M4 Elective Policy

Authorizing Body:

Date Issued:

Last Update:

Rationale:

Scope and Applicability:

Standard Practice Guideline:

All proposed M4 student schedules will be reviewed by the Assistant or Associate Dean for Student Affairs or their designee and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or their designee before the M4 lottery. Students are strongly encouraged to get input from an OUWB specialty advisor. Changes to a student’s schedule must be approved in advance. To receive credit an evaluation form must be submitted for every elective experience.

Procedures:

I. Program of Study Requirements

The program of study requires 16 weeks total of electives. At least 12 weeks of clinical elective are required. No more than 12 weeks are allowed in the same clinical specialty.

Students may also complete up to 4 weeks of non-clinical electives such as research electives. A non-clinical elective is defined as an elective with <50% direct patient care or patient contact. Diagnostic patient care, such as radiology and pathology, would be counted as a clinical elective. Online or virtual electives that have a hybrid in-person and online model, must have at least 50% direct patient care or patient contact to count as a clinical elective.

II. Scheduling Electives & Elective Credit

Students may select electives from the OUWB catalog, from institutions outside OUWB or may design their own elective:

If an equivalent elective is not available in the OUWB course catalog, students may design their own elective.  Please see the Directed Independent Elective guidelines for additional information.

Students may choose to enroll in away or international away electives offered by other schools or teaching hospitals. Away electives must be completed at LCME or ACGME accredited institutions or OUWB affiliated institutions. Please see the Extramural (Away) Electives or International Global Health Electives guidelines for additional information.

Paid clerkships or externships are not acceptable as electives and cannot be used for credit towards graduation. The only exception to acceptance of funding for an elective is funding that is provided as travel stipends, such as may be offered for an away or international away elective.  The travel stipend amount must comply with specified standards and cannot exceed standard per diem rates: in the event of domestic travel the GSA Per Diem rate (www.gsa.gov/perdiem); in the event of foreign travel the U.S. Department of State Per Diem rate.

All proposed M4 student schedules will be reviewed by the Assistant or Associate Dean for Student Affairs or their designee and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or their designee before the M4 lottery. Changes to a student’s schedule must be approved in advance by the office of medical education.

Students are responsible for any fees required by other institutions.

Exceptions must be approved by the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or their designee.

Student-Initiated Changes in the M4 Year Schedule

After the scheduling lottery is completed in the winter semester of the M3 year, the M4 required and elective schedules are disseminated to students, hospitals, departments, etc. During the M4 Year Schedule, student-initiated changes may be allowed with at least 30-day advance written notice. changes to a student’s clerkship/elective schedule must be requested using an OUWB Add/Drop form, then submitted to the Director of Records and Registration or designee for approval by the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or their designee.

Students must receive preapproval of clerkship/elective experiences to receive credit.

Students cannot drop clerkships that have already begun.

Electives will be credited in two or four-week blocks.  Students may take two-week electives, three-week electives and four-week electives. Three-week electives will be credited as a two-weeks of elective. An elective that exceeds four weeks and is less than eight weeks duration will only be credited as a four-week elective.

OUWB policy allows a student to receive credit for up to 12 weeks of electives in the same clinical specialty or host department.  Additional electives in the same subspecialty will not count toward meeting the minimum graduation requirements of 16 weeks, but may be taken if time allows.  All electives must reflect meaningful learning experiences and cannot duplicate coursework or learning in other electives or required clerkships.

III. Enrolling in Electives

Electives at Corewell Health

1. Must meet “program of study” requirements.
2. Can enroll in electives at the time of the M4 lottery.
3. If enrolling after the lottery, the student completes an Add/Drop form available online on the OUWB Forms page, and forwards the completed form to [email protected] at least 30 days prior to the start of the elective.
4. After the lottery, use Oasis to confirm an opening is available. Students cannot be enrolled if capacity has already been filled.
5. Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee will review the Add/Drop form and notify the student if the selected electives do not meet program of study requirements.
6. Students are responsible to check to see if their elective is present in OASIS 7 days after the filing of the Add/Drop form. If the elective is not listed, the student should contact [email protected].

Away electives (VSAS/VSLO)

1. Must meet “program of study” requirements
2. Students can reserve scheduling slots in OASIS during the lottery as “Away Electives”.
3. Students enroll online through VSAS/VSLO.
4. VSAS/VSLO notifies the OUWB Director of Medical Records and Registration of enrollment. The Director provides confirmation that the student is in good academic standing.
5. Once the student receives notification of acceptance, the student completes an Add/Drop form available online on the OUWB Forms page and forwards the completed form to [email protected] at least 30 days prior to the start of the elective.
6. Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee will review the Add/Drop form and notify the student if there is an issue with the requested electives not meeting program of study requirements.
7. If students are requested by the host institution to complete an affiliation form, that form should be forwarded to [email protected].
8. Students are responsible to check to see if their elective is present in OASIS 10 days after the filing of the Add/Drop form. If the elective is not listed, the student should contact [email protected].

Away electives (nonVSAS/VSLO)

1. Must meet “program of study” requirements.
2. Students can reserve scheduling slots in OASIS during the lottery as “Away Electives”.
3. Student must complete an away elective form available online on the OUWB Forms page, to forward to the [email protected] The Student is required to provide contact information for the program and a course description.
4. Once the student is notified of acceptance of the elective, the student completes an Add/Drop form available online on the OUWB Forms page, and forwards the completed form to [email protected] at least 30 days prior to the start of the elective.
5. Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee will review the Add/Drop form and notify the student if the selected electives do not meet program of study requirements.
6. If the student is notified that an affiliation agreement is required, the student should notify the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education. The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee will manage the process of setting up an affiliation. The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee may contact the student for additional information. Affiliation agreements are subject to approval by the Office of the Dean.
7. If the program is at a non-LCME accredited institution or an institution without an existing affiliation, the Office of Medical Education is required to have the away elective approved by the corresponding program at OUWB/Corewell Health. The student does not need to participate in this process, but may be contacted for additional information.
8. Students are responsible to check to see if their elective is present in OASIS 7 days after the filing of the Add/Drop form. If the elective is not listed, the student should contact [email protected]. 

