SOM 1110 - M4 Away Electives

1. All away electives must provide meaningful educational experiences, meet LCME standards, and align with OUWB’s curriculum objectives, verified by the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Clinical Education or a designated proxy.  
2. Students are required to complete a minimum of 16 weeks of electives during their 4th year program of study. Students may complete more than 16 weeks if desired. 
3. There is no limit on how many elective weeks can be completed at an away institution. 
4. Up to 12 weeks may be completed in the same specialty for graduation credit. Students may complete additional weeks in the same specialty if desired, but any weeks beyond 12 will not count toward the required elective credits.
5. Up to four (4) weeks may be taken as non-clinical electives (these include virtual, basic science, or research electives). 
6. Students may choose to complete electives at a site outside of OUWB 1) through the standardized AAMC Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) application system or 2) at other teaching hospitals or schools through applications outside of AAMC VSLO.
7. All required clerkships must be completed at OUWB. Away electives serve to broaden clinical experience and do not substitute for required clerkships. Students are permitted to take elective experiences before completing their required clerkships. Domestic away electives must be completed at LCME or ACGME-accredited institutions.
8. All away electives require prior approval by the Associate Dean of Clinical Education or their designated proxy, and an active affiliation agreement with the host institution must be in place.
9. Credits will be earned for either two (2) or four (4) week electives. 
10. International away electives require additional review for safety, appropriateness, and educational value, and have additional stipulations in order to receive approval. (See Process for Planning an International Away Elective)
11. To participate in away electives, students are required to adhere to the following procedures.

Procedures:

Domestic Away Electives

1. The enrollment process starts with either an application through AAMC VSLO or through the host institution's specified application process.
2. Upon acceptance of an application by a host site, VSLO and/or the host requests records from Medical School Records and Registration (MedReg).
3. Once the student receives notification of acceptance by the host site, the student must complete their OUWB away elective application in Open Caseware at least three (3) months in advance of their elective start date. Incomplete or incorrect application submissions may cause delays that could affect elective participation.
   
4. Once a student has submitted their OUWB away elective application in Open Caseware:
   1. MedReg will review the student application to ensure they are in good standing and work through any scheduling conflicts with the student if needed. 
   2. The Associate Dean of Clinical Education or a designated proxy will then review the away elective application and notify the student if the proposed away elective does not meet program of study requirements. 
   3. In order to ensure student safety, OUWB requires host institutions to have an affiliation agreement with OUWB. A list of institutions that have OUWB affiliation agreements can be found on the OUWB webpage. OUWB will consider affiliations with other institutions, but be aware that the creation of a new affiliation agreement may exceed six (6) months. If an agreement is in place or one has been procured, the Director of Planning, Strategy, and Partnerships will process the elective application. 
5. Once fully processed, the elective is added to the student's schedule in OASIS. Students must verify their elective is present in OASIS within seven (7) days of their OUWB away elective application being approved within Open Caseware. If the elective is not listed in Oasis, the student should contact [email protected].
6. If an elective does not appear on a student’s schedule before the start of the elective, it will not count towards OUWB graduation credit.

International Away Electives:

1. Students begin their application process by submitting the International Away Elective Application form. Global Health Directors will review the international away elective application. This application must be submitted at least four (4) months in advance of their elective start date.
   
2. Once approved by Global Health Directors, students will receive notification and must follow the same procedural steps outlined for the domestic away electives listed above.

Military Electives

1. Students assigned to a military elective, whether or not they are on active duty, must follow the domestic away electives procedures listed above, starting at step 3.