Elective Training

Required Documents

A residency learner enrolled in one of the other five Ontario medical schools who wishes to take an elective under the supervision of a University of Toronto postgraduate program director/training program must register for electives using the Online Electives System.  However, please be sure to confirm your elective with your home school program director, your supervisor and the University of Toronto training program prior to accessing the system. Learners are expected to have the following ready before registering in the system:

1. Approval of the home school program director
2. Approval of a UofT Supervisor
3. Approval of the UofT Program Director (for the training program in which the rotation will be performed)
4. Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae that includes the applicant’s date of birth, citizenship status and e-mail address
5. Proof of citizenship status
6. Copy of Medical Degree
7. Complete immunization record
8. Proof of registration with the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA)

Once approved, all postgraduate medical learners must submit a Vulnerable Sector Screen (VSS) report or Attestation to the PGME Office prior to the start date of their training with the University of Toronto.

Registration

After the rotation has been approved in the Online Electives System and registered in the Postgraduate Web Registration system (POWER), an email will be sent to the elective applicant with instructions on how to register online and print off the Confirmation of Registration form.  With the Confirmation of Registration form, the learner will be able to register at the appropriate hospital Credentials/Medical Education Office and access University of Toronto library services.

Please note that applications to University of Toronto postgraduate medical education departments for elective training must not exceed 15 weeks in duration.

Eligibility for Licensure

In order to take up an elective at the University of Toronto, candidates must be eligible for licensure by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), the body that regulates the practice of medicine in the province of Ontario. Please visit the CPSO website for Registration Applications and Forms required for the issuance of a certificate of registration.

To ensure that your certificate is issued in time for your elective starting date, we urge you to apply at least 8 to 10 weeks in advance and follow all instructions carefully. This recommendation ensures that supporting documentation is sent to the College in advance of your appointment.

Required Documents

A Canadian/Permanent Resident residency learner enrolled in a medical school outside Ontario or in the United States who wishes to take an elective under the supervision of a University of Toronto postgraduate program director/training program must register for electives using the newly implemented Online Electives System.  However, please be sure to confirm your elective with a supervisor prior to accessing the system as this is a registration system.  Learners are expected to have the following ready before registering in the system:

1. Approval of the Home School Program Director
2. Approval of a UofT Supervisor
3. Approval of the UofT Program Director (for the training program in which the rotation will be performed)
4. Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae that includes the applicant’s date of birth, citizenship status and e-mail address
5. Proof of citizenship status
6. Copy of Medical Degree
7. Complete immunization record
8. Proof of registration with the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA)

Once approved, all postgraduate medical learners must submit a Vulnerable Sector Screen (VSS) report or Attestation to the PGME Office prior to the start date of their training with the University of Toronto.

Registration Process

After the rotation has been approved in the Online Electives System and registered in the Postgraduate Web Registration system (POWER), an email will be sent to the elective applicant with instructions on how to register online and print off the Confirmation of Registration form.  With the Confirmation of Registration form, the trainee will be able to register at the appropriate hospital Credentials/Medical Education Office and access University of Toronto library services.

Please note that applications to University of Toronto postgraduate medical education departments for elective training must not exceed 15 weeks in duration. If it does, an application is required for a Postgraduate Education certificate of registration. Please see the CPSO website for additional details.

Eligibility for Licensure

In order to take up an elective at the University of Toronto, candidates must be eligible for licensure by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), the body which regulates the practice of medicine in the province of Ontario.  Please visit the CPSO website for Registration Applications and Forms required for the issuance of a certificate of registration.

Required Documents

U.S. citizens who wish to take an elective under the supervision of a University of Toronto postgraduate program director/training program must be fully funded for the duration of the proposed elective by an acceptable sponsoring agency (for example, a governmental agency, university or hospital) and submit the following documentation via the University of Toronto residency training program to the University of Toronto PGME Office:

1. written permission from the University of Toronto program director agreeing to the elective
2. written permission from current program director at the applicant’s home university
3. up-to-date curriculum vitae that includes the applicant’s date of birth, Social Insurance Number (SIN), citizenship status and e-mail address
4. copy of medical degree
5. complete immunization record
6. evidence of full financial support from the funding institution/organization for the duration of the elective training
7. VSS or Attestation

*Please note: Submitted documents must be in pdf or MS Word (.doc or .docx) format. JPEG, TIFF and other photo file formats will NOT be accepted.*

Work Permit

In addition to licensure by the CPSO, trainees who are not Canadian citizens/permanent residents must have a work permit that is valid for the duration of their elective residency. The University of Toronto PGME Office will provide the elective appointee with work permit application information and a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) approved “Letter of Employment” that will enable the appointee to apply for the appropriate work permit.

