Elective Program Enrollment Procedures

Foundational Electives (Pre-Clinical Electives)

Foundational Elective Course Descriptions

Enrollment Procedures:

  • All foundational (pre-clinical) elective enrollment must be completed in CAMS within the add/drop deadlines established by the Office of the Registrar.
  • Students will be emailed the foundational course offerings for each term one week before registration begins.
  • Registration will be open for two consecutive weeks.
  • All adding and dropping of foundational electives must be done during the add/drop period.
  • Upon enrolling in a foundational (pre-clinical) elective, students should then log onto BlackBoard and add the course in BlackBoard, if one exists

All add/drops must be completed in accordance with the Add/Drop Guidelines.

Clinical Electives

Clinical Elective Course Descriptions.

Enrollment Procedure:

  • All clinical elective enrollment must be completed in Clinical Elective Enrollment portal (note: this is different than the CAMS student portal).
  • Students will be notified of the registration start date approximately one week prior to the Clinical Elective Enrollment portal opening for enrollment.
  • The Office of the Registrar will email the direct link to the Clinical Elective Enrollment portal at that time.
  • Registration in the Clinical Elective Enrollment portal opens for each semester (July – December and January – June). The portal opens approximately two to three months prior to the start of the semester. Specific dates will be established by the Office of the Registrar. Students will be notified of these dates via email.
  • The Clinical Elective Enrollment portal closes six weeks prior to the start of the elective. If a student needs to add a clinical elective after the portal closes for that elective month (i.e. six weeks before the elective month begins but before the Add Deadline (i.e. four weeks before the elective month begins), the student must contact the academic coordinator in the Office of the Registrar.
  • All add/drops must be completed in accordance with the Add/Drop Guidelines.

Research/Non Clinical Advanced Electives

Enrollment Procedure:

Once the student has determined the research activities, the student must locate a Baylor faculty member to conduct the research with, the student will submit the following to the academic coordinator in the Office of the Registrar:

  • Elective Registration Form - available in the CAMS student portal. Navigate to Administrative Services on the left-hand side, and select "Elective Registration Form." For more details, see knowledge-based article (KB0013027) in the IT portal. 
    - The curriculum dean signature will be obtained by the senior coordinator
    - Page three must be signed by the Baylor faculty member and the student
    - Student must attach a research description, along with research goals and objectives (3-4 quantifiable goals)
  • All add/drops must be completed in accordance with the Add/Drop Guidelines.

Extramural (Away) Electives

U.S. Extramural/Away Electives

Students should be mindful of the State Authorization requirement for rotations outside the state of Texas. The State Authorization requirement is constantly changing. The Office of the Registrar will email updates as changes occur. At this time, students are permitted to attend away rotations in all states.

All documentation for extramural/away electives must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar no later than six weeks prior to the start of the elective to allow time for the AAMC Clinical Uniform Training Agreement to be established. Failure to do so will result in this experience not being reflected in your academic record. Credit will not be awarded retroactively.

Application Process:

Students may apply to other U.S. medical institutions for clinical elective credit. Most students will apply through VSLO, however, some institutions have their own electronic or paper applications. Inquire with the away institution regarding their application process.

VSLO: The academic coordinator in the Office of the Registrar will give rising MS4 students access to VSLO in the Spring semester prior to applying.

Non-VSLO: Student will apply through the away institution’s application system or via the institution’s paper application.

Enrollment Procedure:

Once you have been offered an elective rotation in VSLO:

  1. Accept the offer in VSLO
  2. Complete any additional documentation or payment that the away institution requires
  3. Submit the following to the academic coordinator in Office of the Registration no later than six weeks before the away rotation begins (failure to do so will result in this experience not being reflected in your academic record. Credit will not be awarded retroactively):
  • Elective Registration Form - available in the CAMS student portal. Navigate to Administrative Services on the left-hand side, and select "Elective Registration Form." For more details, see knowledge-based article (KB0013027) in the IT portal. 
    - The student affairs dean’s signature will be obtained by the senior coordinator
    - Page three must be signed by the student
  • Attach a description of the elective
  • Attach the acceptance email with the dates of the rotation listed

Once you have been offered an elective rotation via a non-VSLO institution:

  1. Accept the offer via that institution’s application system or via email
  2. Complete any additional documentation or payment that the away institution requires
  3. Submit the following to the academic coordinator in Office of the Registration no later than six weeks before the away rotation begins (failure to do so will result in this experience not being reflected in your academic record. Credit will not be awarded retroactively):
  • Elective Registration Form - available in the CAMS student portal. Navigate to Administrative Services on the left-hand side, and select "Elective Registration Form." For more details, see knowledge-based article (KB0013027) in the IT portal.
    - The student affairs dean’s signature will be obtained by the academic coordinator
    - Page three must be signed by the student
  • Attach a description of the elective
  • Attach the acceptance email with the dates of the rotation listed

Affiliation Agreements

Affiliation agreements are required in order to participate on an away rotation at a host institution. When you submit your Elective Registration form, after you are approved for your rotation, provide a liable contact name from the host institution. This is crucial, so that we can initiate an affiliation agreement, if we do not have one established. Approved affiliation agreements must be on file with the Office of the Registrar before you are registered and approved for your away elective. If we do not have an established affiliation agreement, then the student will not be permitted to attend the away rotation. Review the active affiliation agreement database.

International Extramural Electives

Students interested in doing clinical rotations abroad must obtain permission from Student Affairs and should familiarize themselves with the necessary procedures. Clinical away electives must be arranged through the Registrar's Office and are limited to Baylor-affiliated sites, such as the BIPAI program, or sites that are approved through the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) program of the AAMC. A Pre-Departure Workshop, sponsored by the Global Health Pathway, and the BCM International Packet must be completed prior to enrollment being approved.

Application Process:

  1. Attend required Fall workshop. If you are considering an international rotation, you must take the pre-departure workshop offered in the Fall: Pre-Departure Workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 2, 2025!  Email Kris Miller at least two weeks in advance to register.
  2. Find a rotation. To find out what sites and times are available via BIPAI, email globalhealth@bcm.edu at least 90 days (or as soon as possible) in advance. Rotations may also be available through VSLO.
  3. Once you have been offered an elective rotation in VSLO or through BIPAI:
    • Accept the offer
    • Upload any post-decision documents
    • Enroll in the elective. Submit the following to the academic coordinator in the Office of the Registrar as soon as possible, but no later than six weeks before the away rotation begins. (Failure to do so will result in your not having the benefit of malpractice insurance and this experience not being reflected in your academic record. Credit will not be awarded retroactively.)

Elective Registration Form - available in the CAMS student portal. Navigate to Administrative Services on the left-hand side, and select "Elective Registration Form." For more details, see knowledge-based article (KB0013027) in the IT portal.

  • The student affairs dean’s signature will be obtained by the academic coordinator - Page three must be signed by the student
    • Attach a description of the elective
    • Attach the acceptance email with the dates of the rotation listed
    • Submit the entire BCM International Travel Packet. The first page details what must be submitted with the packet including:
      • Documentation of Travel clinic visit
      • Proposed Airline itinerary
      • Copy of passport

Other Resources

Funding Opportunities

The Gilead Scholars program provides full financial support for students to conduct faculty-mentored clinical projects to address health disparities at international sites.