Dalhousie University

Contact Information

Angie Hill

Administrator, Visiting Electives

CdnElectives@dal.ca
Canadian Students (includes MD Extension Program and Family Medicine student types)

intl.electives@dal.ca
International Students (includes CSA and IFMSA student types)

Telephone communications are not part of the visiting electives process. All communications must be in writing. Due to privacy issues, we only communicate with applicants – not with family, friends or school representatives.

dal.ca

c/o Undergraduate Medical Education

PO Box 15000
Halifax, NS B3J 1T0 CANADA

Please ensure you review Dalhousie UGME Policies prior to your elective, including policies on health and safety, professionalism and harassment

About the Faculty of Medicine

Dalhousie Medical School is the medical school of Canada’s Maritimes (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island). We offer elective experiences in a variety of disciplines, and at over 100 teaching sites, in both tertiary and community-based settings in all three provinces. We welcome visiting medical students from both Canadian and non-Canadian schools.

Almost 900 electives are offered to visiting students each year! Please come join us!

The AFMC portal is now open for application submission for May-Aug 2024 placements for domestic and international students.

The AFMC portal will open for application submission for September-December 2024 placements on May 13^th, 2024

Policies &
Requirements

Failure to comply with any policies may result in cancellation of your elective and/or application, and/or a Letter of Professionalism.

EVALUATIONS

Should an evaluation for this rotation be required, please remember to bring a copy of the appropriate form from your home University. Should you need assistance tracking down an assessment post-elective please contact the UGME Office at CdnElectives@dal.ca.

1. ELIGIBILITY

CANADIAN STUDENTS

You can apply as a Canadian student if you are from a Canadian medical school (outside of Dalhousie University) and are in your penultimate or final year of your medical program.

MD EXTENSION PROGRAM STUDENTS

This student type has been implemented for Undergraduate learners who are interested in completing electives after completion of their final undergraduate year and have gone unmatched through CaRMS.

2. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

PRECEPTOR SEARCH

Learners are prohibited from contacting their own preceptor. Departments will attempt to match you to a preceptor in your preferred area of specialty or community.

CONTACTING DEPARTMENTS DIRECTLY

The departments listed in the link below, and only these departments, should be contacted directly to arrange an elective. You only apply if the department tells you they have a spot for you. For all departments not listed, please apply directly via the AFMC Portal.

Please refer to the Department Contacts tab for contact information

ELECTIVE CAPACITY

Please note that the elective portal capacity feature is not an indication of capacity, but rather a representation of all the electives we offer throughout an academic year. Therefore, an elective may or may not be available for your intended timeline. Dalhousie University implements black outs for electives that are unavailable. Please check elective opportunities via the AFMC Portal; we endeavour to have these as up to date as possible.

NUMBER OF ELECTIVES

Learners can apply for multiple electives at Dalhousie University; however, we do not accept multiple applications for the same dates. The maximum number of choices is five per application.
The maximum combined elective duration is four weeks per calendar year, while the maximum combined elective duration is eight weeks per academic year. Our academic year is September to August.

PROCESSING TIMES

We try to obtain a response from departments within four weeks of receiving the application; however, this varies depending on preceptor availability.

CONFIRMATION TIMELINE

We will attempt to secure a placement until eight weeks prior to the elective start date. All applications are processed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

If an elective has not been secured by this time, applications will be cancelled to provide students the opportunity to book an elective at their home school.

Due to capacity, we cannot guarantee that all applicants will receive a confirmed elective.

The timeline in which students receive a confirmation is subject to variables, such as:

If there is capacity in the elective choices provided on the application.
How many times elective choices are changed/updated.
How quickly the department/preceptor provides confirmation of availability.

3. DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT DEPARTMENTS WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT AFMC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.

WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION

A recent and clear photo of yourself (Registrant Account)
- Colour photo only; black and white photos are not accepted.
AFMC Student Portal Immunization and Testing Form
COVID Vaccination
Letter of Good Standing with anticipated graduation date
- This document is obtained from your home school.
Police Records Check for Service with Vulnerable Sector
- Must be valid within 12 months of the end date of the placement.
Completed and/or Scheduled Core

CLOSER TO ELECTIVE START DATE

Influenza vaccine
Proof of current N95 Mask Fitting
Proof of current CPR-HCP or BLS

IMPORTANT NOTES

Elective requests will not be accepted that are less than 16-weeks or more than 26-weeks from the start date.
Electives start on Monday and end on Friday (except holidays). Emergency Medicine – Halifax electives end on Sunday. Your confirmation letter will have the correct dates.
Add any additional available dates in the comments section. These are not considered official elective requests – they are just comments that departments may consider. Official requests are only those entered as an elective request in the application.
Choices are processed in the order in which they are entered in your application.
In the comment section, PRIOR to submitting your application, add any additional information that you want departments to see (i.e., preceptor and/or language preferences, etc.).

Failure to comply with any policies may result in cancellation of your elective and/or application, and/or a Letter of Professionalism.

EVALUATIONS

1. ELIGIBILITY

INTERNATIONALS & CANADIAN STUDENTS STUDYING ABROAD

“International” student type = Students abroad, including Canadian citizens/permanent residents registered in a full-time undergraduate MD program at a FAIMER/WHO or LCME accredited medical school outside Canada.

Students must be in their final year of study and have completed five core rotations (Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry or Surgery) prior to the start of the desired elective date. Your application will not be processed if all five core rotations, whether completed and/or scheduled, are not entered.

2. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

PRECEPTOR SEARCH

Learners are prohibited from contacting their own preceptor. Departments will attempt to match you to a preceptor in your preferred area of specialty or community.

CONTACTING DEPARTMENTS DIRECTLY

The departments listed in the link below, and only these departments, should be contacted directly to arrange an elective. You will only have to submit your application if the department tells you they have a spot for you. For all departments not listed, please apply directly via the AFMC Student Portal.

Please refer to the Department Contacts tab for contact information

ELECTIVE CAPACITY

Please note that the elective portal capacity feature is not an indication of capacity, but rather a representation of all the electives we offer throughout an academic year. Therefore, an elective may or may not be available for your intended timeline. Dalhousie University implements black outs for electives that are unavailable. Please check elective opportunities via the AFMC Student Portal. We endeavour to have these as up to date as possible.

NUMBER OF ELECTIVES

Learners can apply for multiple electives at Dalhousie University; however, we do not accept multiple applications for the same dates. The maximum number of choices is five per application.
The maximum combined elective duration is four weeks per calendar year, while the maximum combined elective duration is eight weeks per academic year. Our academic year is September to August.

PROCESSING TIMES

We try to obtain a response from departments within four weeks of receiving the application; however, this varies depending on preceptor availability.

CONFIRMATION TIMELINE

We will attempt to secure a placement until eight weeks prior to the elective start date. All applications are processed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

If an elective has not been secured by this time, applications will be cancelled to provide students the opportunity to book an elective at their home school.

Due to capacity, we cannot guarantee that all applicants will receive a confirmed elective.

The timeline in which students receive a confirmation is subject to variables, such as:

If there is capacity in the elective choices provided on the application.
How many times elective choices are changed/updated.
How quickly the department/preceptor provides confirmation of availability.

3.DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT DEPARTMENTS WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT AFMC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.

WITH APPLICATION SUBMISSION

A recent and clear photo of yourself (Registrant Account)
- Colour photo only. Black and white photos are not accepted.
AFMC Student Portal Immunization and Testing Form
COVID Vaccination
Letter of Good Standing with the following details:
- Your full name(s) and last name
- The program you are registered in as well as the program length in years and the language of education. Our electives are only offered in English.
- That you are in academic good standing, your current year of the program and that you are approved to do a clinical elective as part of your curriculum requirements.
- Expected graduation date (day, month, and year).
Police Records Check for Service with Vulnerable Sector
- Must be valid within 12 months of the end date of the placement.
Completed or Scheduled Core

Proof of language competence

Canadian students must upload a driver’s licence or passport.

CLOSER TO ELECTIVE START DATE

Influenza vaccine
Proof of current N95 Mask Fitting
Proof of current CPR-HCP or BLS

IMPORTANT NOTES

Elective requests will not be accepted that are less than 16-weeks or more than 26-weeks from the start date.
Electives start on Monday and end on Friday (except holidays). Emergency Medicine – Halifax electives end on Sunday. Your confirmation letter will have the correct dates.
Add any additional available dates in the comments section. These are not considered official elective requests – they are just comments that departments may consider. Official requests are only those entered as an elective request in the application.
Choices are processed in the order in which they are entered in your application.
In the comment section, PRIOR to submitting your application, add any additional information that you want departments to see (i.e., preceptor and/or language preferences, etc.).

