Phase 1: Permission-Only FAQs
Can I add permission-only courses after the permission-only scheduling deadline?
Yes, you may continue to request permission for permission-only electives past Phase 1. The next opportunity to add them would be during Open Scheduling. During Open Scheduling, you can add permission-only courses and submit requests to add/drop.
What if the clerkship department can’t provide approval for the permission-only course I want by the end of Phase 1?
Some departments may not have all permission-only site availability confirmed by the end of Phase 1. Do not stress. If you receive your desired permission after Phase 1 ends, it can easily be added during Open Scheduling.
What is the difference between an APC and an APC-S?
An APC is an Advanced Patient Care clerkship. An APC-S is a Sub-internship aka SUBI. Read more about the differences on Curriculum’s website on Advanced Patient Care clerkships.
Can I add two APCs in lieu of an APC-S (SUBI) during Phase 1?
Having both one APC and one APC-S (SUBI) is a graduation requirement. Since there is a limited amount of each, only one APC and only one SUBI can be scheduled during Phase 1 and Phase 2. Once everyone in the cohort has one APC and one SUBI on their schedule upon the completion of Phase 2, additional APCs and SUBIs can be added during Phase 3: Open Scheduling.
What if I miss the deadline for Phase 1?
If your permission-only clerkship was not added during Phase 1, you will easily be able to add during Phase 3 (Open Scheduling).
Do I need all my permission approvals for graduation requirements before the Phase 1 deadline?
The purpose of Phase 1 is to allow students to schedule permission-only courses prior to Phase 2 (EVOS Preferencing). You do not need all of the permission approvals for graduation requirements before the Phase 1 deadline. The EVOS optimizer will honor any permission-only courses scheduled for you. Most students will receive the largest amount of permission-only approvals during Phase 3 (Open Scheduling). You will continue to request permission for permission-only courses throughout Open Scheduling.
Keep in mind that fourth year is extremely fluid – 2026 graduates have already made more than 3,000 schedule changes since their Open Scheduling began in January 2025. Much of your schedule will change due to your own decision making. Open Scheduling is open to you the entirety of your fourth year.
Phase 2: EVOS Preferencing FAQs
What is the result of EVOS Preferencing?
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
How do I preference the required Emergency Medicine or Neurology clerkship?
To preference the required Emergency Medicine clerkship: Look for MED EM – Emergency Medicine – Optimized in the course list, then make your selection for timeframe, zone, and/or site.
To preference the required Neurology clerkship: Look for NEURL – Neurology – Optimized in the course list, then make your selection for timeframe, zone, and/or site.
Interested in Neurosurgery? Neurosurgery clerkships that fulfill the Neurology requirement are not included in the NEURL – Neurology – Optimized course list. Make sure to preference the specific Neurosurgery course.
Can I preference a second APC-S (SUBI) in lieu of an APC?
Only one APC and only one APC-S (SUBI) can be scheduled during Phase 1 and 2. Additional APCs and APC-S’s (SUBIs) can be added during Open Scheduling.
We do not recommend preferencing an APC if you already have one from Phase 1. We do not recommend preferencing an APC-S (SUBI) if you already have one from Phase 1. EVOS will not assign a second APC or second APC-S (SUBI).
What if there are permission-only courses not yet on my schedule?
If your permission-only course is not added before Phase 2 begins, avoid preferencing timeframes that are during permission-only courses that are not yet on your schedule. Or, consider using “EF Time Off” (see more below) during the timeframe your not yet scheduled permission-only course resides. In the event you are scheduled for a course during a not yet scheduled permission-only course, utilize Open Scheduling to move around clerkships.
How do I save space on my schedule for away electives?
Preference electives during the general timeframes you anticipate visiting electives to be available to you. It is much easier to drop a UW elective in order to add an away elective than to have to scramble to add an elective at UW because a visiting institution didn’t offer you a spot or didn’t offer you a spot at the time you requested.
How do I get electives on my schedule?
EVOS will schedule you for a maximum of 20 weeks of electives if you make preferences for electives. Because EVOS does not know your specialty interest(s) it will not schedule you into electives unless you preference those.
Can I preference time off?
EVOS will schedule you for a maximum of two, 4-week time off periods if you preference them.
