Thank you for your interest in doing an elective at the University of Ottawa. 

The below requirements need to be followed sequentially.

STEP 1: Confirm Elective with the Program

Contact the appropriate Program Director or Program Administrator to seek the program’s approval of your elective. They will determine whether they have capacity and confirm the timeframe you are interested in.

If you are interested in completing an elective at the Montfort Hospital, contact [email protected] to secure a placement or call 613-746-4621 ext. 6003.

Note: for electives at Montfort hospital- you must have basic oral and comprehension skills in French and clearly state, in French, the objectives you wish to achieve during the rotation for which you are applying.

Please apply in the uOttawa PGME elective portal (Step 4) as soon as the Program confirms capacity to accept you.

The compliance requirements (specifically step 2, 3, and 6) should be started as soon as possible as they can take time, however, applications can be submitted prior to these items being completed to meet the 60-day application deadline.

STEP 2: Obtain a Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) Police Record Check – Due 1 month before elective start date

For VSS submission and follow-ups, please contact [email protected].

NOTE: VSS can take 2-12 weeks to process, depending on the local police service. Delays or cancellation of the elective may occur if you apply too close to your elective start date.

NOTE #2: If you are coming from NOSM or Queen’s University, a VSS is not required for your University of Ottawa elective. It is the responsibility of your home institution to collect this from you.

One of the following must be submitted:

• An authenticated electronic copy of a Police Record Check – Vulnerable Sector Search (VSS), no older than 12 months from the date of issue, and valid for the entirety of the elective placement.
• An original copy of a VSS mailed, with tracking number, to the Faculty of Medicine Clinical Placement Risk Management (FoM CPRM) office:

                   University of Ottawa (Roger Guindon Hall)
                   Faculty of Medicine (CPRM Office)
                   451 Smyth Road – 3071
                   Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5

STEP 3: Apply to obtain a College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) License

If you currently hold a valid CPSO license, go to step 4.

Apply for a “Postgraduate Education Application - Canadian or US Graduates – Electives” from the CPSO. This process can take weeks, so please apply early. There is a fee associated with this application (see CPSO website for more details).

Once step 4 is completed, a Confirmation of Appointment (COA) will be made available to you. Your CPSO application will list this requirement as an electronic LOA (eLOA).
You are required to sign the LOA/COA to obtain your CPSO license (see Step 5 for more details).

NOTE: Ensure all CPSO steps are completed to receive your license.

STEP 4: Apply in Portal

You must apply through the Smart Recruiters application platform by selecting the program you have been accepted to complete the elective in from the list below.

Your application must be submitted a minimum of 60 days prior to the elective start date. Late applications will not be processed.

NOTE: You must submit a Letter of Good Standing and proof of medical protection (CMPA or DARSSS) along with your application.

See the rotation schedule and respective deadlines in the position descriptions below:

STEP 5: Sign Confirmation of Appointment (COA) 

After your application is accepted in Smart Recruiters, you will receive a link to uoZone as well as your credentials within 3-5 business days.

If you have applied or attended the University of Ottawa in the past, your uoZone credentials will remain the same.

Note: If you require assistance with your uoZone credentials, please contact Medtech.

A COA will be made available to you in uoZone in the Student Center.

(Sign in to uoZone account -> Applications -> Student Center -> LOA/COA link -> Sign -> Confirm)

You are required to sign the LOA/COA to obtain your CPSO license. Remember to include the six-digit Applicant Number (e.g., AP123456).
This can be found on the CPSO website in the member/login portal. Note: it is not your application number.

Once signed, it will be submitted to the CPSO by the PGME office.

STEP 6: Submit Immunizations – DUE 1 MONTH BEFORE ELECTIVE START DATE 

For immunization submission and follow-ups, please contact [email protected].

A list of immunization documents can be found here: Clinical Placement Requirements Record

Additionally, proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is required.

STEP 7: Complete PGME Brightspace Modules – DUE 2 WEEKS BEFORE ELECTIVE START DATE

Mandatory modules must be completed in Brightspace prior to the start of an elective. You can access Brightspace using your uoZone credentials.

Note: Access to these modules will be granted after you have received your uoZone credentials.

ALL requirements must be completed no later than two weeks before the elective start date. This ensures that enough time is given to grant hospital accesses.

Failure to comply will result in a delay/cancellation of the elective.

Should you require further assistance, contact the PGME office at [email protected].

For any issues with your credentials contact MedTech.

We wish you great success and hope that you enjoy training with us. 

The purpose of an observership is to gain knowledge and expertise concerning health care and services, such as patient care procedures, within a hospital or healthcare organization.

Observerships may be arranged with the individual programs in the Ottawa regional hospitals by contacting the Program Director in the hospital in which you wish to have observer status. * Resident Observerships are not available in the Core Internal Medicine Specialty.

Arrangements are not provided by the Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) office of the University of Ottawa and observers do not register with the PGME Office.