FAQs for Undergraduate (graduate) Elective Training Programmes

1. Who can apply?

Any medical student from any country can apply. They should have started the clinical terms of their medical course by the time of the proposed elective.

2. I am an Indian National/Non resident Indian doing my medical studies in another country. Does it make it any easier for me to do the elective?

Yes it does. If you are an Indian National or a Non Resident Indian (NRI) and your passport clearly states that your Nationality is Indian, then, we do not have to take the permission of the Medical Council for you. This means: You need to send only ONE bank draft for Rs. 1000 for the Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Pondicherry and need NOT send the other one for the Medical Council of India. Also, the time for processing your application and had hence the lead-time required for your application can be reduced to just 6 weeks providing that vacancies for electives exist during the period desired by you.

3. When should I apply?

You should apply at least 5 months in advance of your anticipated date of commencement of the elective.

4. How long can the elective period be?

Minimum - 3 weeks; maximum - 12 weeks (for exceptions, please see the next point).In addition, if during an elective period, of say, 3 weeks, you choose to rotate through more than one specialty, this is also generally possible subject to availability of vacancies.

5. Is it possible to spend a period of 4 months, which is required in Germany and do you have something like practical year (last year of medical studies) for your students?

We will consider requests for an elective of period of 4 months on a case to case basis. As a rule only three months is permitted. Please note that after 3 months, an additional sum of fees as for 3 months will have to be paid.

Yes. We have a year of practical training (called internship) as the last year of medical training.

6.  Which time of the year are electives offered?

All through the year.

7. Which time of the year is the best?

August to February is the recommended period - as the weather is pleasant - (12 - 23 degrees C) From October / November we have heavy rains. Commuting may be difficult for a few days during this period.  However, this is also the time when most infectious diseases like malaria, gastroenteritis, typhoid, leptospirosis etc occur. March to June is hot (38 - 42 degrees C).

8. How many students do you accept? Is there any vacancy now?

There is no real limit on the number of students we can take. We have a large teaching program and vacancies invariably exist. However, you are advised to indicate your period for the elective after due thought as it may be impossible for us to change the dates of the electives once decided upon.  

9. Does the fee depend on the period?

For any period up to 12 weeks, the fees are  Rs. 12,000. Beyond 12 weeks, up to 24 weeks an additional approximately, Rs. 12,000 has to be paid.

10.Should I bring a cheque for the tuition fee or cash, rupees or US $?

You can pay only in Indian rupees. This has to be in the form of cash or demand drafts (not personal cheques). These drafts can be made in Pondicherry after your arrival. The drafts have to be in favour of "Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences" payable at Pondicherry.

11.Where are the letters to the Medical Council of India and the Government of India to be sent?

Send everything in a single envelope to us and we will handle the rest.

12. What shall we write for question 7: Applicant's likely address in India during stay?

If you know the address - write it here. If you do not, say "not yet finalised".

13. Is it a problem that at present I don't have a likely address in India ?

No. Simply state that the address in India is not decided.

14. What is meant by question 16 in Proforma A: "Have you taken the minimum time to reach the stage of the course, if not, explain"?

This is simply to see if you have failed and have had to repeat any terms. If not simply say "I have taken the minimum time".

15. I have passed almost all my medical examinations. By the time I plan to come to India, I will certainly have done so. Is it necessary to specify all those examinations or does "all exams" suffice? (question 11 in Proforma A)?

Mention the various medical examinations that you have passed such as first year exam, second year exam or similar exams

 16. What does the "letter of recommendation from the Dean mean"

This can be in the form of letter  addressed either to Director P.I.M.S " or "To whomsoever it may Concern" stating that applicant is a bonafide student of that college and is of good standing and has the permission from his institution to undertake the elective".

17. Will it be possible for me to be specifically attached to particular departments during my elective?

Yes. In your application material or covering letter, mention the specialties you would be interested in.

18. How does the allocation of elective posts work? How would I be informed about it?

In your application material, or covering letter, mention the specialties in which you would be interested. Almost always, you will be allowed to do the elective in the subject of your choice. We will inform you specifically only if this is NOT possible.

19. In training for foreign medical students, is it possible for me to apply for several specialists in 3 weeks? For example, general surgery for 1 week, internal medicine for 1 week, infectious disease for 1 week?

Yes. This is possible if you indicate it in your application material.

20.Is there any outreach clinic in rural area? And, can elective students be allowed to join such kind of clinic?

Yes. We have an outreach clinic. You have to ask for this specifically and this is assigned by our Preventive and Social Medicine department. The outreach clinic is about 25 KM away from the college.

21. Are 6 photocopies of my Belgian identity-card sufficient?

In Belgium, all citizens have identity- cards and passports are needed only when travelling in foreign countries.

 No, we need photocopies of your passports.

22. What are bank drafts?

These are called demand drafts in India. There are the same as "Pay orders" or "Bankers' Cheques".

23. In what currency should the bank drafts be?

Indian rupees; not US$ or such. Some students from Germany have particular problem with this. You may have to approach different banks for this. Please note that this payment can only be in the form of a demand draft and in Indian rupees only. Those who have problems with this, can ask their friends or relatives in Pondicherry (if they have any) to make demand drafts in India and send it to the college with clear mention of what the drafts are being sent for.

24. What bank drafts do we have to provide?

You have to provide two drafts. One for the Medical Council of India for Rs. 5000/- and the other in favour of the Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences for Rs. 1000/-

25. We are two of us coming together during the same period. Can we send common bank drafts?

Yes. If two or more of you are coming at the same time, you can send common bank drafts. But the drafts for the Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Pondicherry and the Medical Council of India should be separate.