All clinical electives must be done for academic credit. We do not offer core clinical training, pre-clinical electives, or observerships through the AFMC Student Portal.
After being confirmed for an elective, it is okay to communicate with the Placement Contact to clarify scheduling or program specific details.
Under no circumstances can new dates be requested or renegotiated after an elective offer is accepted by the applicant.

CONTACTING DEPARTMENTS

Do not phone contacts (email only).

If a department is not listed below, it means they do not wish to be contacted directly. Please apply directly via the AFMC portal

If you do contact the department directly and receive an elective offer, it will not be officially confirmed until:

An application is submitted via the AFMC Portal, and the student is confirmed by UGME as being eligible; AND,
The elective is accepted by the department and the student; AND,
The student receives a confirmation letter from UGME.

Note: If you receive an offer from a department, please submit your application immediately to ensure there is enough time for it to be fully processed before your offer expires or ends up outside the 16-week window. Also, it may take several days for Dal to process your application.

Do not contact one department while you have another application request or communication with another department processing for the same dates, or your application and/or elective(s) may be cancelled.

Anaesthesia/Chronic Pain (Halifax, NS)

Allister Barton — Allister.Barton@dal.ca

Diagnostic Radiology (Halifax, NS)

Melissa MacLeod — Melissa.MacLeod@dal.ca

Emergency Medicine – Emergency Medical Services (Halifax, NS)

Jennifer Day — JenniferE.Day@nshealth.ca

Emergency Medicine (Halifax, NS)

Jennifer Day — JenniferE.Day@nshealth.ca

Obstetrics & Gynecology (Halifax NS)

Mary Boudreau – Mary.Boudreau@dal.ca

Includes the following: General Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Urogynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology, and Gynecology Oncology.

Pediatrics – Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine (NICU) (Halifax, NS)

Wendy Mitchell — Wendy.Mitchell@iwk.nshealth.ca

Pediatrics – Endocrinology

Cheryl-Ann Langley – Cherylann.langley@iwk.nshealth.ca

Pediatrics – General Pediatrics (PMU) (Halifax, NS)

Dr. Joanna Holland – Joanna.Holland@iwk.nshealth.ca

Pediatrics – Hematology & Oncology

Jennifer Curran – Jennifer.Curran@iwk.nshealth.ca

Pediatrics – Immunology or Allergy

Sarah Keddy – Sarah.Keddy@iwk.nshealth.ca

Pediatrics – Rheumatology (Halifax, NS)

Dr. Bianca Lang – Bianca.Lang@iwk.nshealth.ca

Psychiatry – All Subspecialties (Halifax and Dartmouth, NS)

Parisa Abdi Sabouhi – Psych.Undergrad@dal.ca

Public Health and Preventative Medicine (Colchester/East Hants, NS)

Katherine Beaton – katherine.beaton@nshealth.ca

Psychiatry (Colchester/East Hants, NS)

Katherine Beaton – katherine.beaton@nshealth.ca

Radiation Oncology (Halifax, NS)

Karen Watts – KarenA.Watts@nshealth.ca

Sports Medicine (Halifax, NS)

Felicia Licht – Felicia@stanishortho.com

Surgery (Halifax, NS)

Sheila Reid — Sheila.Reid@Dal.Ca

Includes the following: Cardiac, General, Neurosurgery, Orthopedic, Pediatric General, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Pediatric Orthopedic, Plastic, Thoracic, and Vascular.

Surgery – Otolaryngology (Halifax, NS)

Brenda Oake — Brenda.Oake@Dal.Ca

Urology (Halifax, NS)

Paula Snow— Paula.Snow@nshealth.ca

Cancellation &
Change Requests

Cancelling a confirmed elective cancels your entire application, including any other confirmed elective on that application.
Do not submit a Change Request via the portal AND an email with the same request. Send only one or the other, email preferred.
Six weeks’ notice must be provided prior to the elective start date to cancel an elective.

Declining an Offer

Declining an offer cancels your entire application and it can’t be reinstated. If you can no longer accept the dates, but have other available dates within 16-26 weeks of your application date (or 3-39 weeks for MD Extension Program students), please email us immediately to request a date change.

