Policy Statement
The Keck School of Medicine offers a variety of Elective choices for clerkship or post clerkship phase students, which are designed to enhance students’ learning experiences and provide exposure to and appreciation for a variety of medical specialties.
Definitions:
Selectives:
Selectives are clinical rotations delivered through KSOM-affiliated sites with supervision by KSOM faculty and are offered for four continuous weeks. Selectives are approved by the Medical Education Curriculum Committee (MECC) to serve as options for students to meet specific graduation requirements.
Electives:
Electives may be offered for a minimum of two continuous weeks and a maximum of four continuous weeks (with the exception of Research, which may be a maximum of eight weeks). Electives are designated as core clinical, clinical, and non-clinical and may be delivered synchronously, asynchronously, in-person or through online or remote methods as approved by the MECC. KSOM medical students may receive credit for a maximum of one away virtual elective.
Policy Requirement
Class of 2025:
Electives and Selectives (May be taken in clerkship or post-clerkship phase)
Selectives are clinical rotations delivered through KSOM-affiliated sites with supervision by KSOM faculty and are offered for four continuous weeks. Selectives are approved by the Medical Education Curriculum Committee (MECC) to serve as options for students to meet specific graduation requirements.
- 16 weeks Selectives
- 32 weeks of Electives
Note: Of the 48 weeks of Selectives and Electives combined, a minimum of 36 weeks must be devoted to clinical rotations.
Maximum of 12 weeks of away rotations or similar rotations within KSOM course catalog can be taken for graduation credit.
- Selectives and Electives are available to students who have completed the prerequisites for those specific courses.
- Selectives or Electives may not be repeated for credit.
- A maximum of 8 weeks may be credited for a research Elective.
- Electives and Selectives may not be audited.
- All student schedules are subject to approval by the ClinicalDepartmental Advisor and Career Advisor in the Office of StudentAffairs
Class of 2026 and beyond
- 42 weeks of electives
- 30 weeks of clinical electives
- 12 weeks of core clinical electives
- 1 core clinical elective must be in EM (3-weeks or 4 weeks) or Critical Care (4weeks).
- Electives are available to students who have completed theprerequisites for those specific courses.
- Electives may not be repeated for credit.
- A maximum of 8 weeks may be credited for a research Elective.
- The number of required weeks of Electives for each class is outlined inthe Graduation Requirements policy.
- Electives may not be audited.
- A maximum of 12 weeks of elective credit may be earned during awayrotations.
- A maximum of 12 weeks of similar electives within the same general specialty or within sub-specialties may be taken from the KSOM course catalog.
- All student schedules are subject to approval by the Clinical Departmental Advisor and Career Advisor in the Office of Student Affairs
Process
- Students design their schedule in collaboration with Career Advising team in the Office of Student Affairs, based on student preferences, graduation and policy requirements, and residency application plans.
- Students are responsible for consulting thecourse catalog for anycourse prerequisites.
- The add/drop/change process for Selectives and Electives is managedby theKSOM MD Registrar’s Office.
- Course placements are approved by the clinical departments.
- Selectives and Electives must be finalized three weeks in advance ofthe start date. Late submission of requestswill be approved at thediscretionof the clinical departments.
- Students cannot drop Selectives or Electives within two weeks of the start date unless approved by the Selective or Elective course director.If a student drops a course within the two-week window without permission, or after the course begins, the student will be given a “NoCredit” as the official grade for the course and no other course can be scheduled during that time frame.
- Away Electives must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor.Virtual Electives hosted by other institutions must be approved by theSenior Associate Dean forMedical Education and the student’s faculty advisor prior to the student enrolling in the Elective. Proof of approval from the host institution must be submitted toKSOM Visiting Student Coordinator for the Elective to be added to a student’s schedule.