Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

I completed an elective 2 months ago but I forgot to register. The faculty member agreed to fill out an evaluation form for me. Can I receive retroactive credit?

No, you cannot receive retroactive credit for an elective. You must register for an elective BEFORE the start date of the elective. You will not receive retroactive credit. Even if you have confirmation from an elective coordinator or faculty preceptor, you must be formally registered, and the elective must be in your registration summary on Empower. If you have questions about your registration contact [e-mail].

What happens after I register electronically? And how do I know if I’m really registered?

Once submitted, an email is automatically generated and sent to the departmental elective coordinator, requesting your spot. You can find the contact information for the coordinator in the catalog description in Empower.

The elective coordinator is the administrator in the department responsible for the elective and works with the elective faculty to schedule students. You will also get an email from Empower saying your elective is “Pending Approval.”

If the coordinator approves your request, it is forwarded to the Office of the Registrar for final approval. When approved by the Registrar you will receive an email confirming your registration.

If you are denied, you will receive an email stating that your request has been denied and thus you are not registered and will need to choose another elective or the same elective at a time there is space available. Remember that you must get confirmation from the registrar that you are officially registered for your elective.

What happens if I don’t get confirmation from the elective coordinator within 2 weeks of my request?

Sometimes the elective coordinator does not respond to your request in a timely manner. First, you should contact the elective coordinator directly via email or phone. If you still do not receive a response, please reach out to the Curricular Affairs Electives Team ([e-mail], [e-mail]).

Why did I get denied an elective?

You may be denied registration for several reasons, most commonly it’s because the spots are filled or the elective cannot offer the elective at the time requested (e.g. faculty member on vacation). You can always reach out to the elective coordinator or faculty director for the elective if you have a question regarding availability during another time.

What if I don’t see the elective I want offered in the Empower catalog?

If you don’t see an elective you’re interested in, you can design a tailor-made clinical elective or tailor-made research/non-clinical elective. These electives are designed by you with the support of a faculty mentor. If you need guidance creating these electives, you can reach out to the Director of Medical Student Electives for tailor-made clinical electives or the Director of MSRO for tailor-made research/non-clinical electives. The corresponding application must be completed and approved to take these electives and can be found on the Registrar’s website.

How do I know that I have received credit for my elective?

You can log into Empower and go to the Empower Registration page to check the status of your elective credit; all electives will appear in the Registration Summary list. If you think you are missing an elective grade, contact [e-mail].

How do I know if there are extra registration requirements for an elective in the Empower catalog?

In the description of the elective there is an area for “Extra Registration Requirements”. This section will let you know who to contact or what to do either before or after registering for the elective on Empower. To complete your registration and receive credit all registration requirements must be completed.

What do I have to do if I want to take an elective in the Empower Catalog at Elmhurst Hospital or the Bronx VA?

Any elective at Elmhurst Hospital and the Bronx VA have extra compliance requirements that must be completed before you start your elective. You can find information regarding who to contact in the elective description.

What do I have to do if I want to take the MED 1416: Medicine and Mass Incarceration: Health Care at Riker’s Island elective?

Before registering on Empower you must contact Dr. Singh letting her know you’re interested in taking the elective. She will give you further instructions.

MedEd will cover your transportation (round trip rides) and will be processed as a reimbursement. You may use your own personal Uber account and then submit 1) your ride receipts and 2) your credit card statement with associated ride charges (the statement must include your name and the associated charge - If you prefer, you may redact other information prior to submission). We also recommend you keep an Excel table to track your rides by date and amounts.

What if I have more questions?

The curricular affairs team, Dr. Vasundhara Singh and Juliette Wertz can be reached at [e-mail] with any questions you may have regarding electives advising.

For technical questions related to Empower you can reach the Assistant Registrar, Kamila Bryson at [e-mail]