Change Requests

We do not accept requests to make changes to an elective once it has been accepted. If you can no longer attend an accepted elective, you will have to cancel it. Note: This will cancel your application.

The only change requests we will consider once an elective has been offered (but not accepted), is for dates. However, the dates still must be within the 16-26 week range of the date of your application (or 3-39 weeks for MD Extension Program students).

Only one change request will be considered per application.

Date changes cannot be made to requests that have already been submitted to departments. Date changes can only be made to requests that have yet to be submitted, or for which an offer has been made but not yet accepted.

Change Requests we cannot accommodate, and can’t respond to, are:

Adding dates
Re-ordering choices
Specialty or subspecialty
Site
Duration

Medical License

Students who have been accepted for an elective in Nova Scotia: Your licence will be arranged through the Electives Coordinator and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia.
Students who have been accepted for an elective in New Brunswick: Your licence will be arranged through the Electives Coordinator and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick.
Students who have been accepted for an elective in Prince Edward Island: Your license will be arranged through the Electives Coordinator and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Prince Edward Island.

Travel &
Accommodation

Accommodations and transportation are the responsibility of the clerk/student. If assistance is required with accommodation, it can be discussed with the site coordinator once an elective has been offered.

RESOURCES

Official Dalhousie Campus Maps
QEII Health Sciences Centre — Building Locator Map
IWK Health Centre — How to get here
Dalhousie Medical Student Society — Accommodations Info for Elective Students: please send an email to the DMSS (dmss@dal.ca) and the message will be forwarded on to all members of Dalhousie Medical School.
Dalhousie University — Housing Services Information (on- and off-campus): Dalhousie’s Housing Services
Local Newspapers: The Halifax Chronicle-Herald and The Coast
Kijiji
Nova Scotia Accommodations Search

Accommodations

Contact: Ron MacIntyre

walter1@eastlink.ca

(902) 422-6898

CAD: $525 per week ($75 per day.)

Our rental fee pays for a comfortable room and all your meals. We prepare your meals, we provide breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch as well as a meal when you’re on call. We do your laundry, we have Wi-Fi, TV, shared toilet, tub and shower. Spacious south end Halifax century home, ten minute walk to Victoria General / I.W.K. hospitals, fifteen- twenty minute walk to Halifax Infirmary, with bus stops outside our door. We are a non-smoking, scent free household and do not offer parking. Photos available upon request. View location virtually on Google Maps here:

Civic address: 5780 Inglis Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Contact: Ann

H: (902) 423-5663

Email: anorton@ns.sympatico.ca

CAD $200.00 per week or $750.00 per month

Furnished bachelor with cooking facilities, private bath and entrance. Safe, pleasant neighbourhood – short run with several buses going directly to the hospitals and universities. Includes towels, linens and Wi-Fi. On-site laundry. Quiet, non-smoking property.

Contact: Alison Barnim

Phone: (902) 452-4443

Email: allers402@gmail.com

Price: (CAD) $200/week

Bright, sunny fully furnished bedroom with everything you need for your stay (Queen bed/bedding, closet space, towels etc.) in a quiet home located in Dartmouth. Popular beaches, lakes and hiking trails are within a 5 minute drive – Great for hikers, cyclists, surfers/SUPers during your down time. The rate includes high speed internet, separate office space, parking, large front and back decks, laundry, shared bathroom, kitchen and livingroom with a cosy electric fireplace. I am a friendly female professional working mostly from home and am respectful of personal space – Must love dogs (I have a sweet 10 year old lab).

30-minute direct express bus route from my home to the front entrance of the IWK, and a 10 minute walk from there to Victoria General. The house is located 12 minutes to Dartmouth General, accessible via car or taxi.

No smokers please. Photos available.

Contact: Anne Pryde

Email: info@annepryde.ca

H: 902-209-4598

CAD $500 per week or CAD $1800 per Month

Fully furnished, 1 bedroom apartment with private entrance. Fully equipped kitchen. The bedroom has a queen size bed with a walk in closet. There is a pull out sofa bed in the living room. Quiet home for studying, good Wifi close to libraries and parks. On Bus Route #7 which goes to the hospitals, Dalhousie and downtown.

No pets, non smoking property.

