University Of Toronto

Contact Information

Canadian University Student Inquires (outside the University of Toronto):

medicine.electives@utoronto.ca

International Student Inquiries:

medicine.intelective@utoronto.ca

https://md.utoronto.ca/electives

1 King’s College Circle
Toronto ON M5S 1A8

About the Faculty of Medicine

The Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto is at the center of one of North America’s largest biomedical research, education and clinical care networks. With nine fully affiliated research-intensive hospitals – and dozens of community and clinical care sites – Temerty Medicine offers unparalleled opportunities in Canada’s most dynamic city for our more than 9,000 faculty and staff and 7,000 learners at all levels.

To learn more about the Faculty of Medicine, visit our website.

Policies &
Requirements

**Please note we have made changes to our application window and will be effective as of April 1^st 2024. To clarify, if you are submitting an application on April 1^st and onwards you will have to follow the 18-12-week rule. Applications submitted prior to April 1^st will follow the 16-12-week rule.

Note dates below when electives are unavailable.

Applications will be rejected, and no refunds issued if:

Requests are outside the application period and/or elective period, and/or during unavailable dates noted below. UofT elective periods may not align with your school elective periods.
Selected start and end dates are not Monday and Friday (public holidays excluded)
Combined elective duration is greater than six weeks
Requests are less than two weeks or more than four weeks
Multiple applications for the same dates are submitted

Please note: All elective booking must be done via the AFMC portal, which ensures an equitable process and prevents booking error. Students are not permitted to contact preceptors or site (placement) contacts directly (i.e. via phone or email) to arrange, hold, or book electives. Failure to abide by this administrative process may be reported as a professionalism lapse.

APPLICATION DATES

Elective Period

Unavailable Dates

April 1 – December 20, 2024

May 6 – May 17, 2024

June 3 – June 14, 2024

*elective applications that include these dates will be rejected and no refunds issued

ELIGIBILITY

To apply for an elective at the University of Toronto, students must be:

Enrolled in the clerkship phase of their medical program at a Canadian medical school at the time when their elective would take place
Graduating in 2024 or later
Undertaking clinical electives for academic credit only – no observerships or research placements are offered
Completed, or scheduled to complete the requirements below prior to elective placement date for the following specialities:
- General Internal Medicine or Internal Medicine
  - Completed Internal Medicine core rotation or elective in Internal Medicine (minimum duration of two weeks)
  - CTU electives: Experience in CTU environment and able to excel on a multidisciplinary team
- Pediatrics
  - Completed Pediatrics core rotation or elective (minimum duration of three weeks) for In-Patient Pediatrics at SickKids
  - Exception: Above pre-requisite is not required for Pediatric Dermatology, Adolescent Medicine, Neurology, Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, Social Pediatrics, Ambulatory Hospital Pediatrics and Community Pediatrics

Note: Students should consider the time required for onboarding; a three-week elective period is recommended.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Students must apply for electives at the sub-specialty level
For elective descriptions, including sub-specialties, refer to the University of Toronto Electives Catalogue
- Not all electives in the catalogue are offered or have capacity
Electives are to be completed in two, three, or four-week durations
Each elective must be done in consecutive weeks with no breaks in between (e.g., vacation time)
Students are limited to a maximum of six weeks in an academic year
- The maximum duration of six weeks includes confirmed elective placements that are declined, not responded to, or cancelled by students
All electives begin on a Monday except when Monday is a public holiday, in which case, the elective will begin on Tuesday and end on Friday
- Requests with a different start and end date will automatically be rejected
Due to the significant volume of applications, email responses regarding status updates or declined applications are not possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Students may select up to five preferences

Application Timeline and Process

Students can apply for electives a maximum of 18 weeks in advance and a minimum of 12 weeks prior to the elective start date
- Applications received outside the 18-12 week window will be rejected and no refunds will be issued

Elective Capacity

The portal capacity feature is not an indication of capacity. It is up to each site to determine capacity.
There is not a central database of electives; these are maintained at the hospital level. It is not possible to provide elective availability, nor to advise which electives are more likely to receive an offer.
A waitlist is not maintained. If a request for placement cannot be accommodated, students will not be added to a waitlist and applications will be rejected.

Multiple Applications

Students may submit one application for each set of dates.
Students may submit multiple applications (maximum of three applications) with different dates with a maximum combined elective duration of six weeks.

Change Requests

Once an elective has been published, changes are not permitted. This applies to dates, duration, and specialties. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Confirmation Process

All electives must be confirmed via the portal prior to commencing.
Students will receive an elective offer via email from the AFMC portal and must accept or reject the placement; an elective is not secured until the student logs into the portal to accept the placement.
Students have seven days to accept a placement offer. If a placement offer is not accepted within seven, the placement will be withdrawn by the elective coordinator.
A confirmation/reminder email will be sent four weeks prior to the start of the elective date with additional information.

