Visiting 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. Clinical teaching is provided by community-based preceptors (doctors), who are affiliated and integrated with the McMaster University.
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 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.
Please note, visiting learners are strictly prohibited from contacting preceptors directly to arrange electives.
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All visiting placements are facilitated by the Undergraduate Electives Office via the AFMC (Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada) Student Portal.
The AFMC Student Portal is an online, bilingual service to facilitate the application and placement of medical students for undergraduate visiting electives at the 17 faculties of medicine in Canada. The AFMC Student Portal services include a searchable database for visiting electives in Canada; an online application process for Canadian and international students; and placement and confirmation tracking tools for elective coordinators at each faculty.
Learners can request to be placed in a certain Mac-CARE region (Burlington, Grand Erie Six Nations, Halton, Osler), by indicating it in the application notes section.
Learn more about UGME Visiting Elective Application Process
All visiting clinical placement requests to a Mac-CARE community are submitted through the FHS Forms Manager.
Learners can apply for an elective outside the City of Hamilton at the distributed campus locations of McMaster University (Burlington, Grand Erie Six Nations, Halton, Niagara, Osler, and Waterloo).
The application must be submitted at least eight weeks prior to the start date.
Learn more about PGME Mac-CARE Visiting Clinical Application Process
FAQs
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No. Mac-CARE funding is not available to visiting learners.
It is dependent upon the community. Please refer to the Clinical Placements listed for each region in the Clinical Education Campuses Overviews.
Please contact the UGME or PGME Electives Office for more information.