NB: CIC requires the “Letter of Employment” to confirm that the foreign national receiving is being remunerated at a rate commensurate with that of a Canadian performing the same duties in the same location of work.  Elective residents must have funding for their elective rotation that meets the requirements of the scale of remuneration of the PARO-CAHO Agreement.

Registration Process

Once the PGME Office receives the required documents from the University of Toronto postgraduate program, a Letter of Appointment (LOA) will be issued to the resident. This letter must be signed by the resident and returned to the PGME Office. A copy will be forwarded to the CPSO.

Along with the LOA, the resident will receive a PIN/password letter. Using the PIN/Password, the resident will be able to register on-line through the POWER website and print off his/her Confirmation of Registration form.  With the Confirmation of Registration form, the trainee will be able to register at the appropriate hospital Credentials/Medical Education Office in Toronto and access library services.

Please note that applications to University of Toronto postgraduate medical education departments for elective training must not exceed 6 months in duration.

Eligibility for Licensure

In order to take up an elective at the University of Toronto, candidates must be eligible for licensure by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), the body which regulates the practice of medicine in the province of Ontario. Please visit the CPSO website for Registration Applications and Forms required for the issuance of a certificate of registration.

Funding

International learners who wish to take an elective under the supervision of a University of Toronto postgraduate program director/training program must be fully funded for the duration of the proposed elective by an acceptable sponsoring agency. Foreign governments and foreign government funded agencies, for example, are considered acceptable sources of funding for non-Canadian residency learners. Charitable foundations, private corporations or self-funding are not considered acceptable sources of funding.

Elective residency learners must have funding for their elective training in accordance with the scale of remuneration of the PARO-CAHO Agreement.

Required Documents

International learners who wish to take an elective under the supervision of a University of Toronto postgraduate program director/training program must submit the following documentation via the University of Toronto residency training program to the University of Toronto PGME Office:

1. Written permission from the University of Toronto program director agreeing to the elective
2. Written permission from current program director at the applicant’s home university
3. Up-to-date curriculum vitae that includes the applicant’s date of birth, citizenship status and e-mail address
4. Copy of medical degree (with English translation, where applicable)
5. Copy of MCCEE results (only if the learner is currently enrolled in residency training in the U.S.)
6. Complete immunization record
7. VSS or Attestation

The CPSO may exempt international learners from this requirement if the learner’s request for exemption includes supporting documentation from the University of Toronto Program Director.

*Please note: Submitted documents must be in pdf or MS Word (.doc or .docx) format. JPEG, TIFF and other photo file formats will NOT be accepted.*

Work Permit

In addition to licensure by the CPSO, learners who are not Canadian citizens/permanent residents must have a work permit that is valid for the duration of their elective residency. The University of Toronto PGME Office will provide the elective appointee with work permit application information and a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) approved “Letter of Employment” that will enable the appointee to apply for the appropriate work permit.

NB: CIC requires the “Letter of Employment” to confirm that the foreign national receiving is being remunerated at a rate commensurate with that of a Canadian performing the same duties in the same location of work.  Elective residents must have funding for their elective rotation that meets the requirements of the scale of remuneration of the PARO-CAHO Agreement.

Once the PGME Office receives the required documents from the University of Toronto postgraduate program, a Letter of Appointment (LOA) will be issued to the resident. This letter must be signed by the resident and returned to the PGME Office. A copy will be forwarded to the CPSO.

Along with the LOA, the resident will receive a PIN/password letter. Using the PIN/Password, the resident will be able to register on-line through the POWER website and print off his/her Confirmation of Registration form.  With the Confirmation of Registration form, the learner will be able to register at the appropriate hospital Credentials/Medical Education Office in Toronto and access library services.

Please note that applications to University of Toronto postgraduate medical education departments for elective training must not exceed 6 months in duration.

 Pre-Entry Assessment Program Guidelines for Electives

Eligibility for Licensure

In order to take up an elective at the University of Toronto, candidates must be eligible for licensure by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), the body which regulates the practice of medicine in the province of Ontario.