26. Is it possible to have a family member/friend within India mail these drafts to you separate from the my application that I will mail from here?

Yes. This can be done. However, the drafts should be accompanied by a letter clearly stating on whose behalf these drafts are being sent.

27. We were under the impression that the processing fee for the Medical Council of India was Rs. 500. We now see that this has been changed to Rs. 5000. Why has this been done?

Effective June 1, 2007, the Medical Council of India has increased its processing fee for giving permissions for electives from Rs. 500 to Rs. 5000. As we have no control over this, we have changed the processing fee accordingly. Please note that the processing fee for the Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences remains unchanged at Rs. 1000.

28. How will we know if we have been accepted or if you have even received our application?

About 2 - 3 weeks after you mail your application material, if you do not receive any communication from us, please send e-mail to pimsmmm@sify.com regarding your application material. As a rule, we seldom reject students who fulfill our requirements. It takes up to 4 - 5 months to receive all clearances from agencies in India. Please check with us about 3 months after you send in your application regarding the status of your application.

29. Is the fee to be attached with the application form?

No, only the demand drafts. The fees are to be paid once you arrive in the college. They can be paid by cash or demand drafts (these can be made from local banks here in Pondicherry).

30. How is the matter of Visa handled? Is that arranged through my application, or do I have to apply for one through the Indian embassy here?

You have to arrange for visa in your country before you leave for India . You can come in for an elective ONLY on \a student's visa. If you come any other visa, we will not be able to take you for an elective.

31. Details of whom to contact on arrival.

You should contact the reception at the ground floor of the ETC block. They would direct you to the concerned person who would help you out on arrival. You would also be required to report to the Office of the Director at 8:00 am before your begin your program. The office is situated on the fifth floor of the ETC block.

32. Can we start the elective even before you receive approvals from the government authorities?

No. You can start your electives only after we receive permission from the Medical Council of India. Please confirm after about 12 weeks of sending your application.

33. What is the language of communication?

English is the language of teaching and communication amongst consultants, residents, medical students and nursing staff. Only a few patients speak English. Hence, for communicating with patients, knowledge of Tamil, Hindi and other Indian languages will help. Fellow students or paramedical personnel help in interpreting.

34. Are there any local students? Will there be other elective students?

Yes. Local students are invariably posted except during vacation times. So too, there may be other elective students.

35. Is there a dress code?

White coats- full or half sleeves- are compulsory when entering the hospital area, you are not allowed to wear
T Shirts & Jeans.

36. Should we prepare our vaccination record before our elective study, and whom should we give them to?

The hospital has no special vaccination requirements. You can be guided by the Visa requirements for this.

37. Can you make arrangements for me to stay?

Limited accommodation is available for students in the hostel on the campus.  Please write in at pimsmmm@sify.com. 

38. We are willing to stay in hostels or hotels, but worry about availability in Pondicherry. Would you be able to provide any assistance in this matter?

Many hotel rooms are available in Pondicherry for all budget needs, you can look for them on your arrival here. Unfortunately, we cannot help you with hotel room booking.

39. What arrangements are possible for meals?

The hospital has three canteens / cafeterias which serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are small eat outs just outside the campus but are generally not recommended.

40. Other than the fee for the elective course itself, is there any other payment necessary for our elective study?

No.

41. I will be arriving at Chennai airport. Will there be a shuttle service picking me up from the airport, and if yes how much will it cost?

There are no shuttle services. Please hire a prepaid taxi at the airport. The fare to the hospital will be around   Rs. 2000 (non A/C).

42. Is there anything else we need that may not be listed on your website?

No. We need no further documentation. The details on the website are up to date.

43. Is post exposure prophylaxis available for HIV.

Yes. It is available on the campus.

44. What about immunisations?

Make sure that all the major vaccinations like MMR, DTP, Polio, etc are up to date and also that Malaria chemoprophylaxis is taken. Rabies and Japanese encephalitis shots are not necessary. While in Pondicherry, you are advised not to eat uncooked food and preferably stick to bottled water.

45. Is your medical school a University Medical Center?

Yes. We are affiliated to the Pondicherry Central University.  

46. There is some delay in getting the bank drafts, shall I send the application first and the bank drafts later.

No. There is nothing we can do with the application without the bank drafts. So please send all material together.

47. What type of electrical outlets India has and; what do I need to use my appliances there?

We have 220V AC. The plugs have round connections.

49. What is the telephone number of the college and hospital?

91- 413-2656271, 2656272 - is the telephone numbers for the college and the hospital.

51. In case of an emergency,  is there an evacuation plan for foreigners?

There has been no need for this in the last 60 years! But the government will have contingency plans.

52. If I got sick while on elective, would I be able to access health care?

Yes.

53. Is there internet access at the university and hospital and is it available 24 hours a day?

All departments have internet access - so does the library. There are many cyber cafes around the campus.

54.Can we fax the application forms to P.I.M.S now so that the respective supervisors can sign them and return it to us via mail or fax?

The certificate of competition will be issued only after the elective is over and all forms will be signed only after you complete the elective.

55. Can you tell me if I have to pay the whole fee (Rs. 24,000 for 16 weeks) when I arrive, or do I have to pay Rs. 12,000 when I arrive and again Rs. 12,000 when 12 weeks have passed?

You pay all in one go