Placement Allocation: Frequently Asked Questions
Each year the TMU and MU MEPs recruit placements from around the province. There are separate “lotteries” for the Fundamentals placements and for the Senior placements. Placement staff publish a timeline and send detailed information to students about the placement allocation process about six months prior to the placement. Using a database, students prioritize which of the available placement regions in their assigned area they would prefer. A random lottery assigns students to maximize the number of students who will receive their top choices. Some students may be eligible for designated placements.
On admission, each student is assigned to a placement area - for TMU, it is either the GOA or the GTA. Each area is divided into regions. For maps of the areas and lists of practices in each region, see the Clinical Teaching and Learning section of the TMU