Guide to Electives

1. Guide to Electives Michal Wojtysko ASG 4th Year Rep February 2004

2. 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

3. 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

4. STEP 1 Things to consider: 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)

5. STEP 1 What to do IF: • Do not take foreign medical students? • Do not take NO 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) • No information about elective criteria? - email or call and find out.

6. 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

7. 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! (Some places have them, others do not)

8. STEP 2 What you will need: • Transcript from Dean’s Office • Letter of “Good Standing” from Dean or Vice Dean • Vaccination proof and/or Titers • Malpractice Proof • USMLE Step 1 • Letter of Recommendation (s)

9. STEP 2 - Transcripts • Official transcripts with all completed Basic Sciences and Core Clinical Rotations. • 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/Surgery • Psychiatry • Family 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 from Basic Sciences!

10. 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

11. STEP 2 – Medical Proof • You will be asked to provide proof of the following vaccination or exposures to: • Polio • MMR • DPT and last Tetanus booster • Hepatitis B • Hepatitis C • Varicella • TB • Pneumococcal Vaccination • You might have to provide Titers for some

12. STEP 2 – Medical Records • 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? • ASG website has the map posted with directions how to get there • How much is it? • It will cost you about 300 zloty to get the following: • Rubella Ig, Varicella Ig, HBV Ig, HBV Ag, HCV Ig

13. STEP 2 – Medical Records TB – you will have to be tested • Where? • You can do it at Pulmonology and the cost is 25 zloty • When? • 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

14. 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

15. STEP 2 – other material • Other things they can request: • STEP 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 DATES • Letters of Recommendation • Additional proof to the school that you are not an absolute idiot • You should be also collecting them for your ERAS/MATCH

16. 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

17. 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!

18. 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.

19. Arrival of Letter • IF you are approved…You are done. You now only have to worry about getting there. • IF you are NOT 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

20. January February March April May June July August September STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 You should be in electives ! Time Line

21. Conclusion • Start early and you should have no 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” type, you too can get an elective.