Researching and planning your elective

Your school may have elective links with other organisations. Check these with lecturers and electives advisers. Many schools require students to complete a risk assessment of their chosen elective placement to ensure that any possible risks have been identified and considered.

Elective reports from previous years are usually held by the faculty library and are often a good source of inspiration and recent first-hand information. You can read elective reports that we've collated from students and more about electives in our student journal.

Elective evenings organised by your school are an ideal opportunity to hear from your lecturers and guest speakers, and share ideas with your fellow students. Our liaison managers attend most school electives evenings and will be able to tell you more about indemnity as well as support and resources.

• The British Medical Association (BMA) has a useful library and funding database (open to BMA members).
• The Christian Medical Fellowship provides information on healthcare and openings in the developing world.
• Lonely Planet guides are a great resource to take on your elective.
• The Clegg Scholarship is a work experience placement with BMJ and Student BMJ aimed at students who want to gain insight into medical journalism and medical education. For information on how to apply, go to the student BMJ website