Guide to Electives

Michal Wojtysko

ASG 4th Year RepFebruary 2004

Getting started

• Setting up electives can be an easy 3 step process:– STEP 1 – Research – STEP 2 – Doing the paperwork– STEP 3 – Sending the material out

STEP 1 – Research

• ASG provides the list of past electives

• Go to medical school near your home

• Go to AAMC.COM and follow link to site with all US and Canadian Medical School– Categorized by state

• Talk to upperclassman

STEP 1

Things to consider:1. DO THEY TAKE FOREIGN STUDENTS?1. DO THEY TAKE FOREIGN STUDENTS? 2. Location

- where you are going to live- how will you get there

3. Cost - how much does the elective cost- Expenses : transportation, housing, food, gas,

utilities, etc.

4. Time/Schedule- What is the limit of time spent at institution- will you have enough time to get from one rotation

to the next (if schedule available)

STEP 1

What to do IF:1. Do not take foreign medical students?

- Do not take NONO for an answer- email/call ask why- Try to find a sponsor at whose department

you can do rotation (especially if you know someone at the hospital)

2. No information about elective criteria?- email or call and find out.

STEP 1

• Narrow down your possibilities to 4 or 5 different institutions

• Last part …EMAIL and ASK for the material– You might have to have it sent to your

house…US/Canadian address.– Some schools offer all the applications

online

STEP 2 - Paperwork

• It will involve:– getting material from Dean’s office– getting your medical records– getting medical tests– asking for a number of letters

• Watch out for application deadlines!Watch out for application deadlines!(Some places have them, others do not)(Some places have them, others do not)

STEP 2

What you will need:

1. Transcript from Dean’s Office

2. Letter of “Good Standing” from Dean or Vice Dean

3. Vaccination proof and/or Titers

4. Malpractice Proof

5. USMLE Step 1

6. Letter of Recommendation (s)

STEP 2 - Transcripts

• Official transcripts with all completed Basic Sciences and Core Clinical Rotations.– PROBLEM !PROBLEM ! You are in the middle of you rotations– Solution – make sure Dean’s office puts down “pending”

for clinics which you are in or still have to do.• Internal Medicine/SurgeryInternal Medicine/Surgery

• PsychiatryPsychiatry

• Family MedicineFamily Medicine

Would get transcript as late as possible

Might have resubmit to the Elective institution a full completed transcript before starting

• Make sure that you have all grades and credits Make sure that you have all grades and credits from Basic Sciences!from Basic Sciences!

STEP 2 – Letter

• Obtain letter of “Good Standing”– What is it?

• Nothing more than a letter that you have not killed anyone here, that you are up to date with all your work, and you are mentally stable

– Who writes it?• Dean or Vice Dean should write it

– What if they don’t have it?• You write one, have them read it, and they will sign it.

– How many?• Get enough copies with original signatures as you

have applications

STEP 2 – Medical Proof

• You will be asked to provide proof of the following vaccination or exposures to:– PolioPolio– MMRMMR– DPT and last Tetanus boosterDPT and last Tetanus booster– Hepatitis BHepatitis B– Hepatitis CHepatitis C– VaricellaVaricella– TBTB– Pneumococcal VaccinationPneumococcal Vaccination

• You might have to provide Titers for someYou might have to provide Titers for some

STEP 2 – Medical Records

• Do I need titers:Do I need titers:– YES…it is a definitive way of showing proof that

you have been immunized and that you are not infectious now

• Where to get it?Where to get it?– ASG website has the map posted with

directions how to get there

• How much is it?How much is it?– It will cost you about 300 zloty to get the

following:• Rubella Ig, Varicella Ig, HBV Ig, HBV Ag, HCV IgRubella Ig, Varicella Ig, HBV Ig, HBV Ag, HCV Ig

STEP 2 – Medical Records

TB – you will have to be testedTB – you will have to be tested• Where?Where?

– You can do it at Pulmonology and the cost is 25 zloty

• When?When?

• What about BCG?What about BCG?– They do not care…you still need to be tested. – You will also need to have CXR and if you are lucky they

will even write the results in English

PPD given Result read

Monday Thursday

Tuesday Friday

Friday Monday

STEP 2 - Malpractice

• Available at the Dean’s office at your request.

• If not there, email the New York Office and have them Fax over a copy with your name on it either to– Dean’s office– ASG office (+48-61) 869-4450

STEP 2 – other material

• Other things they can request:– STEP 1 resultsSTEP 1 results – if you haven’t taken it,

but you are planning on it, then hold off with application until you can deliver the scores, but REMEMBER ABOUT DATESREMEMBER ABOUT DATES

– Letters of RecommendationLetters of Recommendation • Additional proof to the school that you are not

an absolute idiot • You should be also collecting them for your

ERAS/MATCH

STEP 3 – Sending application

• Check and recheck your application• Attach application fee

– US currency (check/money order) or Canadian currency depending where you are doing your elective

– Money orders can be obtained on Fredry near the Okronglak (round building) at Western Union

– Send applications home and have your parents attach checks

STEP 3 – Sending application

• Before sending application– Inquire if rotation is still open – Get in touch with institution and ask if

they can reserve the particular rotation that you are interested in

– Check deadlines to see when you can send it in.

• If everything is OK…SEND IT!If everything is OK…SEND IT!

After sending Application

• Remember it takes a good week for mail to arrive to the US/Canada

• You should get a written response within a month. If you do not…EMAIL or CALL

• If they did not receive your application, ask if you can fax it to them and deliver official version at a later date.

Arrival of Letter

• IF you are approvedIF you are approved…You are done. You now only have to worry about getting there.

• IF you are IF you are NOTNOT approved approved…Call them– Ask why– If rotation booked…your alternatives are:

• Change date (if possible)• Change to a different rotation• Try to pick up a rotation at the other

institution that you have applied to

Time Line

• January• February• March • April• May• June• July• August• September

• STEP 1

• STEP 2

• STEP 3

• You should be in electives !

Conclusion

• Start early and you should have no Start early and you should have no problems!problems!

• If you are planning on doing electives in the Spring the same deadlines may apply to you (check with the medical school)

• If you are the ”last minute” ”last minute” type, you too can get an elective.