Clinical Student Guidebook

Clerkship Policies & FAQs

(Effective: January 2013)

COMMUNI CATI ON I NFORM ATI ON

The following information is supplied to assist students through the clinical process. All
information is correct as of the date noted above. Students are encouraged to review the
entire packet, note important contact names, office addresses, telephone extensions and E-mail
addresses for future reference. All extensions are accessible through our Coral Gables office at
(305) 446-0600.
OFFICE OF CLINICAL STUDENT AFFAIRS (OCSA)
Natallia Chong
Director, OCSA
Ext. #1018
E-mail: nchong@aucmed.edu
Paula Distefano
Assistant Director of Clinical Student Communication
Ext: #1032
E-mail: pdistefano@aucmed.edu

Silvia Sanchez
Assistant Registrar/Enrollment Officer
Ext.#1048
E-mail: ssanchez@aucmed.edu
Lizbeth Juan
Graduation Manager
Ext: 1012
E-mail: ljuan@aucmed.edu

Monica Garcia
Senior Clinical Education Advisor
Ext: #1061
E-mail: mgarcia@aucmed.edu

GRADUATE CERTIFICATION OFFICE

Mollie King
Associate Registrar
EXT. #1011
E-MAIL: GRADCERT@AUCMED.EDU

Betsy Beza
Clinical Education Advisor
Ext.#1042
E-mail: bbeza@aucmed.edu

FINANCIAL AID OFFICE

Luis Capellan
Ext. #1023
E-mail: finaid@aucmed.edu

Brianna Lopez
Clinical Education Advisor
Ext.#1039
E-mail: blopez@aucmed.edu

STUDENT ACCOUNTS OFFICE

Loida Cabrera
Ext. #1010
E-mail: accounts@aucmed.edu

Amy Casimiro
Clinical Education Advisor
Ext.#1041
E-mail: acasimiro@aucmed.edu

Your Add ress as a Clinical Student

The American University of the Caribbean has established an email address that should be used
at all times. If you prefer to use a private email, you have the option to forward your AUC email
messages to another email address. Students must still access the AUC email account
periodically to compose and send new messages, and to discard old messages in order to
maintain inbox availability and prevent new messages from being bounced. OCSA, the
Financial Aid office and the Student Accounts office will need to be kept informed of any
updates in your mailing address and telephone numbers while rotating through your clerkships.
Please advise our office in writing, via e-mail, of the change so that you may continue to receive
clinical updates and other time-sensitive communication.

Clinical Registration
The semesters traditionally start every January, May and September. Tuition for clinical semesters
is due prior to the start of each term. This deadline is necessary to advise hospitals of financially
delinquent students who will be terminated from clinical rotations for non-payment of fees. Late
fees will be assessed on delinquent payments. Tuition questions can be addressed to the
Student Accounts office.
Tuition will not be deferred while awaiting the arrival and/or endorsement of financial aid
checks. Please contact the Student Accounts office for further details.
If you do not start a core assignment you have accepted, tuition will be forfeited. Students are
required to complete a total of 72 weeks of clinical rotations (42 weeks of core clerkships and 30
weeks of elective rotations). If you cancel out of a rotation prematurely, tuition will be forfeited.
You will be assessed tuition for the remainder of the rotations you may have scheduled in that
semester period. Neither tuition nor surcharge will be prorated when a student leaves a clinical
site earlier than scheduled.

Financial Aid
If you have any questions about your financial aid application for a particular semester or need
information about a deferment or forbearance of an existing or previous loan, please contact
the Financial Aid Office at finaid@aucmed.edu.

Page 2

CLI NI CALS

Limits of Students Clinical Act ivities

As a clinical student (third and fourth year), your clinical activities are restricted only to those
tasks that are part of the medical student clinical clerkship program. At all times, the clinical
activities must be under the direct supervision of a responsible and licensed physician. In
addition, no student may perform any surgical procedure, other than the incision of boils and
suturing of skin (superficial fascia), unless under the direct supervision of a responsible and
licensed physician.

Rotation Weeks / Evaluations / Case Logs

The number of weeks shown on the transcript is derived directly from the evaluation form
received from the hospital. If there is any error, first check with the hospital or Program Director
to see if they have the correct dates. If a correction is required the hospital should send a
corrected evaluation form to the Office of Clinical Student Affairs (OCSA) office. Please
follow-up with the hospital or Program Director to ensure that a fully completed evaluation is
sent to us at the end of each rotation. Students must provide case logs for every completed
rotation (core and elective) to receive credit. No changes will be made on the transcript until
the hospital provides us with written authorization and case logs are accounted for. Students
are advised to keep a record of their rotations and a copy of their case logs for their own
information.
If you have completed more that 72 weeks of clinical rotations, you will be billed by the Student
Accounts office prior to graduation for the excessive weeks. The fees will be billed at the rates
(tuition/professional liability/student health insurance) in effect during the period the extra weeks
were completed.
Questions can be directed to the Student Accounts office at
accounts@aucmed.edu.
*Note: students will not be permitted to schedule more than 72 weeks on a voluntary basis.
Excessive weeks are generally the result of a rotation that was attempted but no credit was
given due to a failed, incomplete or withdrawn status and the student was required to retake
those weeks.

Senior Year Elect ives

Applications for elective rotations need to be sent no later than three months and no earlier
than six months prior to your available rotation dates. Please note that timelines differ and this
application process should be used as a frame of reference. Electives are a strategic time for
auditioning at residency programs. The majority of graduates selected for any program have
done rotations with the faculty of that program. Even if you are not selected by one of the
programs for which you have auditioned, the Visiting Senior Electives experience is
important with regard to checking references while you are applying for residencies. Before
making any request for electives, be sure to review the Requirements for Electives section to
avoid any misunderstanding about the process and your requirements.
It is in your best interest to apply for your Visiting Senior Electives early, as the application
process is timely. Refer to the Support Documents section for details on requesting materials to
support these applications. Each semester, a listing of various hospitals where AUC students have
completed Visiting Senior Electives will be provided for your use. There is no guarantee that
Page 3

hospitals will accommodate your elective request but is a good tool to get you started. If you
obtain an elective at a hospital not on this list, be sure to make a good impression as a potential
resident and for future clinical students sake. Please be advised that you will not be able to do
rotations in New Jersey or Pennsylvania due to state licensure regulations. Questions can be
referred to the Office of Clinical Student Affairs, by phone at (305) 446-0600, Monday through
Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, or by e-mail at clinicals@aucmed.edu.

