The requirement is completion of 21 weekly hours of electives credit by the end of year 2.
Recommended number of weekly hours to meet the requirement:

Generally, the first and last days of electives are: 09/09/08 - 11/06/08 .

Enrollment:

Courses are listed in numerical order by department. Blank change of enrollment cards are available at the front desk in the OSA (MTF 180) or in the UGME Office (MTF 162A). Medical students may add or drop courses by completing change of enrollment cards. Authorized signature(s) are required on change of enrollment cards. Completed, signed enrollment cards are then submitted to staff at the front desk in the Student Affairs Office. The add deadline is Friday September 19, 2008 and the drop deadline is Friday October 17, 2008.

Hours/Units:

Registered course work should be between 33-36 hours/week to fulfill state licensure board requirements for full-time study (see the Advisor & Student Handbook, for a breakdown of core and elective course hours). Students registered for 12 units/quarter are considered full-time by the University; this minimum is provided by the core curriculum during each quarter of the first two years (see the Advisor & Student Handbook, for the formula to convert units to hours). Terry Elfalan in the Student Affairs Office can answer questions regarding elective hours. The requirement is completion of 21 weekly hours of electives credit by the end of year 2.

The Draw:

Some elective courses have limited enrollment, and medical students will be chosen by a draw. Sign-up forms are available at the front desk in the Student Affairs Office. Each quarter, deadlines are posted and forms to sign-up for the draw are distributed to medical students. Enrollment cards are submitted after results are known. The deadline to sign up for the draw is September 3, 2008 at 5:15pm.

Independent Study/Reading (296):

This number is used for an independent reading, laboratory or preceptorship elective, or for work done to prepare for an Independent Study Project (ISP) that has not yet been approved. A medical student may contact a faculty member to arrange the location and frequency of meetings and course work expectations. On a yellow enrollment card, the number of hours per week the student will spend meeting with the faculty member is listed. The appropriate department name and the number 296 is noted on the card. The faculty member's signature is required on the enrollment card (with his/her name printed below the signature). Completed, signed enrollment cards are returned to Terry Elfalan in the Student Affairs Office (MTF 180).

Independent Study Project (299):

This number is used after a student's ISP proposal has been approved. The medical student and his/her ISP Chair must commit to meeting weekly during the quarter to discuss the project in progress. On a yellow enrollment card, the appropriate department name, the number 299, and the number of weekly course hours are to be listed. The signature of the ISP Chair is required on the enrollment card (with his/her name printed). Completed, signed enrollment cards are returned to Terry Elfalan in the Student Affairs Office. For information on the ISP and the approval process, contact Catherine Doran, ISP Coordinator, in the UGME Office (MTF 162).

General Campus:

Some courses offered on the General Campus may be taken to fulfill School of Medicine elective requirements. The General Catalog is available at http://www.ucsd.edu/catalog; the Schedule of Classes is available at http://tritonlink.ucsd.edu. Medical students must maintain a "B" average in these courses to receive an "S" grade for the quarter. NOTE: Courses of general interest (i.e., music) may be taken for credit one quarter only. (Campus instruction begins September 25, 2008 and ends December 5, 2008. Final exam week is December 8 - 13, 2008.)

Waivers:

If extenuating circumstances exist, a waiver of all or part of the elective requirement for a quarter may be requested. Students should contact their Student Affairs advisors. The Advisor and Student Handbook contains additional information regarding elective waivers.

Mandatory Course Evaluations:

Student input is essential for the effective evaluation of courses and faculty. The School of Medicine Committee on Educational Policy (CEP) approved a policy regarding course evaluations. This policy states that each medical student must submit a course evaluation to complete a course. Grades will not be posted until completed evaluation forms have been received. Students must submit their preclinical elective course evaluations via the online UCSD SOM Course Evaluation System in order to receive their grades. The evaluation system may be accessed via the medical students' class web pages. Course evaluations submitted through other means (for example printed copies of evaluation forms) will not fulfill the requirement. Students' participation will be noted, but their evaluations will be submitted anonymously.