Students needing to schedule E&F courses during fourth year (on cycle MS3/off cycle MS4)
Fourth-year course scheduling is part of the larger process of planning for your fourth year, review the Guide to 4th Year Planning. Keep in mind that the Explore & Focus phase is flexible – you have the ability to add/drop courses (based on availability). This allows you to narrow or change specialties of interest, move your time off, and become available for new rotation additions.
The Registration & Records team follows a three step process for scheduling the Explore & Focus phase:
- Phase 1: Permission-Only Scheduling watch a short video on Phase 1
- Phase 2: EVOS Preferencing watch a short video on Phase 2
- Phase 3: Open Scheduling
Scheduling 2026-2027 Scheduling Timeline:
| Phase | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Phase 1: Permission-only Scheduling | Sept. 15 - Oct. 24* *closed at 12pm NOON Pacific |
| Phase 2: EVOS Preferencing | Oct. 30 - Nov. 13* *closed at 3pm Pacific |
| Schedules are posted | Late December |
| Phase 3: Open Scheduling | Late January |
Phase 1: Permission-Only Courses
In Phase 1, you’ll request and receive approval from departments to take permission-only courses. For information about permission-only courses, including how to identify them and how to request them – click here.
Thinking of a residency in Emergency Medicine? Complete this survey so you can receive permission to complete MED EM 606 during Spring/Summer.
Note for APCs and SUBIs:
You will only be able to schedule one APC and one SUBI during Phase 1 and Phase 2, even if you have permission for more than one. There are only so many APCs/SUBIs. We need to ensure that every student in your class has one of each on their schedule before we open up the opportunity to take more than one during Phase 3.
Phase 2: Courses Not Requiring Permission
E&F scheduling for courses that do not need department permission will be done via an automated system – eValue Optimization Scheduling (EVOS). EVOS uses student preferences and course availability to create the best possible schedules both for you individually and for your class overall. Please review the EVOS User Guide.
For Track students: The required Emergency Medicine, required Neurology/Neurosurgery, and an additional 4 weeks (elective, APC or SUBI) should be at your Track location. Your other preferences can be for sites within or outside of your Track. As a reminder, Track students are guaranteed 12 weeks within your Track. Any additional weeks within your Track will be based on the EVOS optimization tool, which takes into account all student preferences.
EVOS will honor permission-only courses that have been scheduled for you. EVOS will ensure you are scheduled for the four required rotations:
- Required Emergency Medicine*
- Required Neurology
- Advanced Patient Care (APC)*
- Sub-Internship (SUBI)*
*If you received one of these courses from Phase 1 (permission-only scheduling), you will not receive this course during EVOS preferencing.
EVOS will only schedule you for the below, if you made preferences for them:
- Electives
- Step 2 Time Off
- E&F Time Off
Phase 3: Open Scheduling
After EVOS preferencing, you will have the opportunity to adjust your schedule during Open Scheduling, which will be open to you the entirety of your fourth year.
Two things to keep in mind:
- Some courses continue to require permission. Review the Explore & Focus Catalog
- There is a 6-week add/drop policy. Review the Clinical Elective Clerkships Add/Drop Policies (last paragraph)
Check out the E&F Scheduling FAQs for common questions.