General Comments
Students’ clinical placement schedules are designed to enable them to complete the clinical curriculum within the 6-year timeline standard for completing the MD program. Clinical placement is one component of the clinical curriculum and should be considered in the broader context of residency preparation and career development.
A future career in medicine, including the ability to obtain a US residency program, depends on students’ academic record and personal characteristics. The particular hospital in which students train, or the order in which they complete rotations, is less significant than United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and 2 performance, qualifying examinations of other countries, grades, letters of recommendation, Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), personal statements, and interviews.
While the School appreciates that some assignments or schedules may be inconvenient, the School's priority is to ensure that all students are placed, afforded an opportunity for clinical training, and that agreements with SGU-affiliated hospitals are fulfilled. SGU considers SGU-affiliated hospitals substantially equivalent in terms of the educational experiences they provide. Detailed information about each hospital is unlikely to allow students to determine whether a particular hospital is best suited to them. The main reason for choosing one geographical area in the US over another relates to convenience, including living arrangements or proximity to home. Students have the opportunity to explain such considerations during the placement process.
Clinical Placement and Selection Process
During Term 5, students are required to select a Clinical Pathway (US, UK, or US/UK) by completing the electronic Clinical Pathway Form. Once all eligibility requirements for clinical placement have been met, students receive instructions for the clinical placement process based on their academic timeline and selected pathway:
1. Students receive a list of available clinical placement locations.
2. Students submit their placement preferences by the deadline provided.
3. Clinical placement assignments are determined based on student preferences, hospital availability, and scheduling requirements. Students are then notified of their confirmed placement.
Important Information
- Every effort is made to accommodate students' geographic preferences; however, placement at a specific hospital, healthcare facility, or clinical site cannot be guaranteed.
- Certain clerkship specialties may need to be completed at an alternate location if they are not available at the student's primary clinical placement site.
- Some clinical sites require designated elective rotations as part of the Year 3 curriculum. These required electives cannot be removed or changed.
- All clinical placements are final. Once a placement has been confirmed, changes are not permitted.
- Students who require accommodations should contact Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services as early as possible by emailing accommodations@sgu.edu.
- Students who do not begin clinical training as scheduled and instead take a leave of absence (LOA) will be placed based on hospital availability. The LOA may be noted on the student’s transcript and in the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).
US CLINICAL PLACEMENT
USMLE Step 1 and Clinical Exam Tracker Requirements
Students who wish to begin rotations in the US must pass USMLE Step 1 unless they are able to start due to a timeline concern.
Students are required to enter their examination date and upload confirmation of their scheduled testing date to the Clinical Exam Tracker. Students who cancel or reschedule their examination must update the tracker with the new date and confirmation. Students who take the examination must upload their Testing Center Attendance Receipt (provided by the testing center) and their USMLE Step 1 score in the Clinical Exam Tracker.
Students may access the tracker using the Clinical Exam Tracker link. Students with questions about using the tracker are encouraged to review the Clinical Exam Tracker Review link. Questions can be directed to Clinicalexam@sgu.edu.
Placement Assignment Process
The Office of Clinical Education Operations assigns all third-year clinical placements. The Clinical Pathway Form is reviewed for placement purposes, including any special circumstances identified by the student. Placement priority is not determined by grades, USMLE Step 1 score, or citizenship. The clinical placement process begins with an effort to accommodate students’ geographic preferences; however, SGUSOM does not guarantee placement according to any student request.
Students must submit: NYS Infection Control Certificate, uploaded to the Clinical Exam Tracker
A clinical student administrator will email clinical placement assignments after receipt of a passing USMLE Step 1 score in the Clinical Exam Tracker and completion of all pre-clerkship requirements, including web-based requirements and health clearance.
New York State Paperwork Requirements
In addition to the requirements in the previous section, students assigned to New York hospitals must submit the required New York State (NYS) paperwork twithin 3 days of assignment. Required materials include:
- NYS application, including a copy of the student’s four-page USMLE Step 1 score report
- Students must submit: NYS Infection Control Certificate
- $20 paid via credit card link to NYSED.
Hospital Contact and Arrival Restrictions
The Office of Clinical Education Operations is responsible for scheduling all core clerkships.
- Students are prohibited from contacting affiliated hospitals directly regarding core clerkship scheduling, availability, or assignments.
- Students are prohibited from arriving at any hospital before placement has been confirmed by their clinical student administrator.
- After placement has been confirmed, students may contact the medical education coordinator at their assigned hospital.
Failure to comply with these restrictions will result in referral to the Office of Student Affairs and may result in loss of the current clinical placement schedule.
Schedule Requirements
Students must begin their assigned clinical placement as scheduled by the Office of Clinical Education Operations. Students who do not start as scheduled will be referred to the Office of Student Affairs.
After starting at a US hospital, students must complete all assigned third-year rotations within that hospital program, including any additional hospitals paired with the assignment.
Some hospitals require students to complete Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine and/or a Medicine elective during the third year. Students may not remove or cancel these rotations from their schedule.
A clinical student administrator will attempt to assign the majority of third-year rotations. If any required third-year clerkships remain unscheduled, the administrator will work with the student individually to arrange them.
UK CLINICAL PLACEMENT
Students who intend to complete all clerkships in the UK are not required to take the CBSE or USMLE Step 1.
Eligibility
Students seeking placement in UK core clerkships must submit the UK Clinical Placement Request Form after successfully completing Term 5 and all pre-clerkship requirements, including health clearance.
Placement Requirements
Students assigned to clerkships in the UK must complete a minimum of 24 weeks (6 months) of core clerkships in the UK. Although this is the minimum required period, students are encouraged, whenever possible, to complete the full third year in a single location. This allows students to acclimate to the healthcare system and focus on successfully completing their core clerkships.
Transitioning from the UK to the US
After completing the minimum 24-week UK placement, students who wish to complete their remaining clerkships in the US will work with their clinical student administrator to arrange their schedule. Students planning to transition from the UK to the US should also work closely with their academic advisor at clinicaltransitionaads@sgu.edu.