DOCUMENT REVIEW AND REQUIREMENTS

Review

All visiting elective students must review the policies of assigned clinical site, as well as the following University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine’s policies:

Required

All communication should occur through the portal. Check the portal regularly for updates/comments from elective coordinators and placement contacts.

Consent to Disclose Information form: Complete the Consent to Disclose Information form, providing consent for your personal information to be shared with Synergy for the purpose of document verification. Login details for Synergy Verified will be sent to your school email account, as provided on the Consent to Disclose Information form. Do not contact Synergy prior to receiving the activation email. Requests for account activation will be sent to Synergy on a weekly basis.

Do not submit an application to the AFMC portal unless all prerequisites listed below have been verified by Synergy with a “Pass” status or your request on the portal will be rejected and no refunds issued.

For more information regarding Synergy, please review the Synergy tab in the menu to the left.

Documents to upload to Synergy (do not upload these documents to the AFMC portal) Upload PDFs, unless otherwise specified:

University of Toronto Criminal Self-Disclosure Form
- Pay particular attention to Section 3
A recent and clear photo of yourself
AFMC Student Portal Immunization and Testing Form
- New applicants graduating in 2025 or later must submit the 2023 AFMC immunization form
Completed Police Records Check for Service with Vulnerable Sector (only for students studying in Quebec)
Proof of annual influenza vaccine
- Required for electives during November to June inclusive
Proof of COVID-19 vaccine
University of Toronto Learner Mistreatment Form

Note: All documents/certifications must be valid until the end of the elective period. Students are responsible to ensure up all documents/certifications are valid.

Documents to upload to AFMC portal (do not upload these documents to Synergy)

Upload PDFs, unless otherwise specified:

Attestation of Core Rotations/Electives & Year of Study Form
- ALL domestic students must fill out the Section 1
- Only those applying to specialities noted in the Eligibility section are required to complete Section 2
Proof of Synergy verification – compliance summary
Proof of a current N95 mask fitting that is valid until the end of the student elective

Due to the significant volume of applications, email responses regarding status updates or declined applications are not possible. Thank you for your understanding.

PLEASE NOTE, ONLY APPLICATIONS FROM STUDENTS SELECTED THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LOTTERY WILL BE ACCEPTED. ALL OTHER APPLICATIONS WILL BE REJECTED, AND NO REFUNDS ISSUED.

Please note, applications will be rejected, and no refunds issued if:

Requests are outside the application window and placement window
Selected start and end dates are not Monday and Friday (public holidays excluded)
Combined elective duration is greater than four weeks
Requests are less than two weeks or more than four weeks
Multiple applications for the same dates are submitted

Do not contact preceptors or departments directly to inquire about elective placements. Only applications made through the portal will be considered. Contacting preceptors directly may be considered a breach of professionalism.

Application Dates for 2024 Electives

Lottery Application Window	Closed
Lottery Registration Link	Closed
Notification of Lottery Outcome	October 16, 2023
Electives Application Window	October 16, 2023- November 13, 2023
Placement Window	January 22 – June 28, 2024

Eligibility

Enrollment in FAIMER/ IMED-accredited medical school located outside of Canada
Must be graduating in 2024
Undertaking clinical electives for academic credit only – no observerships or research placements are offered
Must be selected in random selection process to be eligible to proceed with application – no exceptions – irrespective of department or preceptor support
Home school must have signed the University of Toronto’s Visiting Elective Student Agreement for student to be eligible to participate. Placement agreements must be signed by July 1, of the year prior to the elective
Completed, or scheduled to complete the requirements below prior to elective placement date for the following specialities:
- Emergency Medicine:
  - Must be in final year of study; completed core rotation or elective (minimum duration of two weeks)
- General Internal Medicine or Internal Medicine
  - Completed core rotation or elective (minimum duration of two weeks)
  - CTU electives: Experience in CTU environment and able to excel on a multidisciplinary team
- Pediatrics
  - Completed Pediatrics core rotation or elective (minimum duration of three weeks) for In-Patient Pediatrics at SickKids
  - Exception: Above pre-requisite is not required for Pediatric Dermatology, Adolescent Medicine, Neurology, Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, Social Pediatrics, Ambulatory Hospital Pediatrics and Community Pediatrics.

Note: Students from international schools should consider the time required for onboarding; a three-week elective period is recommended.

Special Program Eligibility:

For students interested in Pediatrics CVS, please visit the Speciality Electives tab.