Military Electives

1. Must meet “program of study” requirements.
2. Students can reserve scheduling slots in OASIS during the lottery as “Away Electives”.
3. Student completes an Add/Drop form available online on the OUWB Forms page and forwards the completed form to [email protected] at least 30 days prior to the start of the elective.
4. Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee will review the Add/Drop form and notify the student if the selected electives do not meet program of study requirements.
5. If an affiliation agreement is required, the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee will begin the process of setting up an affiliation. The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee may contact the student for additional information. Affiliation agreements are subject to approval by the Office of the Dean.
6. Students are responsible to check to see if their elective is present in OASIS 10 days after the filing of the Add/Drop form. If the elective is not listed, the student should contact [email protected].

 Directed Independent Study

1. Must meet “program of study” requirements. 
2. Directed Independent Study activities used for remediation may not be used towards the 16 weeks of electives requirement.
3. Directed Independent Study may be considered clinical or nonclinical depending on the amount of patient contact. In order for an elective to be clinical, >50% of time involves patient care including diagnostic (i.e., radiology and pathology) patient care.
4. Students may block time for Directed Independent Study during the time of the OASIS lottery to save space in the schedule.
5. Student must complete a Directed Independent Study form available online on the OUWB Forms page to forward to [email protected] at least 30 days prior to the start of the Directed Independent Study. A signature of the supervising faculty member is required. The form also requires a description of the experience.
6. Student completes an Add/Drop form available on the OUWB Forms page, and forwards the completed form to [email protected] at least 30 days prior to the start of the Directed Independent Study.
7. Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee will review the Add/Drop form and notify the student if the Directed Independent Study does not meet program of study requirements.
8. If the experience is at an away institution, all of the affiliation requirements must be met. If an affiliation agreement is required, the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee will manage the process of setting up an affiliation. The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee may contact the student for additional information. Affiliation agreements are subject to approval by the Office of the Dean.
9. Students are responsible to check to see if their elective is present in OASIS 10 days after the filing of the Add/Drop form. If the elective is not listed, the student should contact [email protected].

Directed Independent Research

1. Must meet “program of study” requirements. 
2. Directed Independent Research may be considered clinical or nonclinical depending on the amount of patient contact. In order for an elective to be clinical, >50% of time involves patient care including diagnostic (i.e., radiology and pathology) patient care.
3. Students may block time for Directed Independent Research during the time of the OASIS lottery to save space in the schedule.
4. Student must complete a Directed Independent Research form available online on the OUWB Forms page, to forward to [email protected] at least 30 days prior to the start of the Directed Independent Research. A signature of the supervising faculty member is required. The form also requires a description of the research experience and any outcome requirements.
5. Student completes an Add/Drop form available online on the OUWB Forms page and forward the completed form to [email protected] at least 30 days prior to the start of the Directed Independent Research.
6. Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee will review the Add/Drop form and notify the student if the Directed Independent Research does not meet program of study requirements.
7. If the experience is at an away institution, all of the affiliation requirements must be met. If an affiliation agreement is required, the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee will manage the process of setting up an affiliation. The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education or designee may contact the student for additional information. Affiliation agreements are subject to approval by the Office of the Dean.
8. Students are responsible to check to see if their elective is present in OASIS 10 days after the filing of the Add/Drop form. If the elective is not listed, the student should contact [email protected]

IV. Evaluation of Performance in Electives

Elective Directors will submit an evaluation of the student's performance at the end of each elective experience. Only the grades of P1, FAIL, and HONORS are available in electives. Grades are assigned based on the Clinical Performance Evaluation for Electives (CPEE) form and completion of all requirements of the elective, which may in some cases entail a paper, presentation or other assignment.

CPEE forms are sent to the Elective Clerkship Director(s) by the School of Medicine Director of Records and Registration.

A final grade for the elective will not be posted until the evaluation forms have been returned to the School of Medicine Director of Records and Registration. Students should review their online academic record periodically to ensure that evaluations have been posted.

It is the student’s responsibility to make certain that all Clinical Performance Evaluations for Electives (CPEE) forms have been submitted and received by the School of Medicine Director of Records and Registration. In instances where the CPEE form is not available or appropriate, OUWB will accept an alternative student evaluation of performance form as identified by the department or program sponsoring the elective. If the grade submitted is not consistent with the OUWB grade scale, the translation of grades will be the responsibility of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Clinical Education.

Definitions:

Clinical Electives: A clinical elective is an educational experience that involves patient contact or diagnostic procedures (radiology or pathology) used for patient care that consists of a minimum of 50% patient care time.

Non-clinical Electives: A non-clinical elective is an educational experience that does not involve patient contact or diagnostic procedures used for patient care. A non-clinical elective is defined as an elective with <50% direct patient care or patient contact. Diagnostic patient care such as radiology and pathology would be counted as a clinical elective. Online or virtual electives that have a hybrid in-person and online model, must have at least 50% direct patient care or patient contact to count as a clinical elective.

Acronyms:

ACGME: Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education

LCME: Liaison Committee for Medical Education

VSLO: Visiting Student Learning Opportunities

Related Policies and Forms:

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