# What is the best time to apply for Electives?



## Saadat

hello guys i wana want your views wat is the best time to apply for electives. i am now in 3rd semester. two more to come. wat university you people suggest for doing observership in states or somewhere else more better. all your suggestions welcomed . if i go in start of 4th semester it is appropriate or wait .#angry


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## MastahRiz

Do you mean you are in third year? Semesters mean there are two per year. I'm guessing you mean 3rd year, and not third semester, since that would mean middle of your second year.

You apply for electives depending on when you have time to do them and also depending on which type of elective you want to do. If you want to do a research elective, you can find those going on all throughout the year.

Some clinical electives also go on all throughout the year, but many of them have specific dates. If you have a winter or summer break that coincides with the dates of the school that is offering the clinical electives, then you can apply for those dates, and you should always start the process at least five months in advance.


There are hundreds of universities that will accept people for research/clinical electives, so I don't really know how to recommend one for you. Pick a field you want to go in and go from there.

Also, probably a good idea to read the thread which is specifically for electives here.

This thread here also tells which med schools in the US accept foreign students.


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## Saadat

@ rizwan bro
thanks. ya actually i was writing some where else fake so mixed semester there with it. any ways ya i m in 3rd year. almost to finish. 5 month advance too long na. i was calculating that start of fourth year is the best time i think 4 me to do clinical electives. as in final year too much burden and leaving wards also not good . i wana know which university of states u suggest shud i apply ,i had seen that thread its confusing and many also dont accept international students. probably in november which one the best option for applying. do u think in canada any good uni 4 electives. is a month sufficient for single clinical elective or more time??


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## MastahRiz

Like I said before, I can't just pick a hospital or medical school for you where you can do electives- there are hundreds of schools throughout the US and Canada where you can do electives.

If you want to do them in the beginning of your fourth year then that's fine too, but usually people have electives coincide with their vacation times.

If you find something confusing in that thread then quote the part you don't understand and ask for clarification in that thread, and we'll answer you.

Find schools that do accept foreign students and apply there. You can easily find them by using the link in that second thread that I posted above, and if a school doesn't accept foreign students, then get in touch with doctors there anyway and ask them directly if you can do clinical electives with them.

Hope this helps


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## Saadat

thanks bro /
actually the problem is that we people have no holidays so it is really tough to be off 4rm kollege for so long. rest i will mail ya#roll abt further concerns and mine intentions. i am though clear now.


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## boulevard84

Hi! Are there any chances for a financial aid or for me to get like a scholrship for the elective because I really can't afford the tuition fees for the electives.


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## Doc_Ammara

well, so far theres no info about any kinda financial help or scholarship for doing electives. Since its you, yourself, who wants to do the elective for your own experience, so u have to pay for it! usually u have to pay not only to the institution where you are to do it, but also the living expenses,food, etc. are to be paid on your own.
ohh well, thats another thing if your school offers some handsome scholarship for it!


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## MastahRiz

Doc_Ammara is right, there's never any scholarships for electives. You should look elsewhere until you find some place that lets you do electives for free, or try to get the school to start a student fund for electives, or something along those lines.


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## Saadat

ya Mastahriz and Doc absolutely right. i dont think so there any school offering scholarship kinda thing 4 electives. it is simply ur personal matter. u will have to bear all heavy expenses. elective thingy seems quite fascinating but its really hard to cope with all expenses as lot of difference in value of both currencies. 
i have heard that UK not accepting any more foreign students even 4 PLABS. they concern more to accomodate their own people. Are they not accepting students from pakistan(a terrorist country) only or even 4rm rest of world. now whole burden only states as Canadaian exams are really tough to clear and only few students accepted from whole world after so many expensive exams. If states also raise hands than what will happen???


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## Rehan

Saadat said:


> ya Mastahriz and Doc absolutely right. i dont think so there any school offering scholarship kinda thing 4 electives. it is simply ur personal matter. u will have to bear all heavy expenses. elective thingy seems quite fascinating but its really hard to cope with all expenses as lot of difference in value of both currencies.
> i have heard that UK not accepting any more foreign students even 4 PLABS. they concern more to accomodate their own people. Are they not accepting students from pakistan(a terrorist country) only or even 4rm rest of world. now whole burden only states as Canadaian exams are really tough to clear and only few students accepted from whole world after so many expensive exams. If states also raise hands than what will happen???


There was a temporary restriction on the PLAB but it no longer exists. Pakistani medical graduates can once again sit for the PLAB exam.


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## Doc_Ammara

Rehan said:


> There was a temporary restriction on the PLAB but it no longer exists. Pakistani medical graduates can once again sit for the PLAB exam.


Is it really true...?? i mean thats simply amazing #yes .Many students prefer to sit for PLABS rather than USMLE, because of many reasons, few being...its less tough than USMLE (i heard so, may be or may not be), its easier to procceed for UK than US, and it requires much less time than USMLE... anyways,there may be many other reasons too or simply because one prefers to live at UK rather than US....whatever, its a good news to hear about! 
Thanks Rehan.:happy:


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## Saadat

Oh ya really good news. but i dont think so that plabs is easier than MLE. actually after doing MLE u have ample opportunities to apply in 50 or more states and hopefully u receive invitation from many states but thats not case 4 UK and canada. i dont think so there is much difference in preparations of the twos. one of mine neighbour has done plabs, he had cleared he still here might be some visa problem or any other as his scores were brilliant i have seen him quite a few times in surgery ward. 
wat about the electives in britian never heard any one applying 4 them there or they are much inferior than states. any info which schools offer it.


