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GUIDELINES ON ELECTIVES FOR MOI UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

1.0 Introduction.

Electives are an essential requirement for Moi University School of Medicine (MUSOM) curricula for the degrees of M.B.Ch.B and B.Sc. Nursing. 

2.0 Profile of M.B.Ch.B. students.

M.B.Ch.B. students take their elective during their 5th year of the 6 year course.  The M.B.Ch.B. curriculum for Moi University School of Medicine is an innovative integrated curriculum where clinical sciences are learned simultaneously with basic sciences from 1st year to the 6th year of the study period.  At the beginning of 5th year, these students will have completed 60 % of basic science courses and 40 % of clinical science courses.  In addition, the students in the 5th year will have covered 80 % of: Community Based Education & Service (COBES), basics of Medical Education, basic principles of Health Management & Health Economics, basics of Epidemiology, principles of Research and basic Communication Skills.

3.0 Profile of B.Sc. Nursing students.

B.Sc. Nursing students take their elective during their 3rd year of the 4 year course.  At the end of the 3rd year, the B.Sc. student will have covered 80 % of the clinical courses in med/surgical nursing, obstetrics/gynaecology nursing, paeadiatric nursing and the specialties (oral health, theatre technique, intensive care (ICU) etc.). The student will also have covered 90 % of Community Based Education & Service (COBES), all the Basic and social sciences courses, basics of Medical Education, principles of Health Management & Health Economics, Basics of Epidemiology, Research, Community Health Nursing, Clinical Pharmacology, Nutrition & Dietetics and basic Communication Skills.

4.0 Aims.

The aim of the electives is to provide the students with an opportunity to acquire knowledge, skills and experience in a different learning environment, in areas of their interest which will be useful in their respective careers.

5.0 Broad objectives.

  1. To widen the students’ experience in undergraduate education and strengthen their areas of weakness.
  2. To develop ability to participate in planning and the implementation of their learning activities and making rational decisions.
  3. To increase the students’ responsibility for self determination in his/her education.

6.0 Guidelines.

The student can choose to do his/her elective in Basic Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Community Health or even in a medically relevant aspect of social sciences.  A research project in any of these disciplines is also acceptable.

  1. Local electives.

    2. Local Electives can be done in almost any institution eg: hospitals, health centers, research institutes, non medical institutions such as private companies, schools, colleges, and even in the community, etc.  ( NB. Moi University students are not allowed to do their electives in MTRH).  



  2. Overseas electives.

    3. There are limited places for overseas electives. Currently MUSOM has collaboration and exchange elective programs for students with a number of institutions. Some of them are:  the AHSANTE Consortium of American Universities eg. Indiana University, Brown University, Utah, Pennsylvania, etc.  Others are Maastricht University – Netherlands, Linkoping University – Sweden, and many more.

    (a). Criteria for selection for overseas electives & Balloting.
             Selection is done by balloting.  Eligibility for balloting is based on two criteria:

    1. Academic performance.
    2. Extra responsibilities such as class representatives and group leaders.

    The Dean’s office will prepare a list of all the students eligible for balloting at least 2–3 days before the day of balloting.  The students must check in the Dean’s office whether their names are in this list before going for the balloting exercise.  Students must also be in possession of a birth certificate, national identity card (ID) and a marriage certificate if they are married.  Students without any one of these documents will be disqualified from balloting. The reason is because these documents can take 3-6 months to acquire and this will delay the processing of passports and visas for the other students.

    (b). Travel documents (passports, visas, vaccination certificates).
    Passports, visas and medical vaccination certificates are better processed together for the whole group of students going for overseas electives. To process the passports and visas, the students must be in possession of the following documents:

    1. Original birth certificate.
    2. Original national identity card (ID).
    3. If married – Original marriage certificate.

    Students must ensure that they have acquired these documents before the start of the year of electives. Different countries and different host institutions have different vaccination requirements. Check with the respective embassies and the individual host institutions.

    (c). Insurances.
    Usually, sponsored overseas electives include medical and indemnity insurances while in overseas. It is always advisable to confirm with the sponsor.

  3. Coordinator of electives.

    4. All matters of electives are coordinated by the coordinator of electives and the Dean. The coordinator is the contact person for both local and overseas electives.