Requirements for Electives

Electives require a minimum level of skill in order for students to have a worthwhile
experience in the rotation. To protect the quality of the student experience, and
minimize any frustrations on the part of the attending, all students must have
completed an Internal Medicine or General Surgery core rotation prior to applying
for electives. This policy also ensures safety for the students, attendings and patients
involved.

Office of Clinical Student Affairs is required to review every request and ensure that
all students meet these standards prior to beginning elective rotations.

Student Case Logs and Student Confidential Questionnaires (Hospital Survey) must be
turned into the Office of Clinical Student Affairs for each rotation before the rotation
(core or elective) is considered completed and added to your transcript.

Confirmation of Electives
COMPLIANCE
Once you secure an elective rotation it will be your responsibility to supply copies of the
acceptance letters or have the site provide official confirmation by letter, fax, or e-mail to the
Office of Clinical Student Affairs in Coral Gables, Florida. These notifications are required to
accurately track your progress/scheduling during the senior year of your program. Failure to
provide copies can interfere with processing of Financial Aid applications, ECFMG Step 2
applications and graduation clearance.
CANCELLATION OF A CONFIRMED ELECTIVE
Be advised that students are responsible for the professional and conscientious handling of your
elective rotation schedule. If cancellations are necessary, you must supply a written request to
that effect addressed to the clinical site and a copy of this request to the AUC Office of Clinical
Student Affairs no less than 45 days prior to the start date of the rotation. Students failing to
report for a rotation or failing to give due notice of cancellation will forfeit any reimbursement for
tuition and will be assessed a penalty fee of $500 (USD) per cancelled week. Please keep in
mind that cancelled weeks may negatively impact your enrollment status and jeopardize your
financial aid eligibility for that semester period.
When dealing with clinical sites, it is important to conduct yourself in a professional manner. Your
actions demonstrate your seriousness as a student, and the quality of AUC students in general. A
lack of proper decorum reflects poorly on you, your fellow classmates and future students.

Page 4

Support Document s
VISITING SENIOR ELECTIVES
There are no fees imposed by OCSA for materials to support Visiting Senior Electives
Applications or requests. The rotation site, however, may charge application and rotation fees.
Applications/requests submitted by students not cleared financially by the office of Student
Accounts will not be processed.
Always include your full name, student number, current address and telephone number, a
contact name and title for an individual at the site you are applying, the site address, the
rotation you are applying, and the dates you would like to rotate at the facility when requesting
materials. Be thorough with any request for information specifying the dates of the potential
rotation, the discipline and the contact person (with a complete address and telephone
number). Failure to include all of the needed information will delay processing. Requests can be
mailed, e-mailed or faxed, to the Clinical Student Affairs Office. Telephone requests cannot be
processed. Hard copies of all requests are required.
Application fees required by hospitals/sites are the responsibility of the student and should
accompany any paperwork submitted to the Office of Clinical Student Affairs. Students are
responsible for the tracking of applications to clinical sites and must insure that confirmation of a
scheduled rotation is reported to the Office of Clinical Student Affairs. A confirmation form
accompanies all elective request/applications for the sites use in reporting your scheduled
rotation(s).
RESIDENCY APPLICATIONS
Requests for a Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE Letter or Deans Letter), official
transcript, and other documents that are related to applications for residency should be
directed to the Graduate Certification office. A schedule of fees and request form can be
obtained on the AUC website at www.aucmed.edu. To confirm receipt of materials or the
status of the processing for general letters of recommendation, USMLE applications, or any other
written requests, please include your current e-mail address with a notation that follow up
notification is needed on the request form.
Please remember, some state medical licensing boards, such as the California Medical Board,
require medical graduates to complete a minimum of four continuous weeks of Family Medicine
in order to qualify for licensure in that state.

Page 5

REL ATED PROGRAMS

USMLE
Completion of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) for Step 1 and Step 2
(CK and CS) are required for graduation from AUC and for ECFMG Certification. The Step 3
exam is required for state licensure. The Step 1 exam covers the basic sciences; Step 2 covers
the clinical sciences and clinical knowledge and Step 3 is the licensing component. To obtain
up-to-date information regarding these exams, you may request an information booklet by
contacting:
Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
3624 Market Street, 4th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104-2685
(800) 500-8249, toll-free within North America
(215) 375-1913, from any location worldwide
http://www.ecfmg.org
The USMLE exams are computerized and held at Prometric Test Centers located throughout the
United States and around the world, with the exception of the Step 2 CS exam which is only
offered at five testing locations in the United States. When registering for these exams, students
are required complete a Certification of Identification Form (ECFMG Form 186). That form must
be signed by the student and sent to the Graduate Certification office along with a passportsized photo of the student. The Graduate Certification office will then certify the form, attest to
the students enrollment status and submit it directly to ECFMG. After all forms have been
received by ECFMG, students will be sent a scheduling permit by email to arrange an exam
date at any of the Prometric centers (www.prometric.com). Students may contact ECFMG for
further information.

USMLE Step 2 Exam (Clinical Knowledge and Clinical Skills)

The Graduate Certification Office must have the following information on file in order to process
Step 2 applications:

Students must be scheduled to complete the majority of the core clinical

rotations prior to the exam date to be eligible to sit for the USMLE Step 2
exam.

Copies of all USMLE scores or a USMLE transcript from ECFMG showing all prior
examination scores must be in your file. No Step 2 applications will be
processed if all prior scores are not on file.

Failure to meet the stated requirements will result in a delay or rejection of your application.
Students are required to request an official copy of the USMLE transcript to be placed in clinical
files. Please have transcripts forwarded to the Clinical Office by ECFMG as soon as possible.
Inquiries to these policies can be referred to the Graduation Certification Office

Page 6

CLINICAL CLERKSHIP POLICIES

CODE OF CONDUCT
All rules established in the Student Handbook apply at all clinical sites. In addition students should
be conscientious of these:

DRESS: Look professional and exercise proper hygiene.

HOURS: Show up on time, stay entire day, and leave only when the work is done. The
hours will always be longer if the hospital requires, patient care demands, or interest
impels.

CONDUCT: At all times, be as helpful and friendly as you can.

COMMON COURTESY: Use some common sense. Kindness may be intuitive. Courtesy
takes some thought. Do not discuss patients where you can be overheard.

COME PREPARED EACH DAY: Patients are the curriculum. They drive and guide us, but
only if you read about your patients on a regular basis.

ATTENDANCE: Request for leave time or an excused absence during a rotation will not
be allowed unless related to illness or emergency. All Absence must be cleared through
the program director, AUC Clinical Student Affairs Office and attending physicians.
Failure to comply with the above stated terms can result in disciplinary action, including
possible failure of the rotation.

