SCHEDULING “AWAY” ELECTIVES (PUBLISHED ROTATIONS)

AT OTHER LCME-ACCREDITED

MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES


Allow ten (10) working days for the Division of Clinical Education to process application materials once the COMPLETED PACKET OF MATERIALS has been received.
 

Drexel University College of Medicine medical students may complete up to 12 weeks of elective rotations at sites other than the Drexel University College of Medicine established educational clinical sites.  No required rotations may be completed at other medical schools. (Required rotations include the Medicine Subinternship, Neurology, and a Pathway-defined required course.) As long as the required course is scheduled and completed at “home,” students may complete, for example, a Neurology course as an elective at another institution.

 

I. Sources of Information about Electives Available at Other Medical Schools

  • Most medical schools have their elective catalogs on-line.
  • The AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) publishes a comprehensive list of extramural electives available at US medical schools.  This information is available on-line at: http://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/electives/start.htm

Information in the compendium includes:

A.  All rotations reported to the AAMC.
B.   Contact persons at the schools.
C.   Application fees, tuition and other fees charged.
D.  The earliest date application materials will be accepted and the earliest date that accepted visiting students can be assigned to available electives.
 

II. Applying for an Away Elective

  • Contact the person or office specified by the information source for an application.  Students may be able to download an application from a web site, if the school has one.
  • Prepare the student portion of the application.  This may involve…

1.      Getting requested immunization forms completed from Immunization and Surveillance Office, [imm_surv@drexelmed.edu]/(215-991-8560) and/or your private physician. You may be required to obtain additional documentation not previously required. If a school requires their own immunization form you must supply it to the Immunization and Surveillance Office to be completed.  This is your responsibility. You must still provide a copy of the school required immunizations to the Division of Clinical Education.

2.      Requesting a transcript from the Registrar:
Complete a transcript request form online via your DrexelOne account. Using the DrexelOne portal select

·         Student Service tab

·         Look under Student Records

·         click on More BannerWeb Student Records

·         Next under Student Records select Request Printed/Official Transcript

o    Non VSAS applications:  In the "Issue to" line enter the “name of the institution you are applying to”   OR

o    VSAS applications:  In the “Issue to” line enter “VSAS”

·         for Transcript Type select CoM Official Transcript, MD

o    DO NOT ENTER THE INSTITUTIONS' ADDRESS - LEAVE BLANK!!!

o    Proceed to Delivery Method

§  select Standard Mail which indicates to the Registrar to deliver your transcript to the Division of Clinical Education.

·         You will receive a confirmation. To check when your transcript request was processed, printed and 'mailed' to the Division of Clinical Education, under the Student Record tab select Request Printed/Office Transcript. NOTE: The Registrar has indicated that you should not be paying any fees for release of these transcripts.

3.        Writing a check for the application fee, if it is due with the application.  Some fees are due on arrival.

4.        Photocopy of health insurance card (both sides) must be provided to the Division of Clinical Education even if it is not requested by the away school.

5.     Provide documentation to the Division of Clinical Education that the rotation is listed in a medical school catalogue (some rotations are listed through the hospital only [including some VSAS electives] and may need to go to Special Electives)

  • Return the student portion, appended documents and check for the application fee (if needed) to the Division of Clinical Education.  The Division of Clinical Education will forward the completed application packet to the host school.
  • Give the school’s portion of the application to the Division of Clinical Education along with a checklist of all items that the Away school requires for a completed packet.  The Division of Clinical Education includes a cover letter with all application materials.  The letter, which meets the needs of most applications states that the student…

a.        Will have completed all third year courses and be in the 4th year class at the time of the rotation.

b.       Is in good academic standing.

c.        Is covered by malpractice insurance.

d.       Is covered by health insurance. 

  • Allow ten (10) working days for the Division of Clinical Education to process application materials once the COMPLETED PACKET OF MATERIALS has been received.
  • Please be aware that there are some sites that have clauses in the application or affiliation agreement that will not be able to be reconciled and you will not be able to apply or rotate. If this is the case, you will be notified as soon as possible.
  • You will receive an e-mail from the Division of Clinical Education when your application has been mailed.

III. VSAS Schools/Applications

If a school requires that you use VSAS (Visiting Student Application System), please a) send an e-mail to clinicaleducation@drexelmed.edu to issue you "authorizations" to apply. VSAS is a web-based system which numerous schools are now using. You will still need to b) release information such as your immunizations see II.1. above (contact: imm_surv@drexelmed.edu) which requires separate authorization and c) your transcript if it is requested. The Drexel Registrar requires an authorized release; please follow the instruction under II. 2. above and in the “Issue to” field enter VSAS, do not enter the Institutions address, leave blank and continue with the remaining steps to complete the transcript request. (Please note that VSAS authorizations will be issued beginning February 15th each academic year for the rising 4th year class. Please refer to the Host school for when they will accept your application.) CAUTION: Many hospital systems now post their elective availability through VSAS...this does NOT mean that the elective is posted in a medical school catalogue. You must still verify that the elective is listed in a medical school catalogue. Any forms required by the hosting school that need to be uploaded into VSAS are the responsibility of the student.



IV.  Procedure for Final Scheduling, after a Host School Approves an Elective

  • Provide the Pathway Director with a completed Away Elective Form for review and approval (signature).
  • Return the signed form to the Division of Clinical Education.  If the Away Elective Form is not submitted, DUCoM will not recognize that the elective is being/has been done and it will not count towards graduation (rotations must be on your schedule to have malpractice insurance...this is a big deal!!!). YOU MUST HAVE ANY ROTATION ON YOUR SCHEDULE if you represent yourself as a DUCoM medical student.

 

Please note: If a student receives notice that an elective has been approved, but the notice comes within the 30 day-limit of a previously scheduled rotation, students need to review with Dr. Schindler immediately to discuss whether an emergency schedule change is appropriate.  Students are responsible to notify the host school whether or not they will be coming.

 

It is imperative to take special care in scheduling away rotations.  Consider time lines for dropping rotations.  The DUCoM policy is 5 weeks.  The drop-notification time may be longer or shorter at other schools.  We strongly DISCOURAGE applying to several schools for the same time block.  If they all are approved and notifications arrive all at once, and dropping any of them must occur after that host school’s deadline, affected students will have not only a personal dilemma, but those schools whose rotations they drop may no longer offer DUCoM students elective opportunities.

 

Please allow plenty of time at all phases of this process.  Do not wait until the last minute.  No matter how important an opportunity may seem to you, time lines and deadlines will not be waived.

 

Your transcript will not be complete (and your diploma will not be released) until your evaluations have been received from away rotations.   Final transcripts, which are necessary for licensing, cannot be released until all evaluations are posted.

 

Students are not permitted to do an away rotation Block 11 (Commencement Block).


Allow ten (10) working days for the Division of Clinical Education to process application materials once the COMPLETED PACKET OF MATERIALS has been received.

Revised 04/12/2012