Approving Away Electives

Authorizing Body:

Curriculum Committee

Author:
Most Recent Reviewer:

Cynthia Ledford, M.D.

Cynthia Ledford, M.D.

Date Issued:

September 17, 2018

Last Update:

September 17, 2018

Rationale:

In order to provide students with flexibility in their program of study, OUWB offers student the opportunity to participate in away electives. OUWB has instituted the following processes to ensure that clinical experiences at other institutions meet LCME and OUWB standards.

Scope and Applicability:

All students enrolled in the School of Medicine

Standard Practice Guideline:

Procedures:

General Procedure

  1. Students may choose to participate in elective experiences at a site outside OUWB.
  2. Students must complete required clerkships at OUWB.
  3. Away electives must be completed at LCME or ACGME accredited institutions or OUWB affiliated institutions.
  4. Students may choose to complete electives 1) through the standardized Visiting Student Learning Opportunities/Visiting Student Application System (VSLO/VSAS) or 2) at other teaching hospitals or schools through application outside VSLO/VSAS.
  5. International away electives have additional stipulations in order to receive approval. (see separate policy)
  6. To receive credit toward graduation, an away elective must provide meaningful educational experiences, as reflected in detailed course description.
  7. OUWB, through approval by the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Clinical Education, maintains the responsibility to ensure the elective and site meets LCME and OUWB standards and may approval or adapt the learning experience that defines the away elective, as allowed by the host institution.  OUWB faculty manage the assessments and assign the final grade and credit for the elective.
  8. The learning that is achieved through the away electives cannot duplicate learning that the student has completed through other coursework or requirements.
  9. Increments of credit toward graduation will be either 2 weeks or 4 weeks.

Away Electives (VSAS)

  1. The enrollment process starts with an application through VSAS.
  2. Upon acceptance of an application by a host site, VSAS requests records from Medical School Records and Registration (Medreg).  Medreg provides VSAS and the host school/hospital with information including transcripts and academic standing.
  3. Once the student receives notification of acceptance by the host site, the student must complete the away elective request form with add/drop section completed (available on the Medical Records and Registration form page) and forward the completed form to [email protected] at least 5 weeks prior to the intended start date of the elective. Students are responsible for submitting the host institution's detailed description of the learning objectives and description of learning and assessment activities in the elective as an attachment to the away elective request.
         • Include detailed description of learning objectives, learning activities, and student assessment methodology.
         • Provide contact information for the program.
         • Note- incomplete information may result in delays in processing approvals.
  4. The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education will review the away elective request and notify the student if the proposed away elective does not meet program of study requirements.
  5. In order to ensure student safety, OUWB requires host institutions to have an affiliation agreement with OUWB. A list of institutions that have OUWB affiliation agreements can be found on the OUWB webpage. OUWB will consider affiliations with other institutions, but be aware, that the creation of a new affiliation agreement may exceed 4 months.
  6. Once all approvals are in place, the course is added to the student's schedule in OASIS. Students are responsible for checking to see if their elective is present in OASIS, seven days after submitting the away elective request form.  If the elective is not listed, the student should contact [email protected].

Away electives (non-VSAS)

  1. The enrollment process starts with application through the host site.
  2. Upon acceptance of an application by a host site, the student should apply for approval of the away elective, by submitting an away elective request, with the add/drop section completed to Medical Records and Registration ([email protected]) at least 5 weeks prior to the intended start date of the elective.  Students are responsible for submitting the host institution's detailed description of the learning objectives and description of learning and assessment activities in the elective as an attachment to the away elective request.
           • Include detailed description of learning objectives, learning activities, and student assessment methodology.
           • Provide contact information for the program.
           • Note - incomplete information may result in delays in processing approvals.
  3. The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee will review the away elective and notify the student if the proposed away electives does not meet propgram of study requirements.
  4. In order to ensure student safety, OUWB requires host institutions to have an affiliation agreement with OUWB.  A list of institutions that have OUWB affiliation agreements can be found on the OUWB webpage.
  5. Additional requirements may apply to away electives outside of the US.  See the international away elective guideline for additional information.
  6. Once all approvals are in place the course is added to the student's schedule in OASIS. Students are responsible to check to see if their elective is present in OASIS seven days after the filing of the Add/Drop form.  If the elective is not listed, the student should contact [email protected].

Military Electives

  1. Once assignment to a military elective is made, the student completes an away elective request with add/drop section (available on the Medical School Records and Registration form page) and forwards the completed form to [email protected] at least five weeks prior to the start of the elective.
  2. Students are responsible for submitting the host institution's detailed description of the learning objectives and description of learning and assessment activities in the elective as an attachment to the away elective request.
          a. Include detailed description of learning objectives, learning activities, and student assessment methodology. 
          b. Provide contact information for the program.
          c. Note - incomplete information may result in delays in processing approval.
  3. The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee will review requests and notify the student if the selected electives do not meet program of study requirements. In order to ensure student safety, OUWB requires host institutions to have an affiliation agreement with OUWB. A list of institutions that have OUWB affiliation agreements can be found on the OUWB webpage. OUWB will consider other institutions, but be aware, that the creation of a new affiliation agreement may exceed four months.
  4. Students are responsible to check to see if their elective is present in OASIS seven days after the filing of the Add/Drop form.  If the elective is not listed, the student should contact [email protected].

Definitions:

Related Policies and Forms:

Directed Independent Electives
Add-Drop and Scheduling Changes
International Electives
Graduation Requirements
Modified M4 Schedule for Students with Academic Difficulties
OUWB Religious Observance Guidelines

Appendix: