General Information

Graduation Categories: As part of your graduation requirements, you must complete at least three clinical electives. At least one clinical elective must be selected from three of the nine categories listed below. You must also complete a Critical Care (ICU) elective. ICU is NOT a category on it’s own.

Elective Categories

MED 98xxC1 = Family and Community Medicine (FM, PMR)
MED 98xxC2 = Internal Medicine
MED 98xxC3 = Neuro/Psychiatry
MED 98xxC4 = Obstetrics & Gynecology
MED 98xxC5 = Pathology
MED 99xxC6 = Pediatrics
MED 99xxC7 = Radiology
MED 99xxC8 = Surgery
MED 99xxC9 = Miscellaneous (inc. Ophtho, EM)

Critical Care Elective Options

MICU (medicine ICU) - Internal Medicine
Pulm ICU - Internal Medicine
Neuro ICU - Neuro/Psych
NICU (neonatal ICU) - Pediatrics
PICU (peds ICU) - Pediatrics
CV ICU - Surgery
SICU - Surgery

When do I sign up for electives?
Elective placement for rotations at our affiliates (UHKC [formerly TMC], CMH, SLH, KCVA, Mosaic) take place twice a year: Sept/Oct for upcoming Spring semester, and Feb/March for upcoming Summer & Fall semesters.

Away Rotations/Out-of-Towns
Students interested in away rotations should see information here and visit the Class Meetings Canvas page for information about away rotations and VSLO. Students must communicate their plans with their ETC to facilitate enrollment and completion of required paperwork.

Recommendations and Options

The electives offered or recommended for each specialty can shift over time. Ask your ETC, Career Services, or your mentor which options will be best for helping you meet your goal. In addition, the timing of your specialty electives matters. If you take a sub-I too early, you may not do as well as you would have had you waited, and it may be too early to secure a letter of recommendation. You'll notice some notes about that in the table below.

Students who intend to apply to a specialty for which we do not have a residency program will want to plan carefully, as they will likely need to complete at least one away rotation. It is common that students do a rotation at KU before heading out to other away rotations. UMKC students are not automatically guaranteed placement in a KU rotation, however, and must apply through VSLO. It is recommended that you make contact with the department at KU well in advance to get exposure to the specialty and faculty, which can increase both your application and your chance at an elective.

In addition to specialty-specific electives, you will need to take electives in other categories. Where we have that information we have included it below. Consider what other information would be helpful in your future practice, or what you might not have the chance to see again once you graduate - those are generally good options to consider.

Choosing Electives

Below we have listed the most-common specialty-specific electives that are available at our affiliates, and where information is available, some suggestions for non-specialty (but still helpful!) electives.
NOTE: This is not intended to be a comprehensive nor a limiting list. Please be sure you explore all of your elective options with your ETC!

Anesthesiology

Specialty-Specific Options

#0368 Gen Anesthesiology – UHKC
#1952 Gen Anesthesiology – SLH
#1369 Cardiovascular ICU - SLH
#3397 Peds Anesthesia - CMH (only takes 2/year)

Possibly Helpful Options

#1559 Pain Management - SLH
#4424 Multidisciplinary Pain Management - UHKC (Cao)
#4028 Anesthesiology - Mosaic
#4237 Peds Pain Management - CMH (more like shadowing, not ideal for LORs)

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider:

Pulmonary
Radiology
Cardiology
Critical Care
Surgery

Dermatology

Specialty-Specific Options

#4277 Dermatology (Dr. Rajpara)
#4095 Dermatology - KCVA
#0106 Peds Dermatology – CMH
#0394 Private Practice Derm (Dr. Reisz)

UMKC does not have a Dermatology residency program...yet!

