Elective Scheduling during Patient Care Phase
Most students in the Patient Care Phase will have a six week period in which they do not have a required clerkship scheduled. Students have the choice to add Explore & Focus electives during the six week time off. You are not required to take an elective during the Patient Care Phase of your curriculum, enrolling in an elective is optional.
Eligibility:
Patient Care students are eligible to add Explore & Focus electives as long as:
- Step 1 has been taken
- Course pre-requisites have been met
- Approval is granted for permission-only courses
Adding Electives:
Students will use the Manage Schedule Requests tool in eValue to request elective adds.
Please keep in mind that the Manage Schedule Request tool is an Add/Drop tool, not a preferencing tool. Students should refrain from submitting multiple Add requests for the same timeframe, as it does not appear clear to the Registration & Records staff which course you want more over the other. Please review the Student Instructions eValue Manage Schedule Requests and Step by Step Schedule Change Student Instructions.
2026-2027 Elective Scheduling Timeline:
| Status | Date |
|---|---|
| Opens | Late January 2026 |
| Closes | No close date, you are able to add/drop electives throughout third year |
To view course pre-requisites and permission status, in the Explore & Focus Catalog:
- Right click on the course
- Select “Drill Through”
- Select “E&F Clerkship Full Details”
To view availability in eValue, review our Manage Schedule Request User Guide (specifically page 2).
What are the steps to find and Add electives to my schedule?
- Check for available courses in the Availability Schedule report in eValue.
- Review course permission status and pre-requisites in the Explore & Focus Catalog.
- Submit your Add in the Manage Schedule Request tool in eValue.
SOM Registration makes the change if possible. An automatic email is sent through eValue once your request is processed.
How do I know if a course is an Elective?
Course designations are viewable in the Explore & Focus Catalog:
Can I add whatever Elective I want?
This depends on the course pre-requisites, permission status, and availability.
To view the course pre-requisites and permission status in the Explore & Focus Catalog:
- Right click on the course
- Select “Drill Through”
- Select “E&F Clerkship Full Details”
To view availability in eValue, review our Manage Schedule Request User Guide (specifically page 2).
How do I submit my elective Add?
You will use the Manage Schedule Requests tool in eValue to request elective adds.
Please keep in mind that the Manage Schedule Request tool is an Add/Drop tool, not a preferencing tool. We ask that students refrain from submitting multiple Add requests for the same timeframe, as it does not appear clear to the Registration & Records staff which course you want more over the other.
Please review our user guides and webinar below:
Manage Schedule Request Tool Webinar
Student Instructions eValue Manage Schedule Requests
Step by Step Schedule Change Student Instructions
What is the deadline for elective scheduling?
You are able to add/drop electives during the entirety of your third year. Keep in mind that there are 6 week deadlines for all courses.
Drops or adds 6 weeks or less before the official start date of an E&F course require permission from the department clerkship contact. Your schedule change request (add/drop) must be received via the Manage Schedule Request tool by Friday at noon before the 6 week mark. Please review the 2025-2026 Six Week Add Drop Cheat Sheet and 2026-2027 Six Week Deadline Cheat Sheet.