The purpose of this post is to respond to a number of enquiries/concerns we have received related to Independent clinical electives (outside the AFMC portal) in British Columbia. Electives are important for the match process. The chances of matching is positively correlated to doing an elective in a country, province, and medical school. Thus, electives are definitely worth the effort.
There are two types of electives: (i) an elective in a university program (UBC visiting elective in BC), and (ii) independent or private electives. BC calls the latter Independent clinical electives (ICE). To apply for a university sponsored elective, you must apply through the AFMC student portal. Student Portal | Portail étudiant – Opening doors to visiting electives. | Une porte ouverte pour les étudiants visiteurs. To do any elective you must be registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons. CPSBC (College of Physicians and Surgeons in BC) posts information about the requirements
for registration for an independent elective in BC on its website. Independent clinical experience College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC CPSBC advises that the most common complications noted in processing applications for independent electives (ICE) are:
– It is necessary to obtain hospital letters that meet CPSBC’s requirements.
The letter must
o be on hospital letter head,
o include the dates of elective,
o include the supervisor’s name, and
o be signed by VP/Chief of Staff/equivalent and not the supervisor.
– Supervisor letters should be submitted to CPSBC directly from the supervisor
or their MOA/clinic, i.e., not by the student.
– Applications must not be sent in too early to process (ie: they are to be sent
no sooner than 3 months from the elective start date)
– Letter of good standing must not be sent in too early (i.e., to be sent no
sooner that 60 days from start of elective)
Students in any academic year may apply for Independent electives in BC. However, international medical students in their final program year must contact UBC first and receive a “decline email” from UBC before they may apply for an independent elective directly through CPSBC.
Application packages are obtained from UBC in the case of a UBC sponsored elective and
directly from CPSBC for independent electives.