Electives
Elective experiences provide medical students with focused opportunities to deepen learning in a specific area of interest. Within PRTP, electives may support exposure to pediatric research, scholarly activity, quality improvement, project-based learning, or related educational experiences that align with the student's program requirements and available supervision.
Purpose
Electives allow students to pursue more targeted learning in an area that complements their medical education. These experiences may be especially valuable for students with a defined academic interest, career goal, or project focus who would benefit from structured exposure within Cook Children's.
Possible Areas of Focus
Elective experiences may include project support, research-related learning, literature review, evidence synthesis, scholarly writing, data-oriented work, educational material development, or observation and participation in approved activities relevant to the elective goals. The exact structure depends on the scope of the elective and the supervising team.
How Electives Are Structured
Electives should have clear goals, a feasible scope, identified supervision, and shared expectations for time, deliverables, and communication. PRTP can help support planning for elective experiences that are appropriately scoped and educationally meaningful.
Who This May Be For
This pathway may be appropriate for medical students who are seeking a more focused or time-limited educational experience than a full longitudinal research pathway. Availability depends on project fit, departmental readiness, and supervision capacity.
Interested in an Elective?
Students exploring an elective opportunity through PRTP can contact the PRTP team to discuss goals, timing, and potential fit at prtp@cookchildrens.org.
Explore other medical student pathways available through PRTP.