Page 7

CLI NI CAL CURRI CULUM

The Clinical Curriculum totals 72 weeks of clinical clerkships at core clinical campuses and other
approved teaching centers. The 72 weeks must be log documented and consists of 42 weeks of
core clerkships and 30 weeks of elective clerkships.

COR E CL ER K S H I PS : 4 2 W EE K S
Internal Medicine

12 weeks

Surgery

12 weeks

Pediatrics

6 weeks

Obstetrics & Gynecology

6 weeks

Psychiatry

6 weeks

Total

42 weeks

EL E CT IV E CL ER K S H I PS : 3 0 WE E K S
Clerkships of Interest

4 - 8 weeks

Internal Medicine Subspecialties

22 - 26 weeks

Total

30 weeks

Page 8

Elective Clerkships: 30 weeks

Below is a sample of some of the electives that can be completed during the 4 th year. Students
are strongly encouraged to complete elective weeks in Family Medicine, Neurology and
Emergency Medicine as some state licensing boards and residency programs may require them.
To schedule an elective, students must submit an AUC Elective Request Form to their advisor,
who will verify if an elective is ACGME accredited as well as provide the rotation site with the
necessary scheduling documents.

Allergy & Immunology

Oncology

Anesthesiology

Ophthalmology

Cardiology Critical Care

Orthopedic Surgery

Dermatology

Otorhinolaryngology

Endocrinology

Pathology

Emergency Medicine

Preventive Medicine

Family Practice

Pulmonary Disease

Gastroenterology

Radiology

Gerontology

Rheumatology

Hematology

Rural/Inner City Health Care

Infectious Diseases

Urology

Nephrology

Neurology

Page 9

ELECTI VE CLI NI CAL CU RRI CULUM

Primary care electives (community medicine, family medicine, gerontology, and
rural/inner city health care) may be taken during the junior year (3 rd year). Depending
upon the resources of the particular core campus, rotation through a primary care
clerkship may be required. Surgical subspecialties may be incorporated into the surgery
rotation so long as the student takes at least 8 weeks of general surgery.
Each student must complete 30 weeks of electives. Elective rotations may be completed
in any of the five core clerkship disciplines (Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics,
Obstetrics & Gynecology and Psychiatry). Ordinarily, electives are taken in blocks of 4, 6,
or 8 weeks each. Any length is acceptable when taken as part of a continuous
experience in a core discipline (i.e., if 15 weeks of Internal Medicine is taken, 12 weeks will
be recorded as fulfilling the core requirements and 3 weeks as elective credit). Students
are given an opportunity to schedule up to 8 weeks of electives subspecialties in areas
outside of Internal Medicine. Also, students will only be allowed to complete 8 weeks of
electives in the same specialty.
Elective clerkships are available to the students at each core campus. A list of the
elective clerkships is provided through the coordinator at your core campus assignment.
With permission, electives may be taken at non-core campus sites. These rotations are
called Visiting Senior Electives. A list of non-core campus hospitals, and details for
applying to such programs, where AUC students have taken Visiting Senior Electives is
available in the U.S. Clinical Sites Guide. The guide is also available online at the AUC
website
www.aucmed.edu
(http://www.aucmed.edu/pdf/clinicalorientation/Clinical-Sites-Report-Electives.pdf).
All electives must be done through a teaching site. No elective rotations can be done in
a physicians private office.

Page 10

CORE CLERKSHIP EXAMINATIONS

PROCEDURES AND POLI C Y

Procedures
All core subject exams are provided through the National Board of Medical Examiners
(NBME) test. These tests are graded by the NBME and results are downloaded and sent to
each student upon receipt of their score.
CORE SUBJECT EXAMINATION PROCEDURES
Core subject exams are offered continuously throughout the year at Prometric Test
Centers in the US and abroad. Each core subject exam is approximately 2 hours in length
and comprised of 100 single-answer multiple-choice questions. Students can take up to
two subject examinations during a single testing date.
Core exams are not optional and required to determine the completion and final grade
of the core rotation. Students are required to take the core exam at the next scheduled
test date soon after completion of a core rotation. If a student neglects to take an exam
during a scheduled testing window without receiving prior approval, the student may be
asked to repeat the core rotation.
If a student fails a core exam twice, he/she will be required to repeat the core rotation
and retake the exam.
A passing grade is established when the student receives a passing mark in the rotation as
well as on specific core exam. An honor is given when the student receives an Honor in
the rotation and a Pass on the exam.
EXAM SIGN UP PROCESS, NO SHOW, TRAVEL TIME AND LOCATION
Students are to register for core exams by contacting Ms. Lizbeth Juan at
corerotations@aucmed.edu or ljuan@aucmed.edu and indicating their full student name,
ID#, exam date and the subject(s) to be taken. Once an exam window is scheduled, it is
the responsibility of the student to notify Ms. Juan if you need to cancel an exam.
Cancellations of an exam may incur penalty fees from the NBME.
For further information, please contact the Graduation Manager at the Coral Gables
office at 305-446-0600.

Page 11

Policy
1. Any student talking to anybody other than the proctor is to have their test
and examination sheet immediately retrieved by their proctor and the
student dismissed without discussion from the examination. Any behavior
considered by the proctor to indicate cheating is to result in the same
immediate action. On any such incident, the proctor is to file a written
report to the Clinical Office.
2. Students who fail any Core Clerkship Written Examination twice will be
required to repeat the clerkship unless specifically permitted to take a
make-up by the Dean of Clinical Sciences.
3. The make-up examination will be taken within 12 months of notification.
Failure to take the examination within 12 months will result in recording a
failure on the make-up and will require repeating both the clerkship and
the examination.
4. The make-up examination is expected to be taken at one of the regularly
scheduled times and sites and may be taken while on leave of absence.
5. Students who receive a failing evaluation on their clinical performance but
pass the core clerkship examination will be required to repeat the
complete clerkship but will not be required to repeat the written
examination.
6. Students who fail a Core Clerkship Examination twice or fail a clinical
evaluation of Core Clerkship will be required to retake the core or if the
student fails more than twelve weeks during their Junior and Senior year
(i.e., fail on initial attempt more than twelve weeks of clerkships) will face
potential academic dismissal.

Page 12

GUIDE TO
UNITED STATES LICENSURE AGENCIES
PREP ARATI ON FOR LI CE NSURE
There are 50 different sets of rules and regulations related to licensure; all subject to
change, often with little or no notice. Students are strongly advised to keep in contact
with the boards in the states where they expect to take residencies/practice. Students
should acquire current copies of the rules and regulations and read them meticulously,
paying particular attention to the following issues:

Weeks of instruction required, basic science and clinical clerkship.

