The Lowy International School and the Gray Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences are excited to announce the opportunity for TAU medical students to participate in clinical rotations though our international medical electives exchange program. We encourage applicants who will use the elective to observe diverse care approaches, acquire practical skills, and bring back ideas to strengthen patient care in Israel. Acceptance to the program is required before placement at any partner institution is considered.

This is a fantastic chance to expand your clinical expertise, explore different medical specialties, and immerse yourself in diverse healthcare systems around the world.

Key Details

• Eligibility: Open to medical students in their clinical year(s) of the Four Year or Six Year MD programs who are in good academic and professional standing.

Please note: some host institutions may require you to be a final year student at time of rotation.

Clerkships required: You must have passed the Medicine, OB/GYN, Pediatrics, Surgery, and Psychiatry core clerkships before the host’s application deadline.

Important: Electives must not conflict with required courses, clerkships, or other program duties.  All questions regarding TAU elective time blocks should be directed to the medical school.

• Duration: Electives will typically last 2-4 weeks, depending on the program.
• Locations:
  • Brown University - USA  
  • McMaster University - Canada
  • Medical University of Gratz - Austria under the Erasmus scheme
  • Northwestern University - USA 
  • University of Pennsylvania - USA for last year students
• Specialties available: Dependent on the program

TAU Elective Time Blocks

Important: chosen elective dates must not conflict with required courses and academic responsibilities

Application Process

1. Submit Your Application: Please complete the online application form and submit it, along with all the required documents, by August 31, 2026.

2. Selection Criteria: Applications will be reviewed based on academic performance, motivation, and relevant experience.

3. Notification: Selected candidates will be notified.

 Upon acceptance, students will be contacted by The Lowy International School for further instructions. Following this, they will be required to:

• Sign a travel declaration
• Purchase their own travel medical insurance.

Additional steps with the host institutions may also be required.

Any infringements will result in a Professionalism Committee hearing upon return.

Recommendations:

Letter of recommendation must be from a faculty member who has observed you clinically. The letter must comment on your clinical abilities and performance, and must be in English.

In order to properly submit your recommendations for clinical rotations, please give out this link to both your recommenders - Link for recommendation 

After your recommenders have filled out the form, the recommendations will be directly sent to the reviewing committee, with no need for further action on your part.

Statement of Interest

Statement of interest describing your motivation, goals, and experience—up to 1000 words. Below are some questions to consider in your response:

• Why do you want to do a medical elective abroad, and what do you hope to achieve?
• How does this elective fit your overall career goals in medicine?
• What healthcare-related volunteer or extracurricular activities have you done? Please describe.
• Give an example of effective teamwork (situation, your role, outcome).
• How do you respond to constructive feedback or criticism? What changed after the feedback?
• Describe a challenging situation in your studies/clinical training and how you overcame it.
• How do you decide what to do when asked to do tasks beyond your current expertise?
• How will you adapt to a new culture and communication style in clinical settings?
• If elective timing/schedule/department changes during the application process, how will you respond?
• Describe a time you had to adjust expectations due to rules, policies, or limited resources.
• How will you contribute to the team and support patient care safely and respectfully?
• What is your greatest strength in a clinical setting, and how do you use it?
• How do you reflect on experiences to support continuous learning and improvement?

Benefits of participating

• Gain hands-on clinical experience in a supportive environment.
• Network with professionals and peers in your field of interest.
• Enhance your understanding of healthcare delivery and patient care.
• Exposure to international medical standards.

We encourage you to take advantage of this enriching opportunity!

For general program questions:  intmedelectv@tauex.tau.ac.il

For academic inquiries regarding eligibility: yifatr@tauex.tau.ac.il