Students who apply outside this process will be rejected and no refunds issued
Students selected through the Pediatric CVS program are not permitted to apply for additional electives outside of the CVS program

Combining Programs: Students are permitted to participate in a maximum of one program per year

Agreement

Student Placement Agreement: Students and home schools whose students are interested in our visiting electives programs must have signed the University of Toronto’s Visiting Elective Student Agreement by July 1 for placements in the following calendar year. Students wishing to participate in the lottery for electives between January and June 2024 must have an agreement in place by July 1, 2023. No exceptions will be made.

A list of institutions which have signed this agreement may be found here.

If your school has not yet signed our agreement, then please visit this link to initiate the agreement signing process. Note: This process may take more than six months to complete.

Lottery Selection

Students from international medical schools wishing to complete a visiting elective at the University of Toronto must first be selected through a randomized selection process to be eligible to apply for an elective.

AFMC portal registration instructions will be provided to students who are successful in the lottery selection process.

Students who are not successful in the lottery will receive an email notifying them that they were not selected.

The lottery selection process is closed for 2024 electives.
Information regarding the lottery selection process for 2025 electives will available late summer of 2024.

Application Instructions

Each application allows students to apply for one elective, one set of dates, and one specialty.

For elective descriptions, including sub-specialties, refer to the University of Toronto Electives Catalogue
- Not all electives in the catalogue are offered or have capacity.
Electives are to be completed in two, three, or four-week durations
Each elective must be done in consecutive weeks with no breaks in between (e.g., vacation time)
Students are limited to a maximum of four weeks in an academic year
The maximum duration of four weeks includes confirmed elective placements that are declined, not responded to, or cancelled by students
All electives begin on a Monday except when Monday is a public holiday, in which case, the elective will begin on Tuesday and end on Friday
- Requests with a different start and end date will automatically be rejected

Application Timelines and Process

Applications will be received a maximum of 26 weeks in advance and a minimum of 12 weeks prior to the elective start date.

Applications received outside the 26-12 window will be rejected and no refunds issued

We cannot offer status updates. Students will be notified through the portal when there is a change to their application

Elective Capacity

The elective portal capacity feature is not an indication of capacity; it is up to each site to identify capacity.
There is not a central database of electives; these are maintained at the hospital level. It is not possible to provide elective availability, nor to advise which electives are more likely to receive an offer.
We do not carry a waitlist. If your request for placement cannot be accommodated, nor can your additional preferences, you will not be added to a waitlist and your application will be rejected.
Elective placements may be limited during the first two weeks of May and the first two weeks of June, as the University of Toronto offers electives to its own medical students during these time periods.

Multiple Applications

Submit one application for each set of dates.
Students may submit multiple applications (maximum of two applications) with different dates with a maximum combined elective duration of four weeks.

Change Requests

Change in dates will be considered if your choices cannot be accommodated or if you are in contact with the electives office prior to offer/placement confirmation
- If you would consider an alternative date, leave a comment on your application with one alternative date
Once an elective has been published, changes are not permitted. This applies to dates, duration, and specialties. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Confirmation Process

Students will receive an elective offer via email and must accept or reject the placement; an elective is not secured until the student logs into the portal to accept the placement.
Students have seven days to accept a placement offer
A confirmation/reminder email will be sent four weeks prior to the start of the elective date with additional information.
All electives must be confirmed via the portal prior to commencing

Document Review and Requirements

Review

All incoming visiting elective students must review the policies of their assigned clinical site, as well as the following University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine’s policies:

Students are encouraged to also review policies established through the:

Required

All communications should occur through the portal.

Do not submit an application to the AFMC portal unless all prerequisites listed below have been verified by Synergy with a “Pass” status or your request on the portal will be rejected.

For more information regarding Synergy, please check the Synergy tab in the menu to the left.

Documents to upload to Synergy (do not upload these documents to the AFMC portal):

Criminal Self-Disclosure Form
Citizenship
A recent and clear photo
AFMC Student Portal Immunization and Testing Form
Proof of a current N95 mask fitting
Proof of COVID-19 vaccine
Proof of an update-to-date influenza vaccine
Evidence of English proficiency
- Required if the language of instruction at home school is not English. See following tests with the stated minimum accepted results.
If applicable, upload a valid Canadian Provincial Health Card

Documents to upload to the AFMC portal (do not upload these documents to Synergy):

Attestation of Core Rotations/Electives & Year of Study Form
- Only those applying to the specialities mentioned in the Eligibility section, are required to complete the form
- Upload to the AFMC portal prior to request submission

After elective confirmation:

Health insurance
- For students without a valid Canadian health card:
  - University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP), secured through the MD Program Electives Office, is mandatory
  - A money order or bank draft for $63CAD (2023 fee) must be handed to the Electives Office prior to starting your elective. Money orders, payable to the University of Toronto, are available at most major banks or Canada Post outlets (including the Canada Post outlet at the UofT Bookstore, 214 College St.);
  - Students must arrange an in-person meeting with the Electives Office prior to the start of your elective. Staff are in the office to process UHIP applications on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 9am and 3:30pm. The Electives Office is located in the Medical Sciences Building, 1 King’s College Circle, Rm. 2124.
- Malpractice insurance
  - Proof of insurance must be uploaded to the AFMC portal within four weeks of elective start-date
  - May be provided by home school
  - If not covered by home school, students must request coverage through a stand-alone insurance program at UofT for a fee of $325 (2023 fee); 2024 fee TBD.