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider:

Pathology
Infectious Disease
Rheumatology
Allergy/Immunology
Endocrinology

Emergency Medicine

Specialty-Specific Options

St. Joseph campus students

KCMO campus students

EM core
UH EM rotation (get SLOE)
One away EM rotation (get second SLOE)

Per CORDEM, students should only complete two eSLOE-generating rotations

EM core (get SLOE)
One away EM rotation (get second SLOE)

Per CORDEM, students should only complete two eSLOE-generating rotations

Take UH EM rotation in late Y5/M3 or early Y6/M4) and get an eSLOE from it
Take second EM rotation at another academic program for a second eSLOE.
#0202 Peds EM - CMH (a SLOE from this rotation does not count as an eSLOE, but rather a sub-specialty one)
#2412 EMS Clinical Skills (intended for early career exploration (Yr 4/MS2s, maybe Yr 5/MS3s). It is not in ED - mostly ride-a-longs)
#0370 EM - SLH
#3970 Ultrasound-EM - UHKC (mostly with the ultrasound techs)

Possibly Helpful Options

A community EM rotation would be great, but does not result in an eSLOE.
EM PD recommended to do 'hard' (i.e., challenging) ICU, and anesthesia and radiology are also helpful prior to graduation.

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider (source)

Pulmonary
Cardiology
ICU
Palliative Care
Allergy/Immunology
Toxicology
Radiology
Anesthesiology
Ultrasound

Family Medicine

Specialty-Specific Options

#3899 FM Sub-I (Nocturnal, inpt only) – Lakewood
#4080 FM Inpatient-Daytime Sub-I – Lakewood
#4082 FM – Labor & Delivery Sub-I – Lakewood
#4071 FM Offsite (Preceptor)

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider

Pulmonary
Endocrinology
Rheumatology
Pediatrics
Palliative Care
Cardiology

General Surgery

Specialty-Specific Options

#4016 General Surgery Sub-I - UH
#4561 General Surgery Sub-I - SLH
#1082 SICU – UHKC
#4703 General Surgery/Trauma Surgery - SLH
#3942 Trauma Surgery - UHKC

Possibly Helpful Options

#0279 Pediatric Surgery - CMH
#3833 Surg-Onc - SLH (only if interested in surg-onc or onc-related specialty, requires interest statement)
#4600 Surgery Transplant Sub-I - SLH
#2785 Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery - UH/KCVA
#3356 Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic and Liver Transplant - SLH

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider:

Radiology –UHKC, SLH, KCVA
#3047 Wound Care - Mosaic
Cardiology
Critical care

Internal Medicine

Specialty-Specific Options

#2478 Hospitalist Sub-I Orange Team – SLH
#3085 IM Purple Sub-Internship – SLH (closed if purple is on DoRo)
#3092 Silver Sub-Internship – UHKC
#1355 MICU - UHKC
#4312 Primary Care IM Ambulatory Care Clinic Sub-I - UHKC
#4069 Endocrinology Sub-I - UHKC
#3888 Nephrology Sub-I
#3999 Inpatient Hem/Onc Sub-I - UHKC
Subspecialties according to interest and goals

Possibly Helpful Options

#0870 Pulm ICU - SLH
#4302 Primary Care Outpatient Clinic Rotation - UHKC
Subspecialties according to interest and goals

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider

Peds sub-specialties
Radiology

Notes

Year 6 DoRo also counts as a sub-I, so having this in blocks 1/2 or 3/4 is perfect for IM-interested applicants

Internal Medicine/Pediatrics

Specialty-Specific Options

#2321 *Med Peds Inpatient Sub-I – UHKC and CMH (requires HP or H in both Yr 5DoRo and Peds clerkships)
#2306 *Med Peds Continuity Clinic – UHKC only (requires HP or H in both Yr 5DoRo and Peds clerkships)
#4020 Ambulatory Med Peds - UHKC
#0688 PICU – CMH
#0928 Gen Peds Sub-I CMH
#1251 NICU

Possibly Helpful Options

Other non-Sub-I Peds electives can be helpful - you get a lot of IM in your regular education, so add Peds experiences

Notes

MAX of 3 clinical electives at CMH – this is a CMH policy and is not flexible.

