Question 1

What is a US clinical elective?

Accepted Answer

A US clinical elective is a hands-on rotation at a US teaching hospital or affiliated clinic where medical students or international medical graduates (IMGs) participate in patient care under the supervision of a US-licensed preceptor. Electives typically last 2–4 weeks per block.

Question 2

Who is eligible for US medical electives?

Accepted Answer

Eligibility varies by program. Most US electives accept current medical students in good standing at an accredited (LCME, AOA, or WFME-recognized) school. Many programs also accept recent graduates as observers or externs, while hands-on roles for graduates are more limited and often require ECFMG certification.

Question 3

What is the difference between an observership, externship, and clerkship?

Accepted Answer

Observerships are shadowing-only experiences with no patient contact. Externships allow limited hands-on participation, typically for graduates. Clerkships (or sub-internships) are full hands-on rotations for active medical students with structured assessment and a formal evaluation by the preceptor.

Question 4

How early should I apply for US electives?

Accepted Answer

Most competitive programs open applications 6–12 months in advance. Apply as early as possible — popular sites at academic centers fill quickly, especially for fourth-year medical students seeking sub-internships during application season.

Question 5

What documents are typically required?

Accepted Answer

Common requirements include a CV, medical school transcript, dean's letter or good-standing letter, proof of immunizations and TB screening, BLS/ACLS certification, malpractice insurance, health insurance, and a personal statement. IMGs may also need ECFMG certification or visa documentation.

Question 6

Do US electives count toward residency applications?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Strong evaluations from US preceptors (especially in your intended specialty) and US Letters of Recommendation (USLORs) substantially strengthen residency applications, particularly for IMGs.

Question 7

What visa do I need as an international student?

Accepted Answer

Most non-US students enter on a B-1 business visitor visa for short observerships or electives. Some institutions sponsor J-1 short-term scholar visas. Always confirm with the host institution and a qualified immigration advisor before traveling.

Question 8

What is rotationMD?

Accepted Answer

rotationMD is a web-based GME rotation management platform described in our product requirements document: students and residents submit rotation requests and documents; coordinators review completeness and slots; directors or DIOs approve or deny; schedules and email notifications keep trainees and staff aligned.

Question 9

Who uses rotationMD?

Accepted Answer

Three audiences in the playbook: requestors (medical students and residents), coordinator-level program administrators, and director-level approvers (and DIOs overseeing multiple programs). Technically the product today uses logins such as “Student / Resident”, “Coordinator / Admin”, and App Master — coordinator and director workflows can be staffed by the same people in smaller programs.

Question 10

How does the request flow work?

Accepted Answer

A requestor submits a rotation with program-specific documents and date preferences. Coordinator-style review checks documents and capacity, then the request moves to director-level approval when your policy requires it. Outcomes notify the trainee by email; approved rotations appear on the program calendar.

Question 11

How are blocks configured?

Accepted Answer

Each program defines its own block size (e.g., 2-week or 4-week blocks) and academic year. All scheduling, requests, and assignments are organized around these blocks so the calendar matches how your program actually runs.

Question 12

Can I assign a preceptor to specific blocks?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When a coordinator adds a preceptor, they can assign that preceptor to all blocks at once or pick specific blocks. This keeps scheduling accurate when preceptors are only available for parts of the year.

Question 13

Does rotationMD support multiple programs or sites?

Accepted Answer

Yes. App masters can manage many programs, and each coordinator-facing admin sees only their own program's data. Locations, teams, and preceptors are scoped per program for clean separation.

Question 14

How does rotationMD handle notifications?

Accepted Answer

The core model uses transactional emails (request submitted, status changes, and similar triggers). Dedicated in-app threaded messaging between requestors and coordinators remains on the product roadmap.

Question 15

Does "Evaluate" mean post-rotation evaluations are in version 1?

Accepted Answer

No. Evaluate is brand language for structured feedback on the roadmap. The initial product requirements focus on submissions, review, approval, calendars, and email — not the evaluation module.

Question 16

Is my program's data private?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Data is isolated per program with row-level security — admins only see their own program, and residents only see their own requests and schedule.

Question 17

How do I get started?

Accepted Answer

Sign in from the homepage. Once your program is provisioned, coordinator staff configure blocks, locations, preceptors, and teams. Requestors can submit rotation requests as soon as setup is complete.

Medical electives & rotationMD

US Medical Electives

How rotationMD Works

Still have questions?