Applications will be rejected, and no refunds issued if:

Requests are made at the site/speciality level. Requests must be made at the sub-specialty level indicated by “apply here”
Prerequisites are missing or incomplete
Requests are outside the application window and placement window
Selected start and end dates are not Monday and Friday (public holidays excluded)
Combined elective duration is greater than six weeks
Requests are less than two weeks or more than four weeks
Multiple applications for the same dates are submitted

Application Dates

Elective Period	Application Period Opens	Application Period Closes
September 5 – October 6, 2023	June 12, 2023	June 26, 2023
October 10 – November 10, 2023	July 17, 2023	July 31, 2023
November 13- December 22, 2023	August 14, 2023	August 28, 2023

Eligibility

Students registered in an MD Extension Program in Canada and identified on the Attestation of Core Rotations document (prerequisite document)
Electives must be undertaken for academic credit only
Completed requirements below prior to elective placement date for the following specialities:
- General Internal Medicine or Internal Medicine
  - Completed internal medicine core rotation or elective in internal medicine (minimum duration of two weeks)
  - CTU electives: Experience in CTU environment and able to excel on a multidisciplinary team.
- Pediatrics
  - Completed Pediatrics core rotation or elective (minimum duration of three weeks) for In-Patient Pediatrics at SickKids
  - Exception: Above pre-requisite is not required for Pediatric Dermatology, Adolescent Medicine, Neurology, Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, Social Pediatrics, Ambulatory Hospital Pediatrics and Community Pediatrics.

Note: Non-UofT students should consider the time required for onboarding; a three-week elective period is recommended.

Special Program Eligibility

Pediatric CVS – See Speciality Electives tab. Students who apply outside this process will be rejected and no refunds issued.

Application Information

Each application allows students to apply for one elective, one set of dates, and one specialty
- If more than one specialty is indicated on the application, only the first specialty will be considered
Up to three subspecialties can be listed in the comments section.
- Note: Listing multiple subspecialities reduces the chance of a confirmed elective placement
For elective descriptions, including sub-specialties, refer to the University of Toronto Electives Catalogue
- Not all electives in the catalogue are offered or have capacity.
Electives are to be completed in two, three, or four-week durations
Each elective must be done in consecutive weeks with no breaks in between (e.g., vacation time)
Students are limited to a maximum of six weeks in an academic year
The maximum duration of six weeks includes confirmed elective placements that are declined, not responded to, or cancelled by students
All electives begin on a Monday except when Monday is a public holiday, in which case, the elective will begin on Tuesday and end on Friday
- Requests with a different start and end date will automatically be rejected

Application Timelines and Process

Applications can be submitted a maximum of 26 weeks in advance and a minimum of six weeks prior to the elective start date
- Applications received outside the 6-26 window will be rejected and no refunds issued
Do not contact preceptors if you are requesting placements 26-12 weeks in advance
Students must apply at the sub-specialty level indicated by “apply here” on the portal; applications at other levels will be rejected and no refunds issued
We cannot offer status updates. Students will be notified through the portal when there is a change to their application

Elective Capacity

The elective portal capacity feature is not an indication of capacity it is up to each site to identify capacity.
There is not a central database of electives; these are maintained at the hospital level. It is not possible to provide elective availability, nor to advise which electives are more likely to receive an offer.
We do not carry a waitlist. If your request for placement cannot be accommodated, you will not be added to a waitlist and your application will be rejected.
Currently, Anesthesia at SickKids are not accepting visiting students

Multiple Applications

Submit one application for each set of dates.
Students may submit multiple applications (maximum of three applications) with different dates with a maximum combined elective duration of six weeks.

