Policy Statement
The Keck School of Medicine offers a variety of Selective and Elective choices for third- and fourth-year medical 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 offered for a minimum of two and a maximum of eight continuous weeks. Electives are designated as clinical or non-clinical and may be delivered synchronously, asynchronously, live or through online or remote methods as approved by the MECC.
Policy Requirement
Classes of 2022 – 2024:
- Students must complete 16 weeks of Selectives from the approved lists.
- Selectives must include a course from the Selective A list (ICU or Emergency Medicine), a course from the Selective B list (Medicine and Pediatrics subspecialties), and two additional courses from the Selective B list and/or the Selective C list.
- Selectives are available to students who have completed the prerequisites for those specific courses. Prerequisites are listed in the MedOASIS catalog.
- Selectives 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 in the Graduation Requirements policy.
- Electives and Selectives may not be audited.
- A maximum of 12 weeks of elective credit may be earned during away rotations.
- All student schedules are subject to approval by the Office of Student Affairs.
Classes 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 Office of Student Affairs.
Process
- Students design their schedule through the Office of Student Affairs in collaboration with the Academic and Career Advising team, based on student preferences, graduation and policy requirements, and residency application plans.
- Students are responsible for consulting the course catalog for any course pre-requisites.
- The add/drop/change process for Selectives and Electives is managed by the Office of Student Affairs.
- Course placements are approved by the Office of Student Affairs and/or the clinical departments.
- Selectives and Electives must be finalized three weeks in advance of the start date. Late submission of requests will be approved at the discretion of 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 “No Credit” 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 the Associate Dean for Curriculum and the student’s faculty advisor prior to the student enrolling in the Elective. Proof of approval from the host institution must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs in order for the Elective to be added to a student’s schedule.
Reviewed and Approved: June 16, 2021
Medical Education Curriculum Committee (MECC)