Neurology

Specialty-Specific Options

#3430 Neurology Sub-I – SLH
#3597 Neurology Sub-I - UHKC
#2620 Neuro ICU – SLH
#3786 Peds Neurology Sub-I - CMH
#0278 Peds Neurology - CMH
#2654 Clinical Neurology – UHKC
#1362 Neurology – SLH
#4248 Neurology - Mosaic

Possibly Helpful Options

#1205 Neuroradiology – SLH
#2480 Neuroradiology – UHKC
#0371 Ophthalmology – UHKC

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider

Internal Medicine (sub-i may be helpful for PGY1)

Obstetrics/Gynecology

Specialty-Specific Options

#0196 High Risk OB (MFM) Sub-I – UHKC
#2616 Urogynecology Sub-I – UHKC
#3635 Gyn Onc Sub-I– SLH (when requesting, ask to work with Dr. McNally)
#0264 Maternal Fetal Medicine Sub-I– SLH

Possibly Helpful Options

#3173 OB Ultrasound Sub-I– UHKC (works more with the ultrasound techs, not great for LOR)

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider

Surgical elective
Endocrinology
Infectious Disease
Rheumatology
Cardiology

Notes

Speak with upper years regarding best options for LORs - MFM at SLH may not be in AY23/24

Ophthalmology

Specialty-Specific Options

#0371 Ophthalmology – UHKC
#3145 Ophthalmology - KCVA
#3553 Pediatric Ophthalmology - CMH

Possibly Helpful Options

#2654 Clinical Neuro – SLH
#1362 Neurology – UHKC
#2620 Neuro ICU – SLH

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider

Neurology
Radiology
Dermatology
Infectious Disease

Notes

OOTs strongly recommended

Orthopedic Surgery

Students interested in matching Ortho, especially at UMKC, should take the University Health rotation no earlier than Spring of Y5/M3. Since this is the rotation where students would get facetime with the PD and/or Chair of the department, you want to be on the top of your game! Additionally, UMKC uses the UH elective for letter of recommendation and residency consideration, and taking it too early may mean the program doesn’t remember you.

For students looking to gain experience or to evaluate specialty interest ahead of taking the elective at University Health, Dr. Sorenson recommended 1) Ortho Sports Med (Dr. Shaw)* (this rotation is integrated into the UH Ortho team, but students work mostly with Dr. Shaw when he is available); 2) SLH Ortho; 3) CMH Ortho

FOR EARLY CAREER EXPLORATION

#3504 Orthopedics-Sports Medicine – UMKC (Dr. Shaw) - categorized as Fam Med
#4520 Intro to Ortho Surg - UHKC (Everson)

Specialty-Specific Options

#4172 Ortho Surgery - UHKC (Dr. Gause)
#0301 Ortho Surg Sub-I – UHKC (Everson) (later Y5/early Y6, otherwise it's too early)
#0181 General Ortho – SLH
#0816 Sports Medicine – UH-Lakewood
#2394 Orthopedic Surgery – KCVA
#1774 Peds Ortho - CMH
#4270 Ortho & Sports Med - St Joseph

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider

Radiology
Anesthesiology
Critical care

Notes

OOTs strongly recommended

Otolaryngology/ENT

Specialty-Specific Options

#0061 Otolaryngology (ENT) – UHKC
#3550 General Otolaryngology - SLH

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider

Neuroradiology
Neurology
Anesthesiology
Allergy/Immunology
SICU
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Notes

OOT electives strongly recommended

UMKC does not have an ENT residency program.