Change Requests

Once an elective has been published, changes are not permitted. This applies to dates, duration, and specialties. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Confirmation Process

Students will receive an elective offer via email and must accept or reject the placement; an elective is not secured until the student logs into the portal to accept the placement.
Students have seven days to accept a placement offer
A confirmation/reminder email will be sent four weeks prior to the start of the elective date with additional information.
All electives must be confirmed via the portal prior to commencing

Arranged Electives for Students Applying Between Six to Eight Weeks ONLY

Students requesting placement between six to eight weeks of the elective start date are required to arrange their placement prior to submitting an application.
Applications received later than six weeks prior to the start date will be rejected and no refund issued.
Students may refer to the University of Toronto Electives Catalogue to independently seek out supervisors or elective opportunities
The AFMC Student Portal and the MedSIS electives catalogue are two different databases and are not linked
Due to limitations, not all elective descriptors are listed on the AFMC Student Portal
Preceptor or placement contact information including an email address must be detailed in the comment section of your application
Arranging an elective six to eight weeks prior to the elective start date does not guarantee your application will be accepted. All other requirements must also be met.
Information regarding arranged placements, submitted after an elective placement is secured by the electives office, will not be considered

Document Review and Requirements

Review

All incoming visiting elective students must review the policies of their assigned clinical site, as well as the following University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine’s policies:

Required

All communications should occur through the portal. Check the portal regularly for updates/comments from elective coordinators.

Upload PDFs, unless otherwise specified:

University of Toronto Criminal Self-Disclosure Form
- Upload to portal only; not ShareFile
A recent and clear photo of yourself
AFMC Student Portal Immunization and Testing Form
Police Records Check for Service with Vulnerable Sector (only for Quebec students)
- Obtained from the police station
Attestation of Core Rotations/Electives & Year of Study Form
- ALL domestic students must fill out the Section 1.
- Only those applying to the specialities mentioned in the Eligibility section, are required to complete Section 2.
Proof of a current N95 mask fitting
Proof of up-to-date influenza vaccine
- Only required for electives occurring during November to June inclusive
Proof of COVID-19 vaccine

Synergy

The University of Toronto has partnered with Synergy Verified to provide support and clearance for pre-placement requirements. See the prerequisite section under the Policies & Requirements tab for domestic and international Synergy requirements.

Do not submit an application to the AFMC portal unless all prerequisites listed below have been verified by Synergy with a “Pass” status. Portal applications without a Synergy pass status will rejected.

Carefully review the requirements for Synergy and AFMC on the Policies & Requirements tab.

As part of a visiting elective application, students must complete a form providing consent for personal information to be shared with Synergy for the purpose of pre-placement clearance.

Domestic Students: Form available here
International Students: This form will be sent to those selected from the lottery

To have documents validated, students are required to book an Electronic Student Permit Checking (ESPC) appointment through Verified.

ESPC Appointment

Once the Consent to Disclose Information form has been completed, students will receive login credentials to register with Synergy. Students will then:

Upload required documentation for review
Book ESPC appointment. The service reviews the uploaded documents and provides a status indicating eligibility to apply for an elective.

Book early: Students are encouraged to book appointments early while getting documentation in place. Do not wait until a week or two before the deadline to book appointments; appointments are not always available at the last minute.

Book before the deadline: It is recommended that students book appointments prior to the last available date in the event documentation is missing and a follow-up appointment is required.

Additional fees: If documents are missing or a requirement is not complete, student’s will not be cleared for an elective and will need to book a follow-up appointment for an additional fee.

Student’s do not need to be present on the day of the appointment – this is the date that staff at Synergy Verified will retrieve documents for review. The Verified account status will be updated (pass/fail/pending) once documents have been reviewed and verified by Synergy staff.

Once cleared by Synergy Verified for elective placement, students may apply on the AFMC portal for an elective.

Did not receive Synergy login credentials?

Please check the spam folder for email with login credentials. Note that the activation link expires within 72 hours. If you have not received the email within 5 business days or if the link has expired, proceed to Synergy’s login page and select “forgot password”. Enter the email address you used for registration. If you continue experiencing issues, please submit a ticket on Synergy’s webpage.

Synergy Pre-Placement Requirement Clearance Information – International Visiting Students

Synergy Pre-Placement Requirement Clearance Information – Domestic Visiting Students

Domestic Visiting Electives – Consent to Disclose Personal Information

Special Electives

CVS – Paediatric Cardiovascular Surgery, SickKids Hospital

Students who apply to the CVS sub-specialty without being selected through the process below will be rejected; no refunds will be issued.

Students selected for the CVS program may not apply to other specialties/sub-specialties.

Program

This program offers the opportunity to undertake clinical electives in the Division of Paediatric Cardiovascular Surgery at SickKids. Electives students will actively engage in the treatment of patients with rare or complex congenital malformations, with the opportunity to specialize in paediatric heart surgery. In addition, students will be able to participate in weekly teaching opportunities for the residents and fellows in both cardiac surgery and paediatric cardiology, attend clinical case conferences and daily rounds in both the cardiac ICU and the regular cardiac ward, and join the Adult Congenital Heart programme at UHN. Students will be encouraged to choose a research project in their time with us and contribute to data collection and analysis.

Special Notes

This program will accept up to six international medical students per year, for two to four weeks per student. Elective placements by international students may be undertaken at any time of year, providing they do not in any way conflict with the needs of either University of Toronto, or Canadian undergraduate medical students seeking elective placements.

