Free Electives at other programs

[Hamster]

I am curious as to how does one apply for/seek out completing free electives at a different program?
I know (or better yet have heard )it is beneficial to complete these free electives at the hospital you wish to seek a residency at in the future. This seems like a perilous method because what if you get there and decide the only way you return was if they rushed you into the E.R. by force Will your second-now-turned-first-choice residency penalize you that much for not doing any rotations there? Oh but I am off the subject now...
So is there a true application process, or yet another word of mouth type of deal? Ha I bet there is more to it than visiting a website with a credit card on school's registration day
Apologies for asking so many questions

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Most schools have a formal application process for visiting electives.

If you have some programs in mind, it can be as simple as visiting their web site and looking for information: its usually under Student Affairs, Electives or 4th Year Curriculum. You usually complete a 1 page application (where, when and what), and have your school certify that you are a 4th year student in good standing, that you will/will not be getting credit for the elective, will/will not be paying tuition during the elective period and have/have not personal health and malpractice insurance in effect during the elective.

If you have more than 4 weeks of electives, it would behoove you to do them at a couple of programs you are interested in (if only to give you a broader view of what's out there and less time to screw up at 1 or the other! ).

While some electives can be set up within departments, via connections etc. the majority simply follow an application period. If you want to do a visiting elective during prime time (ie, late summer/early fall), make sure you get the paperwork in and done early, it may be "first come first serve" for the elective.

Hope this helps.

 

[kris]

Just FYI, at some websites I found the apps and requirements under things like "visiting students."

 

[Pikevillemedstudent]

Here's a good site for you. It has every MD schools webpage for visiting electives. Happy hunting!

http://www.siumed.edu/lib/ref/aamc.html