There are two different options for time off in the E&F phase:
- EF Time Off: Use this to preference a 4-week block of time for residency interviews or for personal reasons
- Step 2 Prep Time Off: Use this to preference a 4-week block of time for Step 2 study during Spring A, B, C or Summer A, B
Remember that preferencing doesn’t guarantee these time periods off, but they won’t be assigned unless you preference them.
Need more time off? Utilize Open Scheduling to drop courses to allow for the additional time off.
I would like to schedule 8 weeks of Step 2 Prep Time Off. How do I enter this into my preferences?
Step 2 Study Time and EF Time Off are only four-week blocks each and EVOS will only schedule you for one of each. Once Open Scheduling begins, you can rearrange your schedule by dropping courses to allow for additional time off.
Are there specific timeframes I can preference Step 2 Prep Time Off and EF Time Off?
EF Time Off is available to be preferenced throughout the 2026-2027 (Spring 2026 through Spring 2027) clinical year. Step 2 Prep Time Off is only available to be preferenced during Spring A, Spring B, Spring C, Summer A, or Summer B.
If you need additional time for Step 2 study, utilize Open Scheduling to drop or move clerkships.
What if I already have permission-only courses on my schedule?
EVOS will honor permission-only courses that have been scheduled for you. For example, if you already have Emergency Medicine scheduled for Spring C, that blocks EVOS from placing another course there and from giving you a second EM course.
Note that if you already have a permission-only APC on your schedule EVOS will not give you a second APC. If you already have a Sub-I on your schedule EVOS will not give you a second Sub-I.
I’m an E&F Track student. Do I do anything differently?
A few things to consider: Remember that you will be assigned Emergency Medicine (EM), Neurology, and a third course at sites in your Track. Consequently, don’t select an EM or Neurology course that’s not at your Track site – that’s a wasted preference. If you have an APC or SUBI in your Track site that has already been scheduled then great – you already have your third course. If you don’t have an APC or SUBI in your Track site that’s already scheduled make sure some of your preferences include courses (APC, SUBI, or electives) that are located in your Track.
What happens in preferencing?
During preferencing, you may select up to 20 preferences for courses, time frames, and/or sites for E&F clerkships. Preference #1 should be what is most important to you, preference #2 what is next in importance, etc. You don’t have to use all 20 preferences, but the more you enter the more EVOS has to work with.
How do I prepare to enter preferences?
Think about your priorities: Is it the timeframe of a specific clerkship? A specific site? A time period to be off for Step 2 study, residency interviews, or personal or family reasons? Use the Specialty Guides to see what courses different specialties recommend.
How do I enter preferences?
See the EVOS User Guide.
Why can’t I find the course I want to preference in EVOS?
EVOS only contains courses that do not require permission, since the system cannot check to see if you have received department approval. Make sure to check the permission status of the course you want to preference in the Explore & Focus Catalog.
If the course does not require permission and is not listed in EVOS, it is likely that the course is full for the specified timeframe, or the course is not offered during the academic year. To check course availability, login to eValue. Select “Reports” > “Availability Schedule.”
Is there a good strategy for preferencing?
- Don’t repeat a preference. If EVOS can’t give this course to you as your higher preference then it can’t give it to you at any preference, so duplicate preferencing is tantamount to wasting a preference.
- Selecting “any timeframe” as opposed to a specific timeframe gives EVOS more opportunities to give you a course. There may be instances where timing is important, but if not then “any timeframe” increases your chances of being scheduled into that course.
- Work specific to general. Your higher preferences can certainly be very specific, but as you go further down the list consider more general options.
What if I miss the deadline to enter preferences or don’t make preferences?
EVOS will assign you four E&F courses (required Emergency Medicine, required Neurology/Neurosurgery, an APC*, and a SUBI*) even if you miss the deadline or choose not to enter any preferences. Note that we can’t stop and reopen preferencing for you if you miss the deadline. Once preferencing closes, EVOS starts its run.
*If you already have an APC or SUBI on your schedule from permission-only scheduling, you will not receive a second APC or SUBI during EVOS preferencing.
What comes after EVOS?
Once you and your classmates receive your schedule you’ll have an opportunity to add and drop throughout Phase 3 – Open Scheduling. When exactly this begins depends on when schedules come out, so we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
Open Scheduling remains open throughout your entire E&F year and depends on availability (i.e., no swap/trade).