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Faculty of Health Sciences

Mac-CARE

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McMaster Learners

McMaster Learners

The Distributed Medical Education (DME) at McMaster is organized primarily in two Medical Education Campuses (MECs), providing comprehensive medical education in the Waterloo Regional and Niagara Regional Campuses, as well as clinical rotations in four Clinical Education Campuses (CECs) in the Burlington, Grand Erie Six Nations, Halton and Osler sites. The network of DME sites is known collectively as Mac-CARE, McMaster Community and Rural Education.

The Mac-CARE program provides the expertise and support to facilitate core and elective placements in Mac-CARE regions for learners of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. Mac-CARE provides the infrastructure to allow this community training to happen: temporary housing, hospital privileges, community contacts, and pagers (at some teaching sites). Clinical teaching is provided by community-based preceptors (doctors), who are affiliated and integrated with the university. Students are provided with living and travel allowances in eligible communities.

Clinical Placement Process

For medical students and residents, Mac-CARE rotations provide opportunities for real, “hands-on” learning with engaged physician teachers. You’ll see first-hand how the scope of practice can vary within a specialty area, how physicians work together and with other health professionals in diverse practice settings, how patients navigate the care system, and you’ll start developing critical practice skills while building professional relationships in communities where physicians are needed. All rotations are designed to meet McMaster’s educational objectives.

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Learners can request a core or elective rotation within the Mac-CARE regions (Burlington, Grand Erie Six Nations, Halton, Osler).

Core – All core clerkship rotations are facilitated by the Undergraduate MD Office through Medportal lottery.

Elective – Elective placements for Preclerkship and Clerkship are arranged through the Clinical Placement Manager (CPM) in MedSIS.

Learn more about UGME Elective Application Process

Learners can apply for a core or elective rotation outside the City of Hamilton at the distributed campus locations of McMaster University (Burlington, Grand Erie Six Nations, Halton, Niagara, Osler, and Waterloo).

Core and Elective clinical placements within the Mac-CARE regions are requested through the Distributed Campus Clinical Placement Application in the FHS Forms Manager. The application must be submitted at least eight weeks prior to the start date.

Learn more about PGME Application Process

Mac-CARE Funding

The Mac-CARE Program is funded by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to support medical students and residents from the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine. Mac-CARE encourages McMaster medical learners and residents to travel away from their Academic Home Base and live temporarily in the community in which they are undertaking a clinical rotation.

Mac-CARE funding is intended to offset the cost of a second residence or a daily commute to support clinical learning in a Mac-CARE community.

  • Mac-CARE provides housing reimbursement up to $800.00 per 4 weeks/block, plus one return trip from your academic home base. A receipt must be provided noting payment in full.
  • Mac-CARE provides travel reimbursement up to $450.00 per 4 weeks/block, inclusive of all travel-related expenses (any form of transportation, e.g. public transit, carpool or use your own vehicle). No receipts are required.

For more information, please visit the Mac-CARE Travel & Housing website.

Resources

Learner Support

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Student Assistance (Must be logged in to Medportal)

Resident Affairs (Must be logged in to Medportal)

FAQs

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McMaster/Ministry of Health (MOH) funded UGME clerks and PGME residents are eligible to apply for Mac-CARE funding. Please visit the Mac-CARE Travel & Housing policy and eligibility pages to determine your eligibility. ROMP funding is also available for the eligible rotations scheduled in Collingwood, Owen Sound and Penetanguishine communities. Please visit the ROMP Funding page for more information.

PGME’s: Placements must be a minimum of four consecutive weeks in an eligible community for learners to be offered travel and/or housing funding.

UGME’s: Placements must be a minimum of two consecutive weeks in an eligible community for learners to be offered travel and/or housing funding.

It is dependent upon the community. Please refer to the Clinical Placements listed for each region in the Clinical Education Campuses Overviews.

UGME’s – Mac-CARE capacity and specialties listed in the Clinical Placement Manager (CPM)

PGME’s – Please contact the PGME Electives Office for more information.

Living in the community provides learners with an opportunity to develop a better understanding of issues related to community and rural practice. Learners are also exposed to what each community has to offer.