Application

Interested candidates must submit their CV and Letter of Intent to Dr David Barron and Kelly Docherty. Successful applicants will be selected according to the program’s criteria. However, in accordance with the general policies of the University’s Electives Program, students must:

Be in good academic standing;
Be enrolled in either the penultimate, or final year of their undergraduate medical degree program at the onset of the proposed elective (i.e. graduating in 2024 or later);
Be at a school that is recognized by the World Directory of Medical Schools;
Have completed a paediatric clinical core rotation and any other core rotations required specific to their elective (sub-)specialty;
Be undertaking the elective as a required part of their clerkship curriculum;
Review the agreements process and ensure an agreement between their home school and the University has been completed and signed within six weeks of the student’s intended start-date;
Not participate in the University’s Electives random allocation program within the same academic

Applicants are encouraged to express interest and apply at least one year prior to their desired elective date.

Once selected through the program, the program administrator will notify the University of Toronto Electives office. The Electives Office will contact the student directly with next steps. Students are asked not to apply directly through the AFMC poral prior to direction from the University of Toronto as it may result in additional fees; refunds will not be issued.

Students will be subject to the policies and procedures of the University of Toronto’s Electives Program. The process includes: the payment of all AFMC Portal and University of Toronto application fees; the completion of all required criminal self-disclosure, immunization, health insurance, and medical malpractice insurance documents; the satisfactory verification of the student’s information by their university’s administration; and the acceptable demonstration of English language proficiency.

For questions about program participation, application, and requirements, contact Kelly Docherty.

For technical questions regarding the AFMC portal, contact the AFMC Portal Helpdesk.

As of 2024, student document verification will be completed by Synergy. Student application fees have been reduced accordingly.

School	Canadian Student Application Fee	Canadian Student Acceptance Fee	International Student Application Fee	International Student Acceptance Fee	Additional Fees Outside Portal
University of Toronto	$50	$100	$250	$500	Document verification. If required: Malpractice insurance: 2023 fee $325 (2024 fee TBD); UHIP: 2023 fee $63 (2024 fee TBD)

Health & Safety

CLINICAL WORKPLACE INJURY INFORMATION AND PROCEDURES FOR VISITING ELECTIVES STUDENTS

As part of maintaining your personal safety as well as the safety of our patients, please review the following information which is required reading prior to your arrival.

HAND HYGIENE
This module teaches how to perform proper hand hygiene in order to decrease the spread of infections in a healthcare environment.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Please review the presentation below from the Center for Disease Control. The presentation is meant to be a general overview of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use. Equipment will vary from site to site; please ask your preceptor for assistance with your site-specific PPE.
SHARPS
The module elaborates on the proper prevention techniques and management of sharps injuries in a healthcare environment.
WHMIS
This module teaches about the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, what knowledge and actions are required for learners to keep themselves and the workplace safe.
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT
This module teaches about recognizing and preventing workplace violence and harassment and the rights and responsibilities of learners and the hospital in maintaining a safe working environment.
PRIVACY
This module teaches about the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of patient’s personal health information and ways to do so.

PROCEDURE IN CASE OF INJURY

Should you experience any injury or potential exposure to infectious disease (e.g. needle-stick) while on clinical service for your elective, it is critical that you follow this procedure:

FIRST AID FOR INCIDENTS INVOLVING EXPOSURE TO BLOOD BORNE PATHOGENS:
- Remove any contaminated clothing.
- Allow wound to bleed freely.
- Wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.
- If exposed area involves the eyes, nose, or mouth, flush thoroughly with water.
Inform your supervisor of the incident.
Ask your supervisor to arrange for sample testing of the source patient if your injury is related to potential exposure to infectious disease. It is important for the supervisor to record the source patient’s full name and identifying number, such as their hospital number, health card number, date of birth, etc.
Go immediately to the Occupational Health Unit (or equivalent) if you are in a hospital or other patient care setting with such facilities. If the incident occurs outside business hours or in another clinical setting, of if you encounter any other difficulty in accessing care through the Occupational Health Unit, present at the nearest Emergency Department. Note: A search tool for Emergency Departments is available.
Identify yourself clearly as a Medical Student and be prepared to present
- your hospital identification badge (if applicable)
  AND
- your provincial health card or University Health Insurance Program (UHIP) card.
Request copies of all paperwork (incident reports, etc.) that are completed by the Occupational Health Unit and/or Emergency Department staff.
You may be eligible for coverage of costs and losses related to your injury/exposure through
- your home medical school
  AND/OR
- your provincial health insurance or UHIP
  AND/OR
- your private insurance.
  Please communicate directly with them for details of the coverage they may provide and the documentation they require.
Please report the incident directly to the Director of Electives at the University of Toronto, Dr. Seetha Radhakrishnan.

