Shadowing out of province

[mvdaog]

Hey everyone, this is a reach in the dark but someone's got to have some idea about this.

If you're a medical student from, say, Alberta, and you want to do some shadowing in another province, say, B.C. during winter and summer breaks, is there special regulations or paperwork that needs to be done to gain that privelage? I know in Alberta the students are allowed to go and shadow around, but does that privilege change when you are in a different province? Is it different between hospitals and clinics? Any experiences of out of province shadowing you all could share? Thanks so much!!

[krgregg]

shadowing or formal electives?

 

if you have your ID card stating you're a med student, you won't likely get into any trouble, but you should double check with the undergrad medical office just to make sure. you're right about in-province, but it's an issue of insurance, and you need to know the limitations on that insurance before going - God forbid anything happens that would require you needing it.

[Lactic Folly]

If you're doing an elective in BC, you have to register with the college there (the electives office sends you the paperwork). Not sure about shadowing. How much patient contact / involvement in their care will you have?

[flying kumquat]

I go to med school in Ontario and after 1st year, I did a 1 week observership in my home province of Nova Scotia (not a formal elective; essentially shadowing). The hospital required that I have some sort of insurance coverage, so my school provided me with a letter showing I was covered. To get this, though, I had to register for a (free) summer elective course through my school. I'm sure your undergrad office has dealt with this kind of situation before - definitely ask them!