Things Every Medical Student Should Know About Electives

• Information for all Students
• VMS I and II
• VMS IV
• Non-Medical Studies
• Petition for Special Elective Credit
• Change in Course Enrollment Status

 

All Students

The student should use the elective program to increase knowledge in fields of particular interest, or to correct deficiencies in overall medical education and to explore areas of medicine outside the area of special interest to the student. Therefore, the number and content of electives will properly vary for each student. For these reasons, we have not established absolute limits for the number of elective hours to be taken each year but have recommended a minimal level of one elective fall semester and two electives spring semester for first year students and one elective per semester for second year students. In order to maintain this desired flexibility, there must be a high level of student responsibility for participation in the elective program. ELECTIVE TIME IS NOT FREE TIME but time for the student to enrich his or her education in areas of interest.

The designation known as "audit" does not carry credit whatsoever, nor will it be shown on the student's transcript.

Students may not be paid for work performed as part of their elective, required, or selective coursework for credit. Exceptions to this rule are made only when students are in special programs, such as students on military scholarships, students in funded M.D./Ph.D. programs and students in the Oral Surgery program when acting as residents.

VMS I and II

For many students elective involvement has opened the door to lifelong interests and has been a determinant of career choice. The Assistant Dean for Medical Students may adjust the quantity or content of electives after consultation with the student and his or her advisor. Electives in the first and second years are graded on a pass/fail basis to encourage students to participate in a rigorous program of study.

Electives are taken for credit and students must perform satisfactorily in their required and elective work to be promoted. A program of electives should be selected by consultation with a faculty curriculum advisor and must be approved by the Assistant Dean for Medical Students. Electives may be chosen from courses offered at Vanderbilt Medical School or by independent arrangement of research or a tutorial. Courses in other schools of the university may be taken for elective credit if the course is related to the student's medical education program. Approval by the Assistant Dean for Medical Students must be obtained in advance of registration for courses at other schools. VMSII students take only one electve per semester.

VMS IV

The opportunities for use of elective time in the fourth year include research in a clinical or preclinical department, at Vanderbilt or other institutions; advanced in-patient and out-patient clerkships; and combinations of a variety of specialty clinics and lecture courses. The flexibility of the fourth year curriculum gives students maximum opportunity for individual development.

Students must complete eight four week elective units. Among these eight units must be four "selective units" to include: one unit in Primary Care Medicine (520-5100), one unit in Emergency Medicine (502-5950), and two units, one each from a selected listing of medical and surgical in-patient clerkships. The selective clerkships and at least two other electives must be taken at institutions affiliated with the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Electives are taken for credit and students must perform satisfactorily in their required and elective work in order to be promoted. A program of electives should be selected by consultation with the faculty advisor and must be approved by the Assistant Dean for Medical Students.  

Non-Medical Studies

Medical students can request permission to enroll in non-medical studies with written approval of instructor and Assistant Dean for Medical Students and receive Medical School elective credit.

Petition for Special Elective Credit

Petitions must be completed for:
1. All  6200  level courses for VMS I & II and  6100 and 7100  level courses for VMS III & IV or student designed coursework
2. All coursework done away from the Vanderbilt Medical Center (the Medical Center may be considered to also include the and VA )

Students should discuss their proposed coursework with the faculty member who will supervise and evaluate their performance. After completing the entire form, the instructor signs the petition (Vanderbilt instructors only). It is then submitted to the departmental chairperson and then to the Associate Dean of Students. Students will be contacted if their petition is NOT approved. Petitions must be submitted at least one month in advance of the dates of the coursework. If you submit a petition and then decide not to carry through with the coursework, it is your responsibility to inform the Office of Student Records, 203 Light Hall, ext. 3-6311, to deactivate the petition.

Change in Course Enrollment Status

Enrollment in an elective is considered a commitment and can be changed only for justified cause. After registration all requests for addition, withdrawal or change of credit status require the approval of both the instructor involved and the Associate Dean of Students. For first and second year students, no requests for change can be considered for coursework which has progressed beyond either the fourth week of the semester or the midpoint of the elective, whichever comes first.

Instructions For Completing Drop / Add Form
Complete the blanks for student social security number, name, date, course code, unit/semester and course title. Obtain only the signatures of the responsible instructor and the Associate Dean of Students.

Course code numbers are comprised of three sections: the first 3 digits are the computer code for the department, the next four are the course number, the two final digits are the section number which can be determined by reference to the following:

06 = fall semester
08 = spring semester and half year courses
10 = spring semester and whole year courses