Pathology

Specialty-Specific Options

#3373 Anatomical and Clinical Path – UHKC
#2595 Peds Pathology & Laboratory Med - CMH
#4385 Pathology - KCVA

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider

Dermatology
Radiology
Infectious Disease
#0247 Anatomy Thorax & Abdomen (UMKC SOM or Mosaic)
#0246 Anatomy Head & Neck
#3386 Anatomy Upper & Lower Limbs

Notes

The anatomy electives are all academic (non-clinical) and offered in a specific block

Pediatrics

Specialty-Specific Options

#0928 Gen Peds Sub-I CMH (requires inpt peds)
#0688 PICU – CMH (requires inpt peds)
#1251 NICU – UHKC/CMH
#0202 Peds EM

Other Helpful Options

#3651 Peds Pulm Sub-I
Any peds sub-specialty

Notes

Gen Peds Sub-I should be taken in the latter part of Yr 5/early Yr 6
PICU is generally preferred over NICU and Peds EM
MAX of 3 clinical electives at CMH – this is a CMH policy and is not flexible
MAX one sub-i per student per academic year

Plastic Surgery

Specialty-Specific Options

#3344 Plastic Surgery (Aylward) – UHKC
#4759 Plastic Surgery Sub-I (Aylward) – UHKC
#4734 Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - SLH

Possibly Helpful Options

#4016 Surgery Sub-I – UHKC
#1082 SICU - UHKC
#2283 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery – UHKC
#4478 Plastic Surgery - Mosaic

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider

Radiology
Anesthesiology
Dermatology

Notes

OOT electives strongly recommended

UMKC does not have a Plastic Surgery residency program.

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R)

Specialty-Specific Options

#3832 PM&R – Apex Ortho
#3051 Peds PM&R – CMH
#4033 PM&R - SLH South
#4064 PM&R – Mosaic
#3917 PM&R – Lakewood (only takes 2 per year)
Neurology

Possibly Helpful Options

#3504 Ortho Sports Med - UHKC (more ortho-oriented)
#4319 Peds Sports Med - CMH

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider

Radiology
Rheumatology
Ultrasound

UMKC does not have a PM&R residency program.

Psychiatry

Specialty-Specific Options

#3327 Psych Inpatient Sub-I – Behavioral (Metzner)
#1770 Consultation Psych Sub-I – Behavioral (Metzner)
#3377 Addiction Psych - Behavioral (Burgess)
#2136 Inpatient Psych – Behavioral (Moon)
#4525 Adolescent, Adult, and Gender Diverse Outpt - Behavioral (Ganta)
#3133 Psych Behavioral Health – Behavioral (Ovalle)
#3368 Child Psych – Behavioral (Ovalle)
#4352 Psychiatry Sub-I - Behavioral (Ovalle)

Possibly Helpful Options

Forensic Psych - NMPRC St. Joe, MO
#2620 Neuro ICU
#2814 Med Psych Sub-I
#0578 Child & Adolescent Psych - CMH

Radiology - Diagnostic & Interventional

Specialty-Specific Options

#0311 Diagnostic Radiology –UHKC
#0369 Diagnostic Radiology – SLH
#2372 Diagnostic Radiology – KCVA
#3027 Peds Radiology – CMH
#3999 Breast Radiology - Liberty Hospital
#3212 Diagnostic Radiology - St. Joe, MO
#4143 Radiology (Gen) - Mosaic
#2020 Interventional Radiology - SLH
#4726 Interventional Radiology - UHKC
#4187 IR Sub-I - SLH
#4185 Peds IR Sub-I - CMH

Possibly Helpful Options

#2480 Neuroradiology – UHKC
#1205 Neuroradiology – SLH

Notes

IR should consider OOT rotations, we do not have a home program

Urology

Specialty-Specific Options

#0305 Urology– UHKC
#4550 Urology - Mosaic/Phoenix Urology

Possibly Helpful Options

#1082 SICU - UHKC
#2616 Uro Gyn Sub-I - UHKC

Non-Specialty Electives to Consider

Nephrology
Anesthesiology

Notes

OOT rotations strongly recommended

UMKC does not have a Urology residency program