Specific areas of instruction required and whether individual courses are

required for each listed topic.

Weeks required in core or other designated clerkships.

Weeks required in teaching hospitals and definition of teaching hospital

(definitions will vary from state to state).

Maximum weeks permitted in any particular specialty.

Any special certifying forms (e.g., Medical Board of Californias L-6 form).

For information about state licensure go to FSMB.org, to request a current copy of the
rules and regulations for each state, the student should ask the corresponding office
whether any changes are under consideration, what these are, when they would go into
effect, and whether there are any grandfather clauses.
After carefully reading and reviewing the rules and regulations, should clarification in any
area be necessary, you can contact the appropriate state medical licensing board. If
contact is made by phone, it is important to always follow-up with a letter or email.
Whenever possible, written answers to your questions should be obtained and any
correspondence carefully saved. If rules change later, you may be able to grandfather in
if you have such written confirmation. Please note that in order to be grandfathered
the policy would have had to change during the time when you made your application
to the licensing board.

STATES LI CENSURE CO NTACTS

Contact information for many of the medical boards for physician licensure in the United
States and its territories (Guam, US Virgin Island and Puerto Rico) can be obtained through
the Federation of State Medical Boards (www.fsmb.org/directory) and through the
American Medical Association Directory of Graduate Medical Education Programs,
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Page 13

FACTS ABOUT CLINICAL CORE ASSIGNMENTS

ADVI CE
The American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine has clinical teaching sites
throughout the United States and England. Regardless of where a student chooses to go for
teaching, all sites are reviewed annually to ensure they maintain the teaching standards
established by our Chief Academic Officer, State certification groups and the accrediting
body. While completing the basic medical sciences students look forward to starting clinical
rotations. Core rotations are basically the same regardless of where a student selects to do
them.
Students spend a lot of time and money to acquire a good science education so they can
pass the USMLE Step 1 exam. The 20 months you will spend in St. Maarten may have its ups
and downs, but your goal and determination to finish will take you through to graduation
and ultimately to residency. Make sure you plan properly to sit for the USMLE Step I exam as
early as possible to avoid any delays with receiving your score results and in starting clinical
rotations.

PASSI NG STEP 1
Historically students with an 85% GPA and higher have passed Step 1 on the first attempt.
Students with a GPA 80% - 85% have shown no clear distinctions and students below an 80%
GPA has taken the test at least twice. Although this is historic data, it is not the final word on
how a student will do on Step 1. After much discussion and input from many students, there
are a few common threads to consider (i.e., planning and commitment).
Planning
Many students have described how they spend days and weeks reading everything they
can in preparation for the Step I exam. After some bumps in the road many students have
confided that this approach wasnt well thought out. Following is a plan that has worked for
many previous students and may be a tool to consider.
Its recommended to obtain the Kaplan reading materials, First Aid for the Board, Q-Bank (or
any other online questions service) and 4-6 weeks of prep time. Once these materials are
secured you need to follow the outline of Topic review as listed in First Aid for the Boards;
spread out the topics in order over the eight-week period and sort the reading materials by
topic. Consider how many pages need to be read each day to complete the topic area in
one (5 day) week; read that many pages each day and no more. Spend an hour or more in
Q-bank, one of two sets of questions, each day after reading. Take advantage of
diagnostic feature in Q-bank to identify your weaknesses.
Commitment
Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Make a commitment to follow a plan to the end,
no short cuts, no interruptions, preparing for the test will be your job for the next eight-weeks.
Start every day at 8 8:30. Take a mid-morning, lunch and mid-day break. Read throughout
the day until the assigned pages are done, read for comprehension not speed. You should
finish the reading in the afternoon between 3 and 5 PM. Follow the reading with one or two
Page 14

sets of questions on Q-Bank for the topic you are studying, you can use test or tutorial mode.
Follow this regiment for the week. On Friday afternoon, after completing all the reading for
the week run. Completing all of the reading for the week, run Q-Bank in test mode for the
topics and review the diagnostic. If needed brush up on weak points on Saturday. You
need the free time in the evenings and weekends to absorb the material you are reading
Once you have completed the topics (8 weeks of studies), that Saturday run Q-bank in test
mode for all topics, try to simulate taking the Step 1. This will take several hours, review the
diagnostic and brush up on weak points prior to taking the actual exam.
This is not a guarantee for everyone, but many of your classmates have used this approach
to their benefit. It takes planning and commitment and the results should be worth the time
and effort you put into your studies.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUEST I ONS

AM I GUARANTEED A CLINICAL SPOT ONCE I FINISH BASIC SCIENCE?
AUC has enough clinical slots to accommodate our student body. Timely clinical placement
depends on many factors including regional choice, desired start date, passing Step 1 score
and in some cases GPA/Class Rank.
HOW ARE CORES ASSIGNED?
AUC uses a regional assignment method for core placement. Students are asked to rank
their preference of the six Clinical Teaching Regions (Northeastern US, Midwestern US,
Southern US, Western US, Canada and Europe.) The use of Regional assignments helps the
student minimize travel time and distance between hospitals in order to complete a core
schedule. In most cases, students may move once within the region to complete their
schedule.
IS THERE ANYWAY I CAN SECURE MY HOSPITAL OF CHOICE?
It is difficult to guarantee that a student will be able to start core clerkships at his/her hospital
of choice. There are many factors go into the placement of students, such as the start date
for a particular clerkship or site and the availability of placement slots. Students regional
rank order is always considered first before any assignments are made. A passing Step 1
score is required prior to being assigned clinical rotations. If multiple students are applying to
the same site for the same start date, then the date the Step 1 exam was taken will be
considered in making the selection. Further considerations may include GPA and class rank.
European rotations require that you notify the Clinical office at least eight weeks prior to the
start date so that paperwork required for your student visa can be processed in a timely
manner.
WHAT ARE THE REGIONS FOR CLINICAL ASSIGNMENT?
AUC has six clinical teaching regions, five are within North America and one is in Europe
Region 1 Northeastern US; Region 2 Midwestern US; Region 3 - Southern US; Region 4
Western US; Region 5 Canada (specifically Saskatchewan) and Region 6 Europe
(specifically England).

Page 15

DO I GET TO CHOOSE MY CLINICAL TEACHING ASSIGNMENT?

