When and how does someone choose an elective?

[Guest acropolistica]

....guess there's nothing left to put here...I like pie.

[Guest DonaldKaufman]

I think you mostly do electives during the latter part of 3rd year and the start of 4th year. I think you might be able to hook up some kind of elective/observership thing during the summers of 1st and 2nd year. As for how you choose the area of medicine for your electives, I think you just pick things that you think you might be interested in, and then by the time you're done the elective you'll know whether or not you were correct. It's a way to be exposed to things that you aren't exposed to during your required classes. Also, away electives can be used to check out places where you might like to do a residency, so if you wanted to go into internal medicine and like UBC and Vancouver, you could do an IM elective at UBC, for example, even though you've already done some IM at Dal, I think. That way you meet some people (residents, faculty) who are involved in the program and learn how well you mesh with them, and you also make contacts who could write you a reference letter should you decide to set your heart on UBC internal medicine.

Anyway, I'm no expert - I'm starting 1st year in Sept just like you. This is my last day of work and I'm just puting in time until the pizza party, as we used to say during the 3rd period of final game of our PeeWee hockey tournaments.

And, like you, I also like pie. Coconut creme to be exact.

[Guest 17]

Hi guys--

I'm not positive how electives work during clerkship.

During the Med I and Med II year, however, Wednesday afternoons are set aside as formal elective time (though you can do your elective at a different time if that suits you and your preceptor). What you do for your elective is pretty much up to you--you can shadow a physician, you can do clinical research, you can do lab research as part of a concurrent BScMed (I think...a more knowledgable moderator may correct me), you can do a project in medical humanities, or some combination of the above.

There will be an elective information meeting sometime in September where you'll be given the elective proposal form, and afterwards (or before) you can approach a faculty member and ask them to be your preceptor. You and your preceptor will work on your elective proposal and submit it--you lay out learning objectives and a rough outline of what your final project will be. Final projects include (but, given my failing memory, not limited to) major presentations (ie. grand rounds) to minor presentations and 1500-word reports, clinical diaries, clinical studies, and 20-page research papers.

The only elective Med I's are shut out from are emergency medicine electives in Halifax. Because it's so popular, there's a lottery you can enter in Med II. However, some Med I students did emerg electives in Dartmouth or elsewhere (I think it was Dartmouth).

There's a list of potential elective preceptors and areas of research (including a huge one for family medicine and related disciplines) in the elective information booklet, but you're welcome to contact whichever faculty member you like. Most Med Is, I think, don't set up their elective until after the info meeting, but you can do it anytime you like.

My apologies for qualifying almost every sentence.

17, I think

[Guest 17]

CC--

didn't see your awesome FAQ where you lay out unit info. Sorry to be redundant!

17

[Guest CaesarCornelius]

No prob 17, you actually added some great info.

 

 

With regard to the BSCmed, it is basically an opportunity to get some research (publication + conference presentation) in an area of your choosing and get paid summer jobs! Its very flexible. I actually did my regular elective in Gen Surg and my BScMed in Ophthalmology. Although they would rather you did your first year elective in the BSCmed subject, you can work around it.

 

CC