Free mover clinical clerkships
Students interested in spending a period of clinical practice abroad can enroll as Free Movers (Fee-paying Visiting Students, or Independent Students, or Contract Students) at selected foreign University Hospitals, where they can attend part of the clinical clerkhips planned in their Medical curriculum. Those clinical activities that are specifically considered for providing the Qualificating Degree (Evaluation internships) cannot be included in the Free Mover program.
The Free Mover Clinical Clerkship program is an optional part of the training program and, as such, it must be accounted for. Students not willing to participate in it can attend all clinical rotations at the University of Milan. The Clerkship abroad represents a mutual contract between Supervisors and Students, and it is subject to supervision by the IMS Faculty.
Aims of the Free Mover Clinical Clerkship program will be:
- to provide students with an international experience in their working field during the last years of their medical course, with an international vision on medical, paramedical, and medico-social aspects;
- to extend and consolidate their knowledge in areas of interest and/or weakness;
- to provide students with the opportunity to explore specific aspects of specific topics in depth in a different international environment;
- to encourage students thinking about their future, and to provide them with the opportunity for contacts and networking in possible future vocational areas;
- to allow some students to complete their training from a different perspective, by studying topics not directly related to their own future vocation;
- to encourage students' sense of initiative and responsibility.
The Free Mover Clinical Clerkship program is available to the students of the International Medical School (IMS), during their 3rd to 6th year, respecting the mandatory attendance at lectures. Therefore, the Free Mover period cannot take place when mandatory didactic activities are planned.
The duration of the Free Mover period is based on the equivalence: 1 ECTS = 25 hours = 1 week.
Optional clerkships (for students enrolled since 2022/23 academic year) have to be acquired in blocks of 3 ECTS, as listed in their IMS Programme description.
University of Milan has singled out a list of Institutions, recognized as centers of excellence for education relative to each Country, among which the students are encouraged to choose their destination. The list of foreign Institutions reported below is to be considered as the preferential list in terms of possibility of recognition of the tuition received by Free Mover students at foreign institutions. Clinical rotations in Insitutions other than those included in the list will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
International students and students with dual citizenship are discouraged to apply for Institutions in the Countries they are citizens of. Particular requests will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
Students will have to fund all their travel, board and accommodation expenses during their period abroad, and any extra fee due abroad.
Students applying to the Free Mover Program will have to:
- preliminarily contact the hosting Institution abroad to request programs, deadlines, fees, and all the information they need in order to finalize the enrollment procedures;
- obtain the approval by IMS Academic Board by sending an email to erasmus.ims@unimi.it with the following documents:
- Free Mover Application Form: filled in all its parts and signed by the student;
- University Tutor Letter: filled in the upper section reserved to the student (this letter will be returned to the student signed by the Head of IMS Academic Board; the signed letter will then be needed for the next step).
- submit their request to the COSP, following the procedure Activating an internship abroad described.
As the period is influenced by the availability of the hosting institution to accept foreign students, it is suggested that students plan their period abroad well in advance.
Upon return to Milan, students will have to provide the Free Mover Evaluation Report completed in ALL its parts, with clear and readable stamp and signature of the hosting institution.
Forms in which any of their part is missing will not be considered as valid, and the student will not be granted any corresponding ECTS. In such case, the clinical rotations will have to be attended at the University of Milan.
The Reports are a formal account of the student's experience. They are the basis on which the student's performance during the period is judged. Failure to provide a satisfactory report will result in non-recognition of the clinical clerkship attended abroad.
Students must submit a copy of their evaluation report to (erasmus.ims@unimi.it) no later than 14 days after the end of the Free Mover period.