AUC students are able to provide OCSA with their preferred regions for placement when
submitting their USMLE Step 1 score report. And, during the 5th semester orientation, students
are given a listing of each of the affiliated hospitals offering core clerkships. Students are
advised to sit for the Step 1 exam as early as possible but no later than 4 weeks prior to the
expiration of their Official Leave.
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO BEFORE I CAN GET MY CLINICAL ASSIGNMENT?
During orientation you are given paperwork that must be completed and returned to the
Office of Clinical Student Affairs. This paperwork includes the Student Health Statement and
information on the criminal background check/drug screening and Infection Control Training
among others. At the time your USMLE Step 1 score is available for you to download from
the ECFMG Oasis portal, you will need to submit a copy of that score report in an email to
the OCSA office at clinicals@aucmed.edu. The email should also contain your regional
preferences for clinical scheduling, your completed Student Health Statement with the lab
report indicating the vaccination titer levels) and your background check/drug screening
results.
AM I ABLE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WITH MY HOSPITAL OF CHOICE?
Once a student is assigned to a site, he/she is given contact information for the program
and a complete core schedule. Students are asked not to contact a clinical site unless
they have been formally assigned and all paperwork has been submitted to the hospital. It
is important to respect the workload of the coordinators at each site and their need to plan
for your arrival.
WILL I HAVE TO MOVE OFTEN TO COMPLETE MY CORE SCHEDULE?
Regional assignments are used to minimize the distance and number of moves a student
will make to complete core rotations. Once assigned a student will receive a complete
core schedule and know how long they can be expected to remain in a certain location.
HOW DOES THE MATCH IMPACT MY ASSIGNMENT?
It is highly recommended that students participate in the National Residency Match
Program (NRMP) to secure a residency position. You will have to track your individual
schedule and apply it to the Match time line. Students will need a minimum of 18-20
months to complete clinical rotations. The Match timeline starts in September of every
year and ends the following March. Students typically will apply to the Match in
September as they are completing rotations and will interview in November, December
and January. All required exams (USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK& Step 2 CS) should be taken by
December 31st of the year when the application was submitted in order for all scores to
available and certifiable with ECFMG by mid-January. Scores that are not ready by midJanuary may render the applicant ineligible to participate in the Match. Applicants and
hospitals supply their rank lists to the NRMP by mid to late February and the results are
announced in mid-March, residency starts in late June or by July 1st. If you apply to the
Match the above conditions will need to be followed and you will need to graduate by
April or June of the year your residency will begin. For full details about the Step I, Step 2
CK & CS, MATCH, & ERAS, visit www.nrmp.org.
IS THERE A DATE I MUST START CLINICAL ROTATIONS IN ORDER TO MAKE NRMP?
Clinical rotations will take a minimum of 18 months scheduled consecutively; breaks will
increase that period. Results of the NRMP Match are announced in March for residencies
starting June/July. AUC has six graduation dates per year (2 in the spring, 1 in the summer
and 3 in the fall). If a student is seeking to make the NRMP, they must start rotations no
Page 16

later than mid-September for the April graduation or November 1 for the June graduation.
Please note this time frame is for a clinical scheduled that is arranged where the
assignments are consecutive (back-to-back) with no breaks in between. If this cannot be
achieved, then an application for the next Match session will have to be considered.
DO I HAVE TO PASS STEP 1 TO START CLINICALS?
All students must pass Step 1 before entering into any clinical rotations with AUC. This
applies to rotations in all four regions.
HOW DO I GET MY CORE ROTATION ASSIGNMENT?
Upon taking and passing Step I, the OCSA clinical department will provide students with
available start dates for rotations in the United States and Europe. Start dates may vary at
the time a passing score is received. The OCSA clinical office requires approximately four
weeks to process your assignment, send out appropriate paperwork and notify financial
aid. In order to maintain a good relationship with our sites, we do our very best to provide
them with enough time to prepare for students expecting to rotate at their hospital.
If a student fails the Step I exam, he/she will become ineligible to start a rotation until a
passing score is received.
HOW DO I GO ABOUT REGISTERING FOR THE USMLE STEP 1 AND
HOW SOON IN ADVANCE DO I HAVE TO REGISTER?
Registering for the USMLE exams is done through ECFMG via the web at www.ecfmg.org.
Students will then be directed to the IWA portal. The ECFMG webpage details all the
requirements needed with interactive links to information you may find helpful along the way.
Note, if you need to leave the section, students may continue completion of the application
at a later time.
The final page of the application is a certification sheet that should be printed by the student
and submitted to the Dean's Office on campus (after completion of the 5th semester
requairements). Students who register for the exam after leaving the basic medical science
campus in St. Maarten will be required to submit the certification form to the Associate
Registrar in the AUC Coral Gables office. Students will be required to be academically and
financially cleared prior to being certified to take the exam.
Within a few weeks, students will receive an email notification from ECFMG of their Eligibility
Block and Testing Permit. Information on how to secure a final test date through the
Prometric website or by phone will be included in that email. Once that final test date is
secured, students must send a copy of the Prometric Confirmation to the Office of Clinical
Student Affairs by email to clinicals@aucmed.edu. If for any reason a change to the test
date or an extension of the testing block is necessary, the student must contact OCSA prior to
making any changes as they must first be approved by the Clinical Dean or Chief Academic
Officer.
The USMLE Step 1 is required by all sites. Students should feel comfortable that they are ready
to sit for the exam, but it is highly recommended that it is taken immediately after finishing fifth
semester. Fifth semester students have two things to keep in mind; 1) take the exam in the first
available block immediately after finishing fifth semester and 2) take the exam in a manner
that will fit with beginning rotations at their desired time and clinical site.
Again, the longer a student waits to sit for Step 1 after completing the basic medical
sciences, the less likely he/she will be able to pass on the first attempt. Students are expected
to abide by the guidelines of the orientation materials and schedule their exam date for a
Page 17

time that falls within the same semester the Official Leave is granted. Remember also that
how a student prepares for the exam during that period will have bearing on the overall
score received. Don't rush taking the test just to get into clinicals. A student needs to feel
comfortable with his/her abilities and readiness to sit for the exam. It is not advisable to push
back the exam beyond the first Official Leave as many students become anxious and
uncertain. Find a comfortable medium and remember that the goal is to pass the Step1
exam.
The Step 1 results are usually received within 3-4 weeks of taking the exam and the OCSA
clinical office must have a minimum of 4 weeks to notify the site of your assignment and
prepare the appropriate paperwork. Keep in mind that start dates vary throughout the year
and at different locations. During the summer months, it may take up to 8 weeksfor the exam
results to be returned since there are many other individuals taking the USMLE exams (Step 1,
Step 2 and Step 3) during that same time.
If you contact the OCSA to inquire about availability of core assignments at a particular site
prior to receiving your Step 1 score, no guarantee of placement can be provided as core
rotation slots change every time a student is scheduled, which is on a daily basis.

