SickKids

Dermatology
Dermatology
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Electives and Observers

Electives

General Information

The Section of Dermatology accepts trainees who wish to do an elective.  Electives are accepted for a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of four weeks.

Goals and objectives during the rotation comply with CANMEDs standards.  Evaluations are also given at the end of the elective and results submitted according to the university or department to which the elective belongs.

Electives attend:

  1. Teaching rounds and ward rounds once per week
  2. Once monthly specialty clinics: Morphea, CTCL, Epidermolysis Bullosa, Vascular Tumours if applicable
  3. Once monthly pathology rounds
  4. Eight dermatology clinic sessions
  5. Once monthly interesting case rounds, if applicable

Placements are done on a first-come, first-served basis.  Total number accepted is dependent on the number of trainees already scheduled for clinic.  We therefore encourage applicants to make their enquiries as early as possible.  Should we be unable to accommodate you in the dermatology clinic, you do have the option of seeking an elective in the community clinics operated by Dr. Miriam Weinstein (Dermatology Fellowship Director).  These also fill up quickly and, as they only occur two times per week, the elective needs to organize other clinics (if needed) on their own.

Application process

To apply for elective in Dermatology, please send an email to Jasmine Hylton – administrative assistant, Section of Dermatology.  

Please include the following in your email:

  1. Your name
  2. Level of training (eg. third year medical student, PGY2 paediatrics, fellow in adolescent medicine)
  3. School attending
  4. Contact information
  5. Period(s) in which you would like to take the elective.  If you do not have a set period but wish to see what our availabilities are, please state this in your email.
  6. Updated CV
  7. Passport-sized photograph

Once your request is approved, we will send you an email with the documents needed in order to process your application. 

Application guidelines for electives based on level of training

The following are guidelines for those applying for an elective with us:

Medical Students

  • Ensure your CV is included with your initial request.
  • For the 2012-13 academic year, we will not be accepting medical student electives in the Dermatology Clinic at SickKids Hospital.
  • Medical students in their clerkship year are encouraged to apply for electives at the community clinics. Information for community clinics can be obtained from Jasmine Hylton.
  • If you are accepted at the SickKids dermatology clinic, we will require that you submit your request for elective through the undergraduate office at the University of Toronto.

Postgraduate Trainees (Residents) residing in Canada

  • Ensure your CV is included in your initial request.
  • Once your request is approved, you will receive email with documents needed by SickKids Dermatology in order to process your application.
  • Ensure your package is submitted by the deadline given as this will ensure that your application is processed in a timely manner. 
  • Once the application package is transferred from SickKids PGME office to the University of Toronto’s PGME office, you may be asked for additional paperwork.
  • If you are taking an elective observership, please see information under Observers below

Postgraduate Trainees (Residents) international

  • Ensure your CV is included with your initial request.
  • Residents from United States and other international locations should contact Jasmine Hylton for availability of elective period and documents required.
  • Documents needed from international electives vary from that requested from Canadian residents.
  • Applications may take up to 5 months to be processed.

Fellows

  • Send email to Jasmine Hylton with period in which you wish to take the elective.
  • Include an updated copy of your CV with your request.
  • Fellows who reside in Canada should ensure that their request is made at six to eight weeks in advance.
  • International fellows should make their request a minimum of six months prior to their intended start date.
  • International fellows’ applications take up to five months to be processed.

Observers

General Information

The Section of Dermatology accepts Canadian or international candidates for observership.  Observers are accepted for a maximum of four weeks. Observers are not allowed to have direct or indirect contact with patients as required by SickKids Observer Requirements.

Criteria

If Canadian: must be practicing medical doctors only

If International: can be practicing medical doctors, residents or fellows. 

Note: medical students are not accepted as observers in the Dermatology Clinic at The Hospital for Sick Children. For the 2012-13 academic year, the community clinics will not be accepting medical student observers.

Application process

  • To apply for observership with Dermatology, please send email to Jasmine Hylton with the proposed period in which you wish to undertake the training. 
  • Include in your email a statement of goals and objectives as well as reason for interest in an observership in dermatology. Outline how you believe the observership will aid in your clinical practice.
  • Once the period in which you are doing the observership is confirmed, you will receive an email with the documents needed in order to process your application.
  • If you will be requiring any documents (e.g. letters of reference, letter confirming completion of observership) at the end of your observership, please indicate this prior to your start date.  Failure to do this may result in us being unable to grant your request.