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## Rehan

I know that Queen's College in London provides electives for international medical students -- I'm sure there are others but I know of a friend who went to Queen's for a 2 month elective from Pakistan.


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## Mobzilla

ok im new to this forum and i have the same questions. im at the end of my 4th yr and i want to know where is the best place to apply for your electives. the point is i want to go for surgery but ive heard tht its really difficult to get in the states so is it even any use goin there for electives or shud i go for some other country? and secondly though this question is not related to this thread..wat wud u say is the best time to study for the MLEs? during MBBS or after that?


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## MedGrunt

Mobzilla said:


> ok im new to this forum and i have the same questions. im at the end of my 4th yr and i want to know where is the best place to apply for your electives.


Welcome to the forum Mobzilla! Finding the best place to apply for electives is something that we can't answer for you but we can point you toward the list of schools that accept foreign students! You need to take the time yourself and see which schools offer programs that you might be interested in.

This thread here tells which med schools in the US accept foreign students.




Mobzilla said:


> and secondly though this question is not related to this thread..wat wud u say is the best time to study for the MLEs? during MBBS or after that?


Since you're new to the forum let me start off by saying that it'll be much more beneficial to you and other members if you try to post questions under the appropriate threads. #yes

There is actually an entire "Board Exams" area on the forum for all of your USMLE/PLAB related questions.

Here's a specific thread that you should definitely take a look at: the most suitable time for USMLE (IMG's)

You can also use the search function at the top of the page to help you quickly find answers to your questions.

Looking forward to seeing more posts from you#cool


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## MastahRiz

For foreign students, a lot of times the best place to go for electives is any place that will accept you!

It's not easy to find one even after you apply to fifty different places, so if you get accepted, then go for sure!

How do you pick where to go? Like MedGrunt said, you can use that list from the link above of schools that will accept foreign students, or you can do what I did, which is google the list of US Top Hospitals, and then start applying to all of those. There are a lot more schools out there that will actually accept foreign students, though keep in mind that a research elective is easier to get than a clinical electives, esp at the bigger hospitals.

You're right, surgery is a very difficult field to get into in the US, so if you have one elective done, you'll be increasing your chances over other foreign medical students, but I don't think you'll boost them significantly to really get ahead of the American graduates. You may want to pick a different field, or if you really want to go into surgery, then try to do some more research work in the US after you graduate and push for some clinic time once you have that set up. A very high step 1 and 2 score could also be very helpful... as always.

Since you're in the end of your fourth year, start applying to schools, *fast*.


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## fahdi

boulevard84 said:


> Hi! Are there any chances for a financial aid or for me to get like a scholrship for the elective because I really can't afford the tuition fees for the electives.


 
Hey boulervard, you can try applying to UTsouthwestern medical center or university of texas at Galveston, they are pretty good institution and will cost you no more than 100$ as far as the application, elective fee, malpractice and health insurance are concerned. You have to bear the living expenses and the expence of the plane ticket though.


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## MastahRiz

Wow, 100 dollars is pretty cheap, and those are both good hospitals. That sounds like the best place to go if you can't afford the more expensive schools.


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## bushie

i also want to no the exact time and the complete procedure regarding electives as i have searched diff sites but all of them have confused me,i m in a fourth year medical student my final professional exam wil held in nov.so plz kindly guide me.i want to do electives in US.#confused


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## MastahRiz

If you browse this site correctly, you'll find more than ample information regarding electives. For example, the second post in this very thread contained a link which explains the entire process. Here it is once more:

http://medstudentz.com/medical-students-area/34-how-i-obtained-clinical-research-experience-us.html


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## Smeer

What would you say is the earliest year a Pak. med. student could apply for a clinical electives or research electives? Based on what I've read it seems like 3rd year would be a good year to start but late 4th/5th year might be a little late, but I mean I haven't even started med. school yet so I really have no idea. What would you guys suggest?


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## MastahRiz

The earliest that I know of anyone going for research electives is midway through their second year.

For clinical electives, you shouldn't go until you've had enough rotations to know how to deal with patients and also examine them. You should also know a good amount about the field that you're going to do the elective in before you actually get there. For some people, this may be as early as halfway through third year.

I keep referring to 'halfway' through each year because that's when you have summer break, and summer or winter break is the only time you can go for electives.


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## bushie

fahdi recomended the UT south western univ 4 electives as i is very cheap its good but how we can apply 4 this.


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## MastahRiz

bushie said:


> fahdi recomended the UT south western univ 4 electives as i is very cheap its good but how we can apply 4 this.


 You'll have to take the time to read this entire thread.

I've posted the same link twice now. It explains from beginning to end how to apply for an elective.

I can give you a link to University of Texas Southwestern, but you really need to read the thread on electives.


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## Rehan

Most US medical schools will not take foreign students for clinical electives until they are in their final year of medical school. There really isn't any point to a clinical elective until you are close to graduation anyways.

Research though is something that should be done as early as possible and as often as possible. Pass your first Professional exam and then start thinking about and planning for any research opportunities that you can find during your summer/winter vacations.

Good luck!


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## Medic student

Does anyone the available seats and the admission criteria In DOW medical University -Karachi, PAKISTAN?....Also the available seats for the Alevels candidates ? ..Thankyou.


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## Medic student

Knows *


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## harisyounas25

assalamoalakum. i am haris,studing in 3rd year MBBS in pakistan.i want to go for clinical electives in uk in 4th year,i have tried to search a lot but could not find satisfactory material about its procedure.would anybody please help me in finding the institutions offering electives in UK in 4th year...


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