Page 18

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RESIDENCY AND THE CALIFORNIA TIME LINE?
Many students are eager to start Clinicals by November 1 (allows 19 months to complete
72 weeks of rotation and 2-4 weeks of break to prepare for Step 2 and/or interviews). This
schedule would allow a June graduate to start residency in July. It is a very ambitious
schedule and will not work if there are any unexpected breaks along the way. In
comparison, students starting in January would complete their schedules between July 1
and September 1; which allows 18 20 months to complete all rotations. The anticipated
graduation would be in October with participation in the NRMP Match for the following
March.
Currently, the NRMP requires that all international students have Step 1 and 2 CS/CK
completed by December so scores are in by the end of January. If a student does not
have scores in by the end of January, the student cannot participate in the Match (this
applies to all states). Students that have expressed an interest in California for residency
have a little different process to follow. California residency programs will require the
above, as well as the student to have an ECFMG Certificate and Post Training
Authorization Letter (PTAL) before the match list is submitted in February.
To obtain a PTAL, a student must first be ECFMG certified. ECFMG certification occurs
once a student has officially graduated. The process for certification is normally a 2-4
week process depending on the time of year a request is made. Once ECFMG certified,
a student is able to apply for a PTAL, which takes about 4-8 weeks for the student to
receive. This letter must be received before the end of February, when the hospitals
submit the rank list to the NRMP. To accomplish this timeline, students are required to
graduate in October, in order to participate in the CA residency match.
It is recommended that students plan 19-20 months to allow for breaks to complete Step 2
and interview for residency. With this in mind, anyone seeking residency in CA needs to
plan for 18 20 months starting between December 1 /February 28 to make the October
graduation and participate in the NRMP Match.
An October graduation would allow for the 4-6 weeks of processing time for the ECFMG
Certificate and place the student at the end of November to mid December. Then the
California Letter (PTAL) takes approximately 4-8 weeks to process thus placing the student
at the end of December to mid-January, which still allows time for a few last-minute
California interviews.
AUC has no control over the policies of NRMP or any state requirement. We do our best
to provide students with information so that an informed decision about scheduling and
future plans for residency can be made. By all means, if a student has a question about
the mentioned process, please contact OCSA.

Page 19

FACTS ABOUT CLINICAL ELECTIVE ROTATIONS

ADVI CE
When considering your final year with AUC, electives should be approached as an
opportunity to audition for residency. Never apply to sites with the objective of just filling
your schedule. Before applying for any rotation, make a decision. Are you interested in a
residency in a University Medical Center or nationally recognized program (Academic focus)
or is a geographical area for you to live/work your primary concern (regional focus). From this
point on, everything should be considered strategically.

UNI TED STATES ELECTI VES

Academic Focus
Your primary focus is to get into a university medical center or other nationally recognized
residency in your field of interest regardless of the location. This approach will require you to
apply to numerous university programs across the country to show your interest in an
academic setting.
You will apply to programs seeking elective rotations and letters of
reference that will have recognition by a larger audience. It is advised that a student does a
couple of rotations in two or more of these programs and then schedule the remainder of
electives with hospitals affiliated with similar academic programs. Your goal is program
recognition. Your resume will detail your experiences at these locations and the locations will
draw notice by residency personnel during your interview process. A large number of
graduates report that they gained residency at a site they did a rotation; your presence and
actions will have an impact on your outcome.
Regional focus
Your primary focus is to secure a residency available in your field of interest in the
geographical location you desire.
Unlike the academic focus, you are looking for a
residency in a desired location and it doesnt have to be at a university medical center. You
will want to use the programs in that region to draw notice to your resume; such as university
hospitals, specialty clinics, and teaching hospitals with above-average reputations. These
programs will be known in their individual region and can draw notice to your resume. You
will only have to rotate at one or two of these sites in any given region. In the end, you will be
building an impressive resume for residency interviews, not just filling a schedule.
Scheduling
When seeking electives, apply to three hospitals in the same general area for the same threemonth period. Among the three hospitals, you will very likely fill your elective schedule for the
three-month block; this will minimize the number of moves necessary while completing
electives. Repeat this approach in several metropolitan areas within the same region or
different regions if you are taking an academic approach. Always request recommendation
letters from every attending and chief resident with whom you work. When applying to a
residency your network of contacts, established during your electives, has a likelihood of
connecting with someone from the residency program. Use this network, formal or otherwise,
to your advantage.

Page 20

Once you have settled on a specific discipline, it is advised to take four to eight weeks of
electives (no more) in that particular area of interest. To complete your schedule you are
encouraged to complete four weeks each in Family Practice, Neurology and Emergency
Medicine. The remaining 14 to 18 weeks should be scheduled in solid Medicine
subspecialties (cardiology, endocrinology, pulmonary, etc.). Excessive rotations in your
desired field may be looked upon as unfavorable and may not necessarily increase your
chances at a residency in that field. Most residency programs, regardless of the type, are
looking for candidates with solid medicine foundations and a well-rounded clinical
experience. An individual with a solid medicine background will be able to obtain a
residency in almost any area.
Electives Overseas
Core sites do accommodate elective rotations. Consequently, some students want to
schedule electives at a core campus overseas. There are pros and cons to this plan. The
obvious plus is the ease of scheduling if you remain in England for electives. This means no
waiting and a timely completion or your clinical rotations. The cons are the lack of
exposure to the US system. It is recommended that students spend time in the US system to
become familiar with their procedures (SOAP notes, presentations, drug regiments, etc.).
Students need a minimum of 12 weeks in the United States to get acquainted with the US
system. When seeking electives in the US after completing rotations in Europe, you should
concentrate on a general Internal Medicine or Family Practice elective followed by
Emergency Medicine or a Critical Care Unit rotation. Dont accept a sub internship (sub-I)
until the end of your elective schedule. You will want as much experience as possible
before attempting any sub-I.
If you are scheduling electives from overseas, your first and maybe second elective
rotation should be done at an AUC core site. Electives are a privilege at non-core
hospitals. Students are to show the highest courtesy when corresponding with these sites.
To acquire rotations at non-contracted US sites, remember that many sites require a local
physician or faculty member to sponsor an application for rotations. Sponsorship normally
requires a sponsoring physician prepare a letter to accompany your application.
When applying for elective rotations, please refer to the Academic Focus or Regional
Focus described in the United States Electives section. Consider applying to three
different sites in a metropolitan area for each three-month period.
Send all your applications to the OCSA office 4-6 months in advance of the requested
rotation date to allow the office time to process the appropriate paperwork. Applying to
several hospitals for the same period will give you better results; however, it is the student's
responsibility to follow up with the sites to keep track of acceptance and denials. Sites
have filed formal complaints against students who fail to give 45 days notice of a change
in scheduling or not reporting for scheduled rotations. This may result in a disciplinary fine
for each occurrence.
Qualified Elective Sites
It is recommended that students be mindful of the requirement for licensure in your desired
state and the ramification or impact they can have on your clinical program. In order to
protect students from possible problems, all rotations are completed in qualified teaching
sites.
A qualified teaching site, within the United States, is any site that meets one of the
following criteria:

