an infectious condition

3. a significant allergic reaction including a latex sensitivity

VSE Program:

Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry
Western University
Visiting Student Electives Program
Medical Sciences Building, Room M100
London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5C1
Tel: (519) 661-2111 ext.87855
Fax: (519) 661-4043
e-mail: electives@schulich.uwo.ca