Electives - what do you think?

[Frank's mum]

Hi
As you will know the elective is seen as a very important part of the med course, although personally most students see it as a last chance holiday!
Anyway, when you have a family or commitments then the 12 week period can be a difficult one to organize, and also to pay for. Most parents will probably opt for a 'home' elective to keep the domestic situation going, but the foreign electives obviously offer you opportunities to pad out the F1/2 application form and also have a bit of fun and adventure.

Just wondering what thoughts any of the current students have had about this, or if any of the future students have thought about it.

It's certainly assumed by the med schools that you'll all disappear off into darkest Africa etc. for the duration, do you think it disadvantages you not to go?
Have any other people taken their kids on the elective? How did it work out?

I've already organized my placements etc, but we have to write about the planning etc, which is what I'm supposed to be doing now, but thought I'd ask for some thoughts from others.
Alison

[aspirant doc]

Thisw topic intrigues me at the moment. My view is that while most students write up their elective as if they've singlehandedly saved the inhabitiants of the People's Democratic Republic of Wongajujubiwasatoo by their innate medical genius, in reality most psend the bare minimum doing clinical work and the majority bumming around on holiday in the People's Democratic Republic of Wongajujubiwasatoo.

It's a bit like all their summer activities saving Africa.....funnily enough despite their brilliance, Africa is not improving....

I hope you see what I mean....

There is no need for anyone to take offence at this reply. It is a lighthearted dig that does make a serious point though.

[Frank's mum]

I have to say that I've chosen my destination from the point of view that I'll not have another holiday for quite a while! I found out that in my deanery you have to take your holidays in F1/2 as they accrue so would never get more than 6 days off in one lump, family holidays are going to be in short supply for a while.

[Clarkey]

I didn't do my elective for the medicine. I wanted to go to Jamaica, didn't know when/if i was ever gonna get a chance to go for as long and so off I went! It was the trip of a lifetime for me, and I hated doing medicine on my elective. I didn't want to go and save the world, I just wanted to relax after the most stressful exams i'd ever taken. So I didn't enjoy my elective as much as I could have done but given the chance again, I would still go abroad (finances permitting of course!)

I get a 4 week SSU in final year and i'm thinking of going to Sydney. Again nothing to do with the medicine, I just don't know when i'll have time to go as far once I graduate.

I really didn't fancy going to africa or another third world area (although Jamaica can be considered third world?!) where I was going to be given far too much responsibility for my training.

[clairetrayers]

I'm with you on this one Clarkey. I'm off to Tel Aviv, the main reason being that I can't see any other point in my life when I am going to be able to spend weeks on end there, rather than quick visits. The idea of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with tons of responsibility scares me silly so I had no desire to go off on these 3rd world electives that most of my friends have opted for.

Most people I know with kids are staying local, purely for practical purposes. Those who are going abroad are going to places where they have family who can help out - I dont' know any parents who are going somewhere totally random without anyone to help out whilst there.

[Pammy]

I thought the whole point of the elective period is to deepen your knowledge in an area that really interests you, as opposed to saving the world. And I guess from the point of view of a learning experience, you could do it anywhere, including at home if you're tied down there for whatever reason...There must be loads of interesting things, e.g. hospital departments that often get ignored during medical degrees etc.
Also, I was just reading an interesting report in a German newspaper about single parents with kids doing a semester abroad, and there was e.g. a Swedish uni that went out of their way to help with childcare arrangements. I guess it's worth asking around foreign exchange offices etc! I suppose though it is easier in Europe/Australia/North America, rather than Africa.

[midnite-oil]

Hi Alison and Nick

I've been thinking quite a bit about my elective lately as a motivation for knuckling down for our penultimate year exams this summer!

If all goes to plan, we're hoping to stay in the UK, but relocate to a very far-flung part. I've only got as far as getting the kids' schools to agree a 10 week leave of absence so far. (No mean feat as all 3 schools oversubscribed.)

My main objectives are (in order of importance)

1. To spend quality time with my family
2. To take them away somewhere different and memorable as we haven't had many holidays recently and summer holidays coinciding with school hols may be a thing of the past for a year or 2! I want to be able to give them a fun experience as they have all done so much to support me during this mad existence.
3. To make life as easy as possible - english-speaking, child-friendly, etc. We're hoping they will all be able to slot into a tiny village school for a term.
4. Scenery! Fresh air! No crowded commuter trains!
5. To do something medical that will be interesting and worth a mention on the CV.
6. Affordability. That makes air fares for 6 to Africa/New Zealand/People's Democratic Republic of Wongajujubiwasatoo out of the short list!

I'd be very interested to know what other parents do. We have 10 weeks altogether, with the requirement to do something medical for 6 of them.

m-o
x

[Frank's mum]

I've booked us all to go to Melbourne for the elective, it's a huge expense after 5 years of med school so far, but I've decided it's worth it for a last gasp of craziness and adventure!
I managed to persuade the school to give authorised leave and also found a great web site (SabbaticalHomes.com - Home Exchange, House for Rent, Home Rentals, House Swap) where people will either house swap or rent their property to other academics/students whilst they themselves are on a sabbatical. We've bagged a lovely house with use of the owner's car for the duration.
I'm combining this with an elective in a subject that I'm very keen on, so it all seems to have worked out well. The main problem is staying hard working and not spending too much time day dreaming about life on the beach (ten mins walk from the rented house...)
I've had to go for the NatWest loan option as obv my husband will not work for the duration and we still have to pay the bills at home, not my first choice but all our other options have been thwarted by the credit crunch.

[curlysin]

This is a great thread. I Have been reading it with great interest. I have secured a place at medical school will be 29 when i commence and I was wondering about elective (if I get that far) as I have significant other to consider. Are all electives at the end of year 4? ( 5 year course) or does it change depending on uni?. Good luck to everyone

[Clarkey]

This is a great thread. I Have been reading it with great interest. I have secured a place at medical school will be 29 when i commence and I was wondering about elective (if I get that far) as I have significant other to consider. Are all electives at the end of year 4? ( 5 year course) or does it change depending on uni?. Good luck to everyone

No it depends on where you are studying. For example at Southampton, electives are just after the third year exams. Some medical schools don't offer electives until after finals. It really depends.