  4. Submission of electives plans to MUSOM board.

    5. The MUSOM School Board requires that students must submit their plans for the activities in the elective period.  These plans must be submitted at the start of the elective academic year.  The contents of the plan include:

    1. The chosen elective station.
    2. The period of elective (starting date and date of finishing).
    3. Student’s own specific objectives.  The student formulates his/her own specific objectives in the areas of his/her interest, based on the curriculum’s purpose and broad objectives shown in the section of “objectives” above.
    4. How the student plans to achieve his/her specific objectives (implementation).

    The Dean/coordinator of electives will forward the applications to the respective elective host institutions together with a forwarding introductory letter. Applications for overseas electives are not required because the selection is by ballot.

  5. Financing of electives.

    6. Moi University students on their local electives in Kenya make their own arrangements for their accommodation, food and any other expenses. Overseas electives may get sponsorship from the host institutions to cover part or all of their upkeep and traveling expenses. Among our sponsors are the SIDA program and those institutions which have collaboration and exchange programs with MUSOM mentioned in the section of “overseas electives” above. It is the students’ responsibility to enquire exhaustively to know which expenses are covered by the sponsor and those not covered. List down all the items not covered and budget for them using overseas costing. Remember to include personal effects such as winter clothing if needed.  Overseas self sponsorships are allowed and encouraged.



  6. Students’ discipline.

    7. The rules and regulations guiding the conduct and discipline of undergraduate study at Moi University will apply to the student during the elective period while in the host institutions. In addition, the student will comply unreservedly with the rules and regulations of the host institution.



  7. Reporting at the elective stations.

    8. Students on local electives are expected to report to their respective elective stations by the first week of the elective period.  Students going on overseas electives will report to specified persons on specified dates and take instructions from their supervisors. All students  should remember to carry with them a copy of the Dean’s introductory letter and an assessment form (“ELECTIVE ASSESSMENT REPORT FORM”). These two documents will be presented to the Head of the host  Institution  on arrival at the station.



  8. The student’s own work plan.

    9. On arrival at their elective stations the student in liaison with the immediate supervisor will spend the first week on orientation. During this first week, the student will make his/her own work plan detailing his daily time table and all the expected activities covering the entire elective period.  This work plan must reflect the contents of the elective work plan submitted to the MUSOM board ( see elective work plan above). The work plan must be approved and signed by the student’s supervisor. At the end of the elective period, the work plan will be attached to the student’s own elective report.



  9. Elective reports.

    10. At the end of the elective period, the student will submit  two reports to the Dean, MUSOM:

    1. The original report by the host institution.
    2. Student’s own elective report.

    (a). The institution report.
    The original report by the host institution will be written on “ELECTIVE ASSESSMENT REPORT FORM”. In accordance with this form, the host institution’s report will be based on:

    1. Attendance or availability.
    2. Discipline and self conduct.
    3. The actual activities carried out by the students.
    4. Supervisor’s remarks.

    The student must carry with him a copy of this form when he/she is going for elective.  At the end of the elective period, this form must be filled by the host institution student’s supervisor and then signed and certified by other relevant authorities (with the institution’s stamp/seal). The institution offering the elective training can opt to use its own format for the elective report. For more confidentiality, the report can be e-mailed to the Dean (e-mail:deanfhs@mtrh.org).

    (b). The student’s own report.
    The student can write his/her report after the elective period but within one week after the last date of the elective period. The student’s own report will be based on the following format:

    1. An introduction consisting of a brief account of the institution (its set up, its activities and its operations  relevant to the student’s objectives).
    2. The aims, the specific objectives and how they were achieved.
    3. The student’s own work plan for the entire elective period.
    4. Activities carried out by the students.
    5. Any other relevant issues (if any).
    6. Conclusions.
    7. Recommendations.
    8. Acknowledgements.
    9. References (if any).

    The two reports must be delivered to the Dean, School of Medicine under confidential cover in a sealed envelope. These reports should be delivered within ten days from the last date of the elective period. The extra curriculum activities should not be included in the reports.

  10. Assessment and guidelines on marking of elective reports.

    11. The student’s assessment on the elective term will be based on the student’s own report and the institutions report. The report from the host institution will account for 60% and the student’s own report will account for 40% of the total elective marks. The pass mark will be 50%.The elective reports will be marked by a panel of academicians selected by the Dean (SOM) and the coordinator of electives. The reports will be distributed for marking together with a forwarding letter and a copy of a marking scheme developed by the coordinator of electives.

 
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