Page 21

1) The site has a University Affiliation (an LCME accredited Allopathic School of
Medicine) and rotates students from that institution through the clinical
department in question.
2) The site has a residency program in Family Practice/Medicine and rotates Family
Practice residents from that institution through the clinical department in question.
3) The individual program the student wishes to rotate has an ACGME approved
residency in that department.
NOTE: Rotations are not allowed in a private physician office or with a physician working
between several hospitals. These types of rotations may not be valid for licensure and should
be avoided.
Some sites will require a sponsoring physician to allow students to rotate in their facility. This is
acceptable as long as the teaching site handles your paperwork and signs off on your
evaluation. As always, remember to include all contact information when making a request
for elective paperwork.
Confirming Your Schedule & Applying for Electives
In an effort to update student files and track clinical progress, the Office of Clinical Student
Affairs (OCSA) requires that you supply a detailed schedule of all your rotations with copies of
site confirmation letters, pending and completed. This schedule will assist us in verifying
evaluation forms in your file. Applying to a site for a rotation does not constitute a confirmed
rotation. Furthermore, it is the student's responsibility to follow up with sites they have filed an
application; the possibility exists of multiple rotations scheduled for the same date. Students
are responsible for the timely cancellation of duplicate or unnecessary rotations. Rotations
that a student fails to report for or cancel in writing with 45-days notice will result in a minimum
clinical fine of $1000 per occurrence. This is a policy currently in place for all AUC students.
In order for our office to process requests the following information is necessary:

Students must be cleared through Student Financial Accounts

Complete site contact information to include contact person, email and mailing
address, and phone/fax number
Private office rotations must be affiliated with an LCME medical school and an
ACGME-accredited residency training program.

Time frame to apply for electives:

Requests/applications should be sent to the AUC Office of Clinical Student Affairs
approximately 4-6 months prior to the rotation date.
The process for requesting support materials:
Requests/applications cannot be processed unless all information has been submitted by
email, fax or US mail.
Information should include the following:

Name and address of site, contact name & title

Site application (if applicable) students are required to complete section
pertaining to them and forward to the AUC Clinical office for final completion.
Contact phone & fax numbers and email address
Page 22

Student name, ID number, resume/vita and current contact information

Name of rotation to include begin and end date
A cover letter from the student addressed to the site contact

Once all information is received, paperwork will be processed.

NOTE OCSA will send all documents directly to the site. These documents will include
letters of good standing, malpractice coverage information and evaluation forms. Our
office will send a complete package with supporting materials to the rotation site.
Other Information of Importance:

There is no fee for OCSA to process elective paperwork.

Incomplete request/application will result in a delay in processing.
Rotations attempted without appropriate paperwork will not be counted
toward graduation requirements.
Students are required to contact sites to obtain applications or further elective
rotation information.
A written confirmation from the rotation site must be sent to OCSA in order for
the rotation to be validated so that credit for the rotation weeks can be
applied toward completion of the students degree

The tracking of student rotations is necessary for processing Financial Aid and updating
the Student Accounts office. Overlapping rotation dates will not be accepted. OCSA
must be notified of any changes to a students schedule or enrollment status, which
includes time off requests, cancellations or additions of rotation assignments.

Page 23

MORE F REQUENTLY ASKE D QUESTI ONS

WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THE CLINICAL GUIDEBOOK?
Students should read the guide carefully as it contains policy information you need to know
and may help answer many of the questions asked by phone or e-mail. Take advantage
of this information and keep the guidebook handy.
DOES MY STUDENT FINANCIAL STATUS AFFECT PROCESSING OF MY REQUESTS?
Yes a review of your file is required for every application and request and if a financial
hold has been placed on your account by the Student Accounts office, OCSA will not be
able to make any assignment changes (additions or deletions). Clearance must be
obtained through the Student Accounts office and notification given to OCSA. Continued
delinquency may result in an administrative cancellation of all clinical assignments for the
current and subsequent semesters.
I AM CANADIAN,
ARE THERE PROBLEMS ENTERING THE UNITED STATES FOR CLINICAL TRAINING?
In the past, students carrying passports from other countries may have had difficulty
gaining entry into the United States to pursue clinical elective training. Problem passports
have included; Canada, Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries, Asia, the
Caribbean Islands, Mexico and the Netherlands. Typically, students do not realize their
situation until they are at the Customs & Immigration Office attempting entry to the US. To
assist your efforts, the AUC Office of Clinical Student Affairs will provide a letter in support of
a visitors B1/B2 visa to help you get through customs and immigration. To provide a letter
OCSA will need the following information from you:

Your full name as it appears on your passport

The country of origin that your passport is issued from
The passport number as it appears on your passport
The expiry date of the passport

Once OCSA receives the above information we will process your request and have it emailed as a PDF attachment to your AUC email account. The original documents will be
mailed to you as well. In most cases, you only need to present the letter and
accompanying documents (transcript, goodstanding letter and hospital assignment
confirmation letter) as you enter and the appropriate paperwork can be completed in
the customs and immigration area. Since the hospital assignment confirmation letter must
be obtained from the rotation site, it is important for the student to notify OCSA at the
time of scheduling that a visa letter is needed. The visa support letter will take 2-3 days to
be completed by OCSA; however the confirmation letter from the site may take longer.
Students should be aware that it may take up to 2 weeks for them to receive the entire
completed package by email and mail.
HOW DO I KNOW MY ELECTIVES ARE ACCEPTABLE FOR LICENSURE
IN A GIVEN STATE?
It is recommended that students be mindful of the requirement for licensure in your
desired state and the ramification or impact they can have on your clinical program. In
Page 24

order to protect students from possible problems, all rotations are completed in qualified
teaching sites.
A qualified teaching site, within the United States, is any site that meets one of the
following criteria:
1) The site has a University Affiliation (an LCME accredited Allopathic School of
Medicine) and rotates students from that institution through the clinical
department in question.
2) The site has a residency program in Family Practice/Medicine and rotates Family
Practice residents from that institution through the clinical department in question.
3) The individual program the student wishes to rotate has an ACGME approved
residency in that department.
NOTE: Rotations are not allowed in a private physician office or with a physician working
between several hospitals. These types of rotations may not be valid for licensure and should
be avoided.
ARE WE LCME ACCREDITED?
No. AUC is approved by the California State Medical Board, the New York State
Education Department State Board for Medicine, the Florida State Board of Education
Commission for Independent Education, and fully accredited by The Accreditation
Commission on Colleges of Medicine (ACCM). The National Committee on Foreign
Medical Education and Accreditation of the U.S. Department of Education recognizes the
ACCM accreditation body as having standards comparable to LCME.
LCME is the accrediting body for all Canadian and US Allopathic Medical Schools. AUC is
an international medical school and cannot be reviewed by LCME due to its foreign
status. Some elective sites will not allow students from non-LCME accredited schools to
rotate.