EXPOSURE RISK ASSESSMENT and ESTIMATED RISK OF TRANSMISSION

A risk assessment for the provision of post-exposure prophylaxis will initially be conducted by the staff in the Emergency Department or Occupational Health Unit. The type of body fluid and details of the exposure must be documented to determine the significance of the exposure and hence the role of prophylaxis. Many factors contribute to a significant exposure and a higher risk of transmission of a blood borne pathogen, including the type of body fluid involved, the type of injury that occurred, the size of the inoculum, and the attributes of the source patient.

Students who are a sero non-converter for HBsAg after 2 courses of immunization with Hepatitis B vaccine should have all potential exposures investigated promptly;
In the event of an exposure to a patient who is known or found to be HBsAg positive, it is advisable that you receive Hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) as soon as possible after the exposure (i.e. within 48 hours) and a second dose one month later;
All our teaching hospitals have bloodborne pathogen protocols in place to manage these situations
You may contact any of the infection control officers in these hospitals.

Learner Mistreatment

The MD Program places the utmost importance on the safety and well-being of students, including their ability to learn in an environment of professionalism, collegiality, civility and respect.

All members of the MD Program community have a joint responsibility to protect the integrity of the learning environment and a right to appropriate treatment and response when the environment is compromised.

The purpose of this Protocol is to articulate procedures for University of Toronto and visiting elective medical students to disclose/report mistreatment that they have experienced or witnessed. This Protocol is informed and governed by the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine, regulatory body and government statements, policies, protocols, codes and standards listed in Appendix A. This Protocol does not supersede powers and procedures set out in other policies of the University, the Faculty of Medicine or hospitals. Where an existing University or Faculty policy applies, the procedure described in that document will be followed. Likewise, if a University or Faculty office or a clinical institution has jurisdiction in a given situation, its authority will be respected.

Travel &
Accommodation

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Health Force Ontario Clerkship Travel Program (For Ontario medical students only; to be confirmed for 2022/2023)

VISA AND IMMIGRATION MEDICAL EXAMINATION (APPLICABLE TO NON-CANADIANS Visiting Canada)

International students must meet the entry requirements to enter Canada for their visiting elective
Contact the embassy/consulate in your country for more information regarding Canadian pre-entrance requirements for medical electives
Non-Canadian residents are required by Canadian Immigration regulation to undergo a medical examination before entering Canada
The medical examination must be done by a physician on Canada’s list of designated medical practitioners
Arrange to have this examination carried out at least four months prior to your elective starting date to ensure that the report will be available in time
The Immigration medical examination cannot be obtained after arrival in Canada. See Citizenship and Immigration Canada for specific information
Follow this link to find out if you need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or visitor Visa.

FAQ

Canadian Students

What is the 18-12-week rule for domestic students?

When applying for an elective, the elective period may start no earlier than 12 weeks, and end no later than 18 weeks, from the application date. Please see some scenarios below:

• Example of an acceptable elective period
Application submission date: January 18th
Placement Window date requested: April 15th to April 26th

• Example of a non-acceptable elective period
Application submission date: January 18th
Placement Window date requested: May 20^th to May 31^st
(week of May 27^th does not fall within 18-12 week)

Can a student submit three applications, for three different specialties but for the same elective period?

• Students can only submit one application for each set of dates. Students can submit multiple applications (maximum of three applications) with different dates with a maximum combined elective duration of six weeks. Example of valid applications: Application one: Family Medicine: Elective Period – April 1st to April 12th
• Application two: Cardiology: Elective Period – April 15th to April 26th
• Application three: Pediatrics: Elective Period – April 29th to May 10th

Can changes be made to an elective duration once an elective is already under way?

No, once an elective has been published changes are not permitted. This applies to dates, duration, and specialties. There are no exceptions to this policy.

If a student is not interested in the offered elective, can the elective be cancelled, and a new request submitted using the same application?

No, once an elective has been published changes are not permitted. This applies to dates, duration, and specialties. There are no exceptions to this policy.

How long does it take for a decision to be made regarding an elective application, once submitted on the AFMC portal?

There is no central database of electives; these are maintained at the site level. It is not possible to provide elective availability, nor to advise which electives are more likely to receive an offer. However, if a student has submitted an application and has not heard back in 3-4 weeks, please contact the Electives Office.

The elective team does not carry a waitlist. If the student’s request for placement cannot be accommodated, the student will not be added to a waitlist and the application will be rejected.

What is the timeline for confirmation of an elective placement?

• Students will receive an elective offer via email and must accept or reject the placement. An elective is not secured until the student logs into the portal to accept the placement.
• Students have seven days to accept a placement offer.
• A confirmation/reminder email will be sent four weeks prior to the start of the elective date with additional information.
• All electives must be confirmed via the portal prior to commencing.

