1.

General Information

An Elective is a clinical placement in a hospital setting as an optional part of a medical degree,

during which one has a chance to observe or take part in clinical work outside the structured
degree course.

The Malta Medical School is pleased to offer students attending other medical schools in foreign
Universities the possibility of undergoing an elective clerkship in Malta. The Electives Programme
in Malta is administered by the Malta Medical Students’ Association (MMSA) in conjunction with the
Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. Malta is one of the most popular places in the world for elective
clerkships and places are limited, thus early application is recommended.

Key points:
1) Only students attending a medical course at Universities other than the University of Malta
are accepted.
2) Elective placements in Malta are primarily observatory in nature and will be certified as
such. There might be some hands-on experience, but this is always at the discretion of the
Consultant responsible for the Firm. Thus all aims and objectives should reflect this role.
3) The Programme runs all year round, rotation in more than one speciality is possible and
there is no limitation on the duration of the electives.
4) Students must have an excellent command of the English language. If this is not so,
problems will be encountered with the consultant and within the department.
5) Medical electives students will not be assessed since the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
only provides assessment to students who are enrolled in one of its courses.

Elective placements in Malta can take place in the following teaching hospitals, depending on the
specialty:
a. Mater Dei Hospital (all specialties, except for Geriatrics, Oncology and Dermatology);
b. Karin Grech Rehabilitation Hospital (Geriatrics);
c. Sir Paul Boffa Hospital (Dermatology);
d. Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre (Oncology).

At the end of your clinical attachment, the Electives Office awards elective students a Certificate of
Attendance. Each student is awarded one certificate per consultant per speciality.


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2. The Application Process

Before starting the application process, please confirm whether you require a VISA or not to come
to Malta. For more information on whether you need a VISA for Malta, please refer to https://
identitymalta.com/visas/ and http://homeaffairs.gov.mt/en/MHAS-Information/Schengen/Pages/
Third-Country-Nationals.aspx

If you do require a VISA to come to Malta, please refer to Section 3.

For students commencing before January 2017

The following documents are required to be e-mailed in .pdf format to the MMSA Electives Officer
at electives@mmsa.org.mt:
1) Application form;
2) A digital passport-sized photo;
3) Scanned copy of the Visa/Residence Permit or Schengen Visa if applicable;
4) A letter of recommendation from the Home University confirming that the applicant is a
current medical student and indicating the year of studies. The letter of recommendation
has to be issued within 1 month prior to the date of application.

For students commencing in January 2017 and later

The following documents are required to be e-mailed in .pdf format to the MMSA Electives Officer
at electives@mmsa.org.mt:
1) Application form and a digital passport-sized photo in the respective section (https://
www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/285580/ApplicationFormElectives20.07.16.pdf);
2) Scanned copy of the Visa/Residence Permit or Schengen Visa if applicable;
3) A letter of recommendation from the Home University confirming that the applicant is a
current medical student and indicating the year of studies. The letter of recommendation
has to be issued within 1 month prior to the date of application.
4) Police Conduct Certificate issued within 1 month prior to the date of application;
5) Evidence of Malpractice Insurance
6) Students who do not speak English as a first language need to submit an official letter of
recommendation from their home University stating that their level of English is adequate
for them to be able to follow the Medical Electives Programme with profit.

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The application form should be submitted not later than 3 months before the
commencement date of the elective period.

3. VISA Requirements

If you do require a VISA to come to Malta, please contact the Electives Office on
medicalelective.ms@um.edu.mt. You will then be asked to apply for a VISA, which can be done at
http://foreignaffairs.gov.mt/en/Pages/Home_Page.aspx

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4. Charges and Payment Procedure for Elective Students

For commencement dates which are before 1st January 2017, the University of Malta applies the
following fees:
1) An application fee of EUR75.00 paid once;
2) An administrative fee of EUR69.88 per week;
3) A VISA/Residence permit supplementary fee of EUR75.00 paid once.

