Year 3 & 4 FAQ

The following is list of items you need to complete during the rotation and submit on the last day: 1) Project presented during 2 week rotation, 2) Tracking Form during 6 week rotation. Other items recommended to complete but not mandatory are, 1) Online Cases, 2) Dermatology Modules. All information about this can be found on the Clerkship website.

Yes. The 2nd Wednesday of your 2 week rotation you will be given time to work on your project or other self-study.

Rotations that fall within these 2 holidays become 7 week rotations, not 6 to accommodate for the extra week off. For Christmas holiday period, the week of Christmas Day or NewYears will fall during the 4 week or 2 week rotations. Once your preceptor has been confirmed for that particular rotation, you will need to contact them directly to either request a certain week off or to confirm what week it will be. If the office is closed for 1 week during the holidays, you will have to be off the same period and not an alternate week, to still fulfill your 6 week requirement. For March Break, it will fall during 4 week or 2 week rotation. It is automatically the March Break set by the UME office, unless it conflicts with scheduling (ie. You have 2 week rotation but need to do 1 week, vacation 1 week, and then back). It is at the discretion of your preceptor as to what week you will have off. So again, you need to contact your preceptor as soon as possible to confirm what week it will be.

Students need to submit a request for leave form to Becky Bannerman, UGME Clerkship Coordinator, at least 6 weeks before the date requested. There will be no exceptions to this deadline. Once approved by Dr. Stein, the rotation will be notified. Based on the attendance policy, students may have to make-up hours for their time away through weekend rounds or weeknight clinic.

After students submit their rotation preferences form in February, they have until March to change their mind on community selection (deadline determined each year). However, once a preceptor has been confirmed for the rotation (both 4 week and 2 week rotation) students are not given opportunity to change their assigned communities. Most rotations are confirmed by June of each year, with the exception of rotations booked with ERMEP, NOSM, ROMP which are confirmed throughout the year, sometimes weeks or even days in advance. Students have the opportunity to change community selections based on the policies of these programs.

Once your rotation is booked with a rural medical program, all questions or concerns regarding community choices, mileage, accommodation are to be directed to the program itself. The contact for each program is found on the clerkship website under "rural medical programs”.

No, each program has their own policies and procedures, different for each other and the main Department. Any policies regarding mileage, accommodations, community choices should be directed at individual program you applied to.

If you chose London or an Ontario community for your 4 week rotation, you will be notified by July as to where you are placed. If you chose a rural medical program for your 4 week rotation, then you could be notified well in advance (before September) or up to a few weeks before. All students will be notified in July as to what academic teaching centre they are assigned for their 2 week rotation.

Students are reimbursed for mileage if they are: placed at a location outside of London listed under Ontario communities. This would involve daily commute if under 50km, or monthly commute if location is more than 50km (any other reimbursement scenario needs to be approved by Program Director). Students are not required to keep track of mileage or gas receipts since this is processed automatically near the end of their 6 week rotation using a standard mileage chart but they will be required to complete a mileage claim form. Students will be notified once the reimbursement cheque is received by the Department.

Students are required to complete 2 weeks at one of our academic teaching centres, and therefore cannot extend their 4 week rotation to 6 weeks. If however a student has a particular learning need to extend rotation to 6 weeks, special permission can be requested from the Program Director and has to be done so before the rotation form submission deadline in early Spring.

Accommodation providers are required to provide a private bedroom with desk and a location to store food. Anything else would be extra. Some locations provide extras like breakfast, washing machines, towels, sheets, highspeed internet, phone. However, some locations do not supply these items. Accommodations may be a private residence, home apartment, B&B or a hospital apartment/house. Please see accommodation description provided to you for more information.

Students are encouraged to prepare for the exit exam by reading the end of rotation document sent to student during first week of rotation by Program Coordinator. For the exit interview, students need to think about what they liked or disliked about the rotation, what aspects did they wish they knew ahead of time, what suggestions would they have for futures students.

Yes, but it would fall under the policy for the request for leave form. It needs to be requested at least 6 weeks before the rotation start date and be approved by Dr. Stein. After that, the Program Director needs to approve the student absence based on the availability of rescheduling it.

1) Tracking Form Completed, 2) Copy of 4 week evaluation plus midrotation evaluation form.

Yes, students will have the opportunity to evaluate preceptors and the rotation through One45, 5 days before the rotation ends for both the 4 week and 2 week rotations.

Yes, students can nominate preceptor by completing a faculty teaching award nomination form. Students can do online on the awards page, or there will be a ballot given at the exit interview.

Yes, preceptors can nominate students for the Martin Bass Award, IW. Mann, or Frank Clegg awards. Information on these awards can be found here.

Students can review the community sites on our website and then send an email to Michele Vanderspank, Program Coordinator, with their top 3-4 choices and what date range they want. After confirmed with preceptor, Michele will send email confirmation to student for their records. If students need accommodations at rural sites, make sure to notify Program Coordinator once elective is confirmed.

Students also have the opportunity to book their own electives, directly with preceptors listed on the website. In this case, student needs to send email to Program Coordinator with dates and proof of confirmation from faculty member.

Yes, as long as they have their CCFP and has an adjunct faculty appointment with the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. The process would remain the same as above, students would need to send email to Program Coordinator with confirmation of dates and full mailing address of physician.

No. Students can book electives from 2 to 6 weeks in length.

An elective should be requested at least 6 weeks before to increase the chance of confirmation. There is no policy as to when requests should be received, however the majority of Western students submit requests between March and August of each year for Fall period.

Confirmation of an elective will be sent as soon as possible, normally within 2-3 weeks of request during Fall period or by August if requested before then.

Students are to email the Program Coordinator their request for cancellation with reason. There is no policy on when or why to cancel an elective at this time.

Review the objectives found on the elective website and complete the online cases. Contact your preceptor at least 2 weeks before your arrival to discuss reporting instructions

No, accommodations are booked and paid for the Department and no cost is incurred by student. If you require accommodations, it has to be requested as part of our intiial request to Program Coordinator.

Students are reimbursed for mileage if they are: placed at a location outside of London listed under Ontario communities. This would involve daily commute if under 50km, or monthly commute if location is more than 50km (any other reimbursement scenario needs to be approved by Program Director). Students are not required to keep track of mileage or gas receipts since this is processed automatically near the end of their 6 week rotation using a standard mileage chart. Students will be notified once the reimbursement cheque is received by the Department.

Yes, students will be sent rotation and preceptor evaluations through One45 5 days before the end of their elective.

Yes, preceptors have the chance to nominate students for 2 different awards. See awards page for more information.