If a student is currently in a placed elective and would like to extend the placement and the preceptor agrees, is this allowed?

Once an elective has been published, changes are not permitted. This applies to dates, duration, and specialties. There are no exceptions to this policy.

If a student is interested in an observership or post-graduate medical research opportunities, can the student apply on the AFMC portal for these opportunities?

No. The UofT does not permit observerships. For post-graduate research opportunities, visit the PGME website for more information: https://pgme.utoronto.ca/.

International Students

Can any student studying at an international medical school apply for an elective?

International medical schools must have a signed agreement with the University of Toronto in order for students to apply for an elective. For a list of institutions that have signed our Agreement, visit the agreements page. Information on initiating an agreement can also be found on the agreements page.

Agreements must be valid for the duration of the placement. If a school’s agreement with University of Toronto expires during an anticipated elective period, a new agreement must be secured. This process can take up to four months to complete. An agreement must be in place by July 1 of the year prior to the elective. For placements in January-June of 2025, a signed agreement must be in place by July 1, 2024.

If a student is not interested in the offered elective, can the elective be cancelled, and a new request submitted using the same application?

No, once an elective has been published changes are not permitted. This applies to dates, duration, and specialties. There are no exceptions to this policy.

How long does it take for a decision to be made regarding an elective application, once submitted on the AFMC portal?

The elective team does not carry a waitlist. If the student’s request for placement cannot be accommodated, the student will not be added to a waitlist and the application will be rejected.

What is the timeline for confirmation of an elective placement?

Students will receive an elective offer via email and must accept or reject the placement. An elective is not secured until the student logs into the portal to accept the placement.
Students have seven days to accept a placement offer.
A confirmation/reminder email will be sent four weeks prior to the start of the elective date with additional information.
All electives must be confirmed via the portal prior to commencing.

If a student is currently in a placed elective and would like to extend the placement for a few weeks and the Preceptor agrees, is that allowed?

Once an elective has been published, changes are not permitted. This applies to dates, duration, and specialties. There are no exceptions to this policy.

If a student is interested in observership and/or Post-Graduate Medical Research opportunities, can the student apply on the AFMC portal for these specific opportunities?

Observership: Observerships have no University of Toronto status

Observers do not register with the Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) Office. Doctors who wish to arrange an observership must do so by contacting the hospital in which they wish to have observer status. The PGME Office receives a high volume of inquiries regarding observership opportunities at the following hospitals in Toronto: https://pgme.utoronto.ca/applicants/observerships/

Students interested in research opportunities are kindly requested to visit the PGME website for more information on the PGME application processes and the contact information: https://pgme.utoronto.ca/.

Cancellation, Change Requests & Absence

CANCELLATION POLICY AND PROFESSIONALISM

Should a student wish to cancel a secured and confirmed elective placement, or should they wish to decline an elective placement which is being offered, they must send a cancellation request using the comments section on the portal at least six weeks prior to the prospective elective start date.
Non-compliance with this policy is considered unprofessional and written notification will be sent to your Dean or Vice Dean
Students are expected to follow the code of conduct for the University of Toronto and its affiliated sites

CHANGES:

Please review “Policies & Requirements” to understand the occasions when changes would be considered.

Visiting Electives Absences:

The national minimum number of days for an elective is ten. The experiential nature of medical training and electives requires students to participate to the fullest extent. Students should appreciate the important role they play in patient care, their commitment to their preceptor, their own learning and consider their peers who may have not acquired the opportunity.

For planned absences, absences that arise due to known or anticipated circumstances, that fall within a student’s scheduled elective dates:

Follow their home school policy for requesting a planned absence (eg: emailing the request to the home elective office or appropriate department) AND copy the UofT Electives Office on correspondence medicine.electives@utoronto.ca
Submit an absence request to their preceptor AND copy the UofT Electives Office on correspondence medicine.electives@utoronto.ca
Recognize that each circumstance will be handled on a case-by-case basis
Sufficient notice must be provided. Please ensure the above requests are submitted a minimum of 8 weeks prior to the elective start date

For unplanned absences, absences that arise due to unforeseen and often emergent circumstances (eg: illness), that fall within a student’s scheduled elective dates, students must:

Follow their home school policy for requesting an unplanned absence (eg: emailing the request to the home elective office or appropriate department) AND copy the UofT Electives Office on correspondence medicine.electives@utoronto.ca
Notify your preceptor and site administrator as soon as possible AND copy the UofT Electives Office on correspondence medicine.electives@utoronto.ca
Recognize that each circumstance will be handled on a case-by-case basis
Endeavour to provide the earliest possible notice

AN INITIATIVE OF