Articles

Medical Spanish CME Credits International Medicine Latino Health Care Faculty Development Nursing CEUs Emergency Medicine Emergency Medicine CMEs Cultural Competency Internal Medicine CMEs Pediatric Medicine Pediatric CMEs Family Practice Courses Medical Spanish Immersion Public Health Education Border Health Medical Electives Summer Medical Student Programs Emergency Medical Technicians Mexican Medical Schools San Miguel De Allende Schools University Of Guanajuato Pan American Health Mexico Red Cross Latin American Medicine Medical Interpreter Certification International Medical Universities International Health Cultural Medicine Trauma Training Disaster Medicine Medical Language Mexican Medicine International Fellowships International Medical Centers Medical Spanish Terminology Medical Spanish Courses Medical Spanish Information More Resources About Medical Spanish

Medical Spanish

Medical Electives

by Tara Peris

Medical electives can take a variety of forms depending on a student's interests and inclinations. Although the first two years of medical school are filled with core classes in the basic sciences, the second two years are designed to add breadth. Accordingly, students are allowed to take electives in order to explore interests and different specialty tracks.

Expanding Your Horizons

Although it takes a long time to complete medical training, students must choose a specialty fairly early in the process. Indeed, students apply to residency programs during the beginning of their fourth year of medical school, which means they have roughly three years to make a decision about where their interests lie. Once residency begins, the training focus is much more narrow, as the goal is to develop specialty skills.

With this in mind, students must use their medical electives wisely. Electives will vary according to national, state, and school specific requirements. However, many students use them as an opportunity to gain hands-on training. From emergency medicine to surgery specialties, this training proves invaluable.

Medical training can proceed either on-site or off-site, and some of the best medical electives are those that allow students to travel to other countries. There are many compelling electives that involve training in Mexico, Central and South America, as well as war-torn regions in the Middle East. This hands-on training provides a valuable complement to classroom learning and an eye-opening view of medical care in other cultures.

Get all Medical Education articles via