WHAT IF I WANT TO DO AN ELECTIVE AT A SITE THAT IS NOT CONSIDERED A

QUALIFIED TEACHING SITE OR DOES NOT HAVE AN AFFILIATION WITH AN ACGMEACCREDITED RESIDENCY PROGRAM?
All elective clinical rotations must be approved by the Office of Clinical Student Affairs
(OSCA) before confirmation documents will be issued.
Students who request to take a Non-Greenbook elective must provide documentation
that the proposed rotation meets the following requirements:
1.

All electives must be assigned through the medical education department of a

hospital that sponsors or participates in at least one approved ACGME residency
program or is affiliated with an LCME-accredited medical school.

2. The rotation must be at least 4 weeks in duration.

3. The hospital must provide written supporting data that they agree to the rotation
and will fill out our evaluation form.
Page 25

4. The name and credentials of the attending physician [CV] who will be responsible
for the elective must be submitted along with a curriculum.
5. OSCA must receive the following documentation at least 30 days prior to the
anticipated start date of the requested rotation so that the Chief Academic
Officer may review it for approval:

syllabus for the elective curriculum, including the goals, objectives and
expected learning outcomes for the elective;

a schedule of daily activities;

who will evaluate the student;

how will the evaluation be conducted; and

what criteria will be used for the evaluation process.

Even if the clerkship is approved, students should be aware that if they take a NonGreenbook elective it may not meet the requirements for state licensure.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHERE I AM ROTATING?
Students must keep the OCSA office updated at all times regarding elective rotations. In
order to avoid delay in financial aid, evaluation confirmation, student accounts,
graduation, etc., students are required to keep our office informed of any and all
rotations.
WHY DO I NEED A COVER LETTER WITH MY REQUEST?
Cover letters are your opportunity to show who you are, show an interest in a program
and establish a connection with the site. You want to show your motivations for going into
medicine and getting an experience with their site.
A cover letter should always accompany any application you submit to add a
professional and organized look to the application. A cover letter should also explain the
5 W's to the site you want to rotate:
Who - Introduce yourself and your school to them
What - explain what you are inquiring about - Visiting senior electives in specific areas
When - let them know the timeframe you are interested in being there
Where - the specific departments you are interested in
Why - explain why you are interested in their program for rotations
Make sure you address the letter to the program director or coordinator and always
include a current mailing address, e-mail and phone number for yourself so the site will
know how to contact you.
ARE WE REQUIRED TO DO FAMILY MEDICINE OR NEUROLOGY ROTATIONS?
No. Students are strongly encouraged though to complete these rotations. Several states
do require four weeks of Family Medicine in order to qualify for a medical license. AUC
Page 26

made the decision to encourage these electives so that our students are not faced with
licensure issues at a future date.
I HAVE THREE ROTATION OFFERS FOR THE SAME DATE, WHAT DO I DO?
Please act cautiously as you dont want to be responsible for a rotation being left unfilled.
Formal complaints from medical centers or training sites regarding students failure to report,
or give 45 days notice of cancellation for assigned rotation(s) is not to be taken lightly. Per
AUC policy, the student account office will levy a disciplinary fine on students of $500 per
week for each cancelled week.
The student code requires that you conduct yourself in a professional manner when dealing
with clinical sites. Your actions are a reflection on your seriousness as a student personally,
and the quality of AUC students in general. When one student fails to follow the rules, it
impacts fellow classmates and countless other who will follow after.
I WOULD LIKE TO DO AN ADDITIONAL ELECTIVE ROTATION.
WILL THERE BE ANY PROBLEMS?
Your interest in pursuing additional weeks of clinical rotation is admirable; however,
students will only be allowed to engage in additional weeks beyond the required 72 if
they require remediation due to failure of a core or elective clerkship. Students who need
to complete additional weeks will be charged a weekly pro-rated amount for tuition,
malpractice insurance and student health insurance.
CAN I DO A RESIDENCY IN NEW YORK?
Yes. New York State Board of Medical Education is required to certify/approve
international schools that teach students in their state. Only graduates from accredited
programs are allowed to do a residency in New York
IS AUC LICENSED AS AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION IN FLORIDA?
AUC has maintained an office in Florida for more than 20 years. We applied for an
Educational License in Florida with the Commission for Independent Education, Division of
Colleges & Universities, in Tallahassee to be licensed to conduct clinical training and other
educational endeavors in Florida.
That approval was granted in April 2002 and
maintained to date. Students who wish to engage in clinical rotations in the state of
Florida can only rotate at sites where AUC has an active affiliation agreement in place
that has been approved by the Florida Dept of Educations Commission for Independent
Education.
WHAT IS THE NRMP?
The National Resident Matching Program (i.e. Match or NRMP) is the process that most
residency programs participate in and require students to participate as well. The
application process begins with the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), in
approximately August of each year. Students are required to enroll in ERAS, NRMP and
ECFMG. Note all of this information available through any of the Web sites as well as
www.aamc.org To participate in the NRMP Match students must have successfully
completed Step 1, Step 2CK and/or Step 2CS with the last exam scheduled no later than
December. To participate students are required to show proof of passing Step I all parts
of the Step 2 process. These scores must be provided by the end of January in order to
be considered in the final NRMP match.
Some residency programs may start in January, you can find such list in the back of the
Graduate Medical Education (GME) Directory in the reference section of your library.
Page 27

Being an international graduate does not bind you to the match or its rules. A student
that is offered a residency position and contract prior to the Match assignment should
withdraw from the NRMP match prior to the final submission deadline. This is an option
that many AUC graduates have taken advantage of not only for a January start date,
but also July. For more information about the Match visit www.nrmp.org
When applying through ERAS, students will be required to request their MSPE letter from
the Graduate Certification Office. This office will produce your letter that will include
statements from evaluations and copies of any letters of recommendation you may have
on file. This office will also arrange for transcripts and evaluation copies. A request form
along with pricing is available with each semester information pack or by contacting the
Graduate Certification Office.

Page 28