Skip navigation links
Michigan State University
Michigan State University

College of Human Medicine

Lansing Campus
Lansing Campus > Clinical Electives at the Lansing Campus >

MSU-CHM Students

MSU CHM Students

MSU College of Human Medicine students should work through their community assistant dean’s office to schedule electives with the Lansing Community. Students should not reach out to programs or faculty directly to schedule electives.


Some departments require prior approval before we can schedule you in their electives, and some departments also require a supplemental application. If a supplemental application is required, it will be provided when your request is received.


MSU CHM students that have questions about electives should contact the Community Assistant Dean or Student Programs Administrator at their home campus.

About 6 weeks out from the start date of your rotation, you will receive a confirmation letter from our office with more information. It is critical that you review this information carefully.

For electives that occur at UMH-Sparrow Hospital, there is usually no additional onboarding to be completed unless you are scheduled for an Emergency Medicine rotation. Emergency Medicine rotations require a separate EMR training. Information about this training will be sent in your confirmation email.

For electives that occur at McLaren Greater Lansing, there is an onboarding process that must be completed ahead of each rotation. If this is a requirement for your rotation, it will be outlined in your confirmation email.

Some other offices may have additional paperwork or steps to be completed ahead of your rotation so please be sure to carefully review any information sent by our office or the department.


About 6 weeks out from the start date of your rotation, you will receive a welcome letter from our office with more information and next steps for onboarding. It is critical that you review this information carefully as there are usually several action items that need to be completed a few weeks in advance. This letter will also contain information on housing resources, evaluations, and who to contact if you have questions.
If your rotation requires an ID badge, our office will have one printed and available for you to pick up. More information will be sent in your welcome letter.
Your rotation may require access to EPIC or Athena. The details and any required trainings will be outlined in your welcome letter.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure an evaluation is completed and returned to their school. Our office cannot assist with this as we often do not know who your evaluator should be. Please ensure that your campus receives the correct contact information for your evaluator.

MSU CHM Students Clinical Elective FAQs

  • I haven’t received my rotation schedule, what should I do?

    • The distribution of rotation schedules varies by department. Some departments send schedules the week before (often the Thursday or Friday before) and some do not provide them in advance. Anything we know about when you should expect to receive your schedule and who it will come from is outlined in your welcome letter.

    • If it is midday the Friday before your rotation and you have not received a schedule and your welcome letter does not tell you where to report on your first day, please reach out to Bryanna Powers at smit1617@msu.edu for assistance.

  • I have an anticipated absence during my rotation, who should I contact?

    • Please see the “absences” section in your welcome letter and also notify the department.

  • I have an unexpected absence during my rotation, who should I contact?

    • Notify the department as soon as possible, and then see the “absences” section of your student letter.

  • How do I join the waitlist?

    • Work through your community assistant dean’s office to request to join the waitlist.

  • Will I be updated about my waitlist status?

    • Our office cannot provide regular updates about your waitlist status. You should only expect to be contacted if a space has become available for you.

  • Do I have to pay for parking?

    • Your badge will grant you access to the ramp at UMH-Sparrow Hospital, so you will not have to pay for parking there. Parking is not covered at other UMH-Sparrow ramps or on MSU’s campus. See your welcome letter for more specific parking information.

  • Do I need to return my ID badge after my rotation?

    • No, there is no need to return your badge. It is deactivated at the conclusion of your rotation.

  • I just completed EPIC training and I don’t have my credentials yet. What should I do?

    • Credentials are sent out once attendance at the training has been verified, usually around 4 PM on the day of the training, but sometimes the morning after.

  • I have used EPIC at a different hospital before, do I have to complete the training again?

    • Yes. UMH-Sparrow Hospital prefers that their training be completed before granting access to their EMR.

  • I have used EPIC at UMH-Sparrow Hospital before, do I have to complete the training again?

    • It depends. If it has been less than 90 days since you logged into EPIC at UMH-Sparrow Hospital, the training will not need to be completed again. If it has been more than 90 days, the training will need to be completed.

  • Can I access the EMR at home?

    • No. Medical students are not granted remote EMR access

  • Who can I list as the contact for my evaluation?

    • Please reach out to the department you are rotating with to obtain this information.

  • Can you tell me the contact information for my evaluator?

    • Sometimes, but only if you know who your evaluator should be. It is usually best to reach out to the department for questions regarding evaluations.