For commencement dates which are after 1st January 2017, the University of Malta applies the
following fees:
1) An application fee of EUR75.00 paid once;
2) An administrative fee of EUR75.00 per week of elective period;
3) A VISA/Residence permit supplementary fee of EUR75.00 paid once.

A typical 4-week Elective Period would therefore cost:

Application fee EUR75

Administrative fee for 4 weeks EUR75 x 4 = EUR 300
VISA/Residence permit supplementary fee EUR75

TOTAL EUR450

5. Acceptance by the University of Malta

After an application is processed, applicants will receive a provisional letter of acceptance from
the Malta Medical Students’ Association. An official acceptance letter will then be sent subject to
the submission and approval of the Health Form as indicated in section D of the application form.
For more information with regards to the Health Form, please refer to (6).

After the official letter of acceptance is sent, an invoice will be issued with the total amount of fees
to be paid. 50% of the total amount of fees due is to be effected 30 days prior to your arrival
in Malta. The bank transfer must indicate the student’s full name and the words “Medical Elective”.


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6. Immunisation and The Health Form

1) The Health Form can be downloaded from http://www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/pdf_file/

0009/285489/HealthFormElectives19.07.16.pdf
2) The Health Form has to be completed by a doctor.
3) The Health Form as well as any results should then be scanned and e-mailed to the Medical
Officer in charge of Occupational Health on robert.a.galea@gov.mt.
4) Copies of ALL test results and documentation should be in ENGLISH. It is important that
they are also scanned and attached to the same e-mail with the Health Form.
5) Insufficient information will require further enquiries and may delay the application
process.

Note:
- The e-mail should be sent not later than 6 weeks before the commencement date of your
elective placement. Failure of submission within this deadline could mean that your
application is withdrawn;
- Health Forms should only be submitted following receipt of the Letter of Acceptance issued by
the University of Malta;
- All students are accepted conditionally subject to the approval of the Health Form and all
the required test results, as well as receipt of payment of 50% of the administration and
application fees;
- Students who are in Malta without prior approval of the Health Form by the Occupational Health
Unit will therefore NOT be allowed to start their medical elective placement until the Health Form
is approved.


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7. Specialties and Teaching

Elective placements in Malta can take place in the following teaching hospitals, depending on the
specialty:
a. Mater Dei Hospital (all specialties, except for Geriatrics, Oncology and Dermatology)
b. Karin Grech Rehabilitation Hospital (Geriatrics)
c. Sir Paul Boffa Hospital (Dermatology)
d. Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre (Oncology)

For Medicine, places are available in the following specialties, subject to a first-come first-served
basis:
- Acute Medicine;
- Cardiology;
- Endocrinology;
- Gastroenterology;
- Geriatrics;
- Infectious disease;
- Neurology;
- Oncology;
- Renal;
- Respiratory;
- Rheumatology.

For Surgery, places are available in the following specialties, subject to a first-come first-served
basis:
- Anaesthesia;
- Cardiothoracic;
- ENT;
- General Surgery;
- Neurology;
- Orthopaedics;
- Paediatric (only offered to final year students);
- Plastic Surgery;
- Urology.

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Other specialties include:
- Accident and Emergency (only offered to final year students);
- Haematology;
- Hyperbaric Unit;
- Pathology;
- Radiology.

When applying for Medicine and Surgery, students are kindly asked to specify whether they
have any preference for any medical/surgical specialty.

There are some specialties which do not offer medical elective placements throughout the
whole year. These include Ophthalmology (June-January only), Obstetrics and
Gynaecology (June-September only), Paediatrics (July-September only) and Dermatology
(February-September only).

*Placements in Accident and Emergency as well as in Paediatrics are offered only to final
year medical students. Students NOT in their final year will therefore not be considered.

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8. General Note for all Electives

Elective Clerkships are available Mondays to Saturdays. There are no sessions on Sundays and
Public Holidays.