According to the CPSO’s schedule of requirements, international residents must have completed a minimum of two years’ training in the discipline in which they are seeking an elective (one year for Family Medicine electives).  In addition, the language of patient care during this previous training must have been in English or French. The licensure of international learners currently in residency training outside Canada and the U.S. as elective residents in Ontario is subject to the review and approval of the CPSO’s Registration Committee. Please visit the CPSO website for Registration Applications and Forms required for the issuance of a certificate of registration.

Requirement for a Work Permit

In addition to licensure by the CPSO, learners who are not Canadian citizens/permanent residents must have a work permit that is valid for the duration of their elective residency. PGME will submit an Offer of Employment for the elective residency to Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees Canada (IRCC, formerly CIC) and provide the international doctor with a IRCC-assigned Offer of Employment (LMIA Exempt) Number as well as a CPSO Letter of Eligibility. This documentation will enable the doctor to apply for the appropriate work permit from IRCC.

The process of obtaining a work permit from an IRCC Visa Office commonly requires five months to complete, after PGME has provided the applicant with the necessary supporting documentation. It is recommended that PGME receives confirmation of the elective (with documentation) at least six months prior to the start date.

International elective learners must be remunerated for the duration of the proposed elective by an acceptable sponsoring agency. Foreign governments and foreign government funded agencies, for example, are considered acceptable sources of funding for non-Canadian residency learners.  Charitable foundations, private corporations or self-funding are not considered acceptable sources of funding.

IRCC requires the Offer of Employment to confirm that the foreign national is being remunerated at a rate commensurate with that of a Canadian performing the same duties in the same location of work. The remuneration of residency learners in Ontario, including elective residents, must be in accordance with the annualized salary scale that is contained in the collective agreement between the Professional Association of Residents of Ontario (PARO) and the Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario (CAHO) known as the PARO-CAHO Agreement.

Required Documents:

International learners who wish to complete an elective at the University of Toronto must submit the following documentation to the University of Toronto PGME Office via the University of Toronto residency training program:

1. Written permission from the University of Toronto program director agreeing to the elective
2. Written permission from current program director at the applicant’s home university
3. Letter from the international learner’s sponsoring agency, confirming its approval
4. If the international learner’s sponsoring agency has not signed a postgraduate training agreement with the Temerty University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, then the letter must confirm full financial support for the duration of the elective training and verify that this funding is in accordance with the scale of remuneration for Ontario residency learners.
5. Up-to-date curriculum vitae that includes the applicant’s date of birth, citizenship status and e-mail address
6. Copy of medical degree (with English translation, where applicable)
7. A photocopy of the page(s) of the appointee’s current passport that contain the appointee’s photograph, personal details, issuing country and passport expiry date.
    

*Please note: Submitted documents must be in pdf or MS Word (.doc or .docx) format. JPEG, TIFF and other photo file formats will NOT be accepted.*

Registration Process:

Once PGME receives the required documents from the University of Toronto postgraduate program, a Letter of Appointment (LOA) will be issued to the resident. This letter must be signed by the elective resident and returned to PGME. A copy will be forwarded to the CPSO.

Along with the LOA, the resident will receive a PIN/password letter. Using the PIN/Password, the elective resident will be able to register on-line through the POWER website and print off his/her Confirmation of Registration form.  With the Confirmation of Registration form, the learner will be able to register at the Credentials/Medical Education Office of the appropriate hospital in Toronto and access library services.

Please note: The elective training experience must not exceed 6 months in duration.

Statements of Need are issued by Health Canada to medical graduates to assist them to obtain a J-1 Visa to pursue Post-Graduate medical training in the United States. The Statement of Need is one of many requirements of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that must be met before a J-1 Visa can be issued.  There are two categories when applying for a Statement of Need for Postgraduate Training in the United States, please select the criteria that fit your objective:

1. Medical Graduates currently enrolled in a Canadian specialty residency training program who wish to pursue a short-term elective or rotation (Category A ST)
2. Medical Graduates currently enrolled in a Canadian specialty residency training program who wish to pursue a fellowship or RCPSC recognized subspecialty (Category A)

Please note, it can take up to 6 months to obtain a J-1 Visa and a State license, so factor this into your decision as to when you should apply.

Important Notice

The Canadian Medical Protective Agency (CMPA) does not extend coverage beyond the borders of Canada, therefore you will require medical protective coverage for the duration of your training in the United States.  Please see the CMPA website for further details.