Elective – US Electives for USMLE

 

Elective – US Electives for USMLE

before we start, you must first understand the US Clinical Experience, because the elective is part of it. 

What does US Clinical Experience mean?

It is a training period that you spend in American hospitals, where you learn and gain clinical experience through your direct dealings with patients under the supervision of senior doctors.

Types of US Clinical Experience:

 We have two basic types, and each type is divided into subtypes:

First: Hands on clinical experience

 you can work with your hands, deal with the patients , and participate fully, and this includes: 

- The clinical elective, and this is the most famous type of them, and it is the basis of this post, and you must be a student to apply to them, whether and undergraduate or a house officer. 

- The Clerkship is for American students only, and it will be compulsory for them. 

- The sub-internship, and this is considered the same as the clinical elective, but it differs from it in a point that it is longer, which means that it includes the clinical rotations of the day + additional time at night. 

– The externship, and you can apply to this  whether you were a graduate or a student, but frankly, it is not widespread and very rare.

Second: Hands off clinical experience

And you can't participate in it with your hands at all, and it will be just that you observe and ask, and the truth is that it is not strong in the CV, and it will not add much to it.

- The Observship. 

- The research elective, and this means that you are going to do research there in America. 

- The intership is the first year in the prosecution in America after the match. 

We continue the post by talking about the most important type, which is the Clinical Elective.

The importance of the elective?

1- Very strong experience in your CV, which will increase your chances of being accepted into the match. 

2- Through it, you can take recommendation letters from doctors in America, and this also increases your chances of being accepted into the match. 

3- Evidence of your experience with the medical system in America. 

4- It is very important in the match and it strengthens your chances of taking the specialty that you like and intend to do.

US Electives costs:

1- Submission costs:

 It varies according to where you are applying, but  it ranges from 1000 to 2500 dollars per month, but in places it could reach up to 6000 dollars, in addition to application costs, which range from 300 to 500 dollars. 

2- Travel and accommodation costs:

 according to the state, duration and hospital, in addition to flight costs and visa costs.

Conditions for Electives?

1- To be a medical student. 

2- Your CV is good, and it includes research, for example. This will greatly enhance your chances. 

3- The personal statement: This is a piece of paper that you make  yourself and explain why you want to do the elective, and so on. 

4- Dean's letter: This is a paper stating that you are enrolled in such and such a college of medicine and that the college allows your travel. You can find it normally from your college affairs in English. 

5- Statement of grades from the college, also from the affairs. 

7- The health care report: This is a paper that you can get from any tourism company. 

8- A certificate of vaccinations and that you do not use drugs, and these could be obtained from the microbiology and toxo department of the college. 

9- Certificate of insurance against occupational risks: You can obtain it from any online company from America.

10 - Basic live support: This is a course like human development that you take from Coursera. 

11- There are special conditions for some places, such as Harvard, that you must have USMLE step 1 with a score of more than 220 and a TOEFL of more than 90%, and in other places you are required to have taken the clinical the round that you want to take elective in.

How to apply for Electives?

1- With your personal effort: this is via Google, you write in the US electives search, it will show you many places with opportunities, you will take their email, and you will send them the conditions that we mentioned above. 

2- An institution that acts as an intermediary between you and the place you want to go, such as VSLO , which is contracted with 3 universities in Egypt.

How do you get the most out of the Elective?

2- Before each elective, send to the doctor with whom you are going to work, asking him if there is any Recommended Readings that you read to help you understand most of the cases that you will see and the needs that you will face. 

3- Try to be the first person to arrive and the last person to walk so that the doctors know that you are a hard worker and write good Recommendation letters for you. 

4- Read about your cases and discuss with the doctor about them. 

5- If you did not ask for a job, no one will give you a job and no one will ask you for anything, they were working without you and they will continue after you leave without you. I mean, you are just a guest for a certain period. If your doctor gives you one case, ask More 

6- Offer to help the resident in the weekend.