Unless directed otherwise by the Consultant, elective students are generally expected to be with
the Firm they are attached to as follows:
- Monday to Friday from: 0800hrs to 1430hrs
- Saturday from: 0800hrs to 1300hrs.
Theatre sessions may be held in the afternoons, depending on the consultant’s schedule.

Elective Clerkships are offered in blocks of one week each. A week is any period of 7 days; thus a
clerkship week which for example starts on a Thursday ends on the Wednesday of the following
week.

Students cannot have their placements solely at the operating theatre, but will be operating
according to the Firm’s schedule.

9. Dress Code for the Elective Placement

Neat clothes must be worn in the hospital. Denim (jeans) is not allowed. For more information
please refer to our dress-code which can be found at http://www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/pdf_file/
0003/285483/DressCodeasat19.07.16.pdf

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10. Certification

At the end of your clinical attachment the Electives Office awards Elective students a Certificate of
Attendance. Each student is awarded one certificate per consultant per speciality.

Please refer to the specimen of certificates provided by the Medical Electives Programme. These
certificates are acknowledged by all universities.

Note that the certificates will only be issued upon completion of the FULL elective period.
Requests for certification to be issued more than a week prior to the completion of the
elective will not be entertained unless there is a very good reason. The decision of the
Electives Office representative and the National Electives Coordinator is final in all such
situations.

Copies of all certificates issued by your University that are to be officially signed and stamped by
the University of Malta on termination of an observatory clinical attachment are to be sent with the
official application form when applying.

11. Cancellations and Refunds

Cancellation of the Elective Programme may be effected by sending an email to the Electives
Office on medicalelective.ms@um.edu.mt and electives@mmsa.org.mt. Any bank charges
involved in the refund transaction shall be paid by the student.

The following policy applies:

a. Cancellation up to 1 month prior to commencement date of the elective period: 50% of amount
paid will be refunded;
b. Cancellation up to 2 weeks prior to commencement date of the elective period: 25% of amount
paid will be refunded;
c. Cancellation between 2 weeks prior to the commencement date and after commencement of
your elective period: There will be NO refund.

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12. Frequently Asked Questions

You can download a copy of FAQs via the following link:

http://www.um.edu.mt/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/285578/FAQsElectives20.07.16.pdf


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13. Accommodation

The MMSA Electives team takes care of allocating you in modern, comfortable apartments with our
residence being located in Sliema, a touristic shopping town. It also has easy access to our capital
city, Valletta, along with easy access to the teaching hospitals and University campus via Malta’s
public transport system (more information on https://www.publictransport.com.mt/).

This is to spare you from the burden of finding yourself a residence and from the doubt of not
choosing an affordable, sociable and accessible place. Accommodation is booked for groups of
electives students so that you pay less than if you were to book accommodation for yourself or for
small groups. Kindly note that all MMSA apartments are therefore on a shared basis.
Moreover, students booking accommodation with us will have a free pickup from Malta’s
International Airport to the Sliema residence, along with bed clothing.

If you are interested, kindly contact our MMSA Electives Officer on electives@mmsa.org.mt. Our
Electives team is more than eager to help!

Our residence - Formes Apartments, Sliema

Formes Apartments are mostly available from March till September and each apartment
accommodates a maximum of 6 students. The apartments boast of a sea view, 3 twin bedrooms, 2
bathrooms, a kitchen, and 2 separate living rooms.

The apartment block is in the close vicinity of a seaside promenade, 2 supermarkets and a
shopping plaza. A bus stop is 1-2 minutes away and connects you to Valletta (capital city), teaching
hospitals and University campus directly.

Accommodation Rates

1st October – 30th April: EUR14/day

1st May – 30th September: EUR18/day

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Booking & Payment

- Booking for MMSA accommodation should be done once the official elective confirmation
is received. Marking on the application is only indicative.
- Once the official confirmation is received, kindly send your arrival and departure dates to the
MMSA Electives Officer, in order to confirm availability and booking.
- With regards to payment details, these will be sent to you approximately one month
before your arrival date from the MMSA Electives Financial Representative.

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