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

The following requirements need to be completed sequentially.

STEP 1: Confirm your 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 Montfort electives - you must possess basic French language oral and comprehension skills and state, in French, the objectives you wish to attain in the rotation for which you are applying.

STEP 2: VSS – 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 Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) is not required for your University of Ottawa elective. It is the responsibility of your home institution to collect this from you annually.

One of the following can 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 with tracking number may be mailed 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: Obtain a CPSO License

If you have a CPSO education license already, go to step 4.

Apply for a “Postgraduate Education Application - Canadian or US Graduates – Electives” from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (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 - 6 are completed, a Confirmation of Appointment (COA) will be made available to you. You are required to sign the COA to obtain your CPSO license (see Step 7 for more details).

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

STEP 4: Apply in uOttawa PGME Elective Portal

You must submit your application in the Elective Registration Form portal to reserve your elective. 

Applications must be submitted 60 days prior to the elective start date.

STEP 5: Upload Documents

After you apply you will receive your credentials and a link to uoZone to submit all the necessary documents. Note: this may take 3-5 days to process.

Once you receive your uoZone credentials, upload your Letter of Good Standing (LOGS) and proof of medical liability insurance (CMPA or DARSSS). 

To upload your documents in uoZone, select uoDoc: Upload Admissions Documents located under the Applications tab at the top of your uoZone account. 

In this section, select the document you wish to upload to share with the program. Repeat this process for each required document. 

To review the status of your application, you can select the name of your program on the left-side of the page.

STEP 6: Program Accepts Elective in System

Once your application and all documents have been submitted, advise the uOttawa Program Administrator to ensure that your application is being reviewed and processed in a timely manner.

STEP 7: Sign COA

A Confirmation of Appointment (COA) will be made available to you in uoZone in the Student Center. (Sign into uoZone account 🡪 Applications 🡪 Student Center 🡪 COA link 🡪 Sign 🡪Confirm)

You are required to sign the COA to obtain your CPSO license. Remember to include the six-digit AP number (eg. AP123456). This can be found on the CPSO website in the member/login portal. Please note, it is different from the application number. It would have been issued to you once you applied. If you are unsure where to find your AP#, please reach out to the CPSO so they can advise. 

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

STEP 8: 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 9: Brightspace Modules –DUE 2 WEEKS BEFORE ELECTIVE START DATE

Mandatory modules must be completed on Brightspace 2 weeks prior to the start of an elective. You can access Brightspace using your uoZone credentials. 

Note: You will not have access to these modules until after your program has accepted you in the elective portal/system.

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 or have any technical issues, contact the PGME office at [email protected].

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

2025-2026 Rotation Schedule

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.