To learn more check out https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/20918079?s=51

$75 per night

Bright, sunny..fully furnished bedroom (dbl. bed). Centrally located in HFX., 10-15 minute walk to QE11, Hfx. Infirmary. On several bus routes. Recently renovated, privately owned condo. Spotlessly maintained. Extremely quiet and peaceful. Perfect for short term med. students/residents. Includes: private bathroom, wifi (of course), assortment of breakfast cereals and evening snack basket. Kitchen access to prepare lunch and dinners. I only ask you clean up after yourself! I am directly across the street from a large grocery store, post office. There are many restaurants, cafes etc. in this neighbourhood. It’s a very vibrant neighborhood!

Amenities include: on site gym, o/s pool (June-Sept.), courtyard, and common room for studying -should you want a change of pace.

On site laundry facilities avlb. once a week.

If you’d like pics, or any other info…pls. contact me @: 902-997-1537

furymacs@eastlink.ca

Contact: Michele

$75 per night

Bright, sunny and spotlessly maintained! (Privately owned condo.) Fully furnished bedroom (dbl. bed), with a private bathroom. Centrally located in Hfx., 10-15 min. walk to QE11 (Hfx. Infirmary). On several bus routes.

Extremely quiet and peaceful… perfect for short term med. students/residents.

Includes: wifi, assortment of breakfast cereals, fruits etc. and evening snack basket. Fee does not include lunch or dinner, however you have full access to kitchen. I only ask you tidy up afterwards! (I’m very easy to get along with, and I’ll assist you any way I can).

This is a very vibrant neighbourhood with access to grocery stores (large one directly across the street), post office, restaurants, cafes and boutiques. Amenities include: on site laundry-in condo (once a week), gym, o/s pool (June-Sept.), garden courtyard and common room. If you’d like more info., have questions, pls. contact:

902-997-1537 (cell) OR

furymacs@eastlink.ca

Contact: Maureen Young

Email: ymaureen@hotmail.com

CAD $250.00 per week

North End Halifax fully furnished flat with separate entrance and parking included (partners welcome), 35 minute walk to the Infirmary, 4 minutes to the Robie Street bus stop, self-contained with your own kitchen, bedroom, den, bathroom with tub and shower, TV, Wi-Fi, double bed. Sheets and towels included with furnishings.

Contact: Kaleigh Newton

Email: KLN821@MUN.CA

Phone: 902-221-4036

CAD: $480/week or $1750/month

Description: Beautiful newly built home in the West End of Halifax. You will have one bedroom (queen bed) + bathroom with shared living space / kitchen. The bedroom has blackout blinds and curtains which is great if you are working shifts, as well as a desk. Fully furnished with everything you will need for your stay including washer & dryer. Off street parking available. The space is shared with myself – a nurse at the IWK who works shift work and is rarely home. The property is smoke free and pet free. The house is on a bus route, 4-6 minute drive to both hospitals and 25-35 minute walk.

Photos available upon request.

Testing and Self-Isolation Requirements for medical students with COVID-19 Infection

Nova Scotia:

Students in placements in Nova Scotia Health, and IWK facilities will continue to follow self-isolation guidelines of those institutions.
1. Nova Scotia Health Nova Scotia Health COVID-19 Status or Reason for Work Absence
2. Please note that students do not need to enter a name or ID number using the employee/physician lookup tool to use this form. Select your COVID status and further instructions will appear in the dropdown menu.
If you are rotating at the IWK, in addition to completing the KICS webform, please also call IWK OHSW (Occupational Health Safety and Wellness) at (902) 221-8900 as it is a separate health authority.

If you need help accessing care while isolating, please reach out to Student Affairs DMNS.

How to access rapid test kits

Students may pick up tests at the following locations:

Dalhousie Student Health and Wellness 2nd Floor LeMarchant Place,1246 LeMarchant Street
Community locations COVID-19 Rapid Testing | Nova Scotia Health Authority (nshealth.ca)
There is a limited supply of rapid tests available at the Student Affairs Office, room C-115

School	Canadian Student Application Fee	Canadian Student Acceptance Fee	International Student Application Fee	International Student Acceptance Fee	Additional Fees Outside Portal
Dalhousie University	$100	$100	$100	$744	Acceptance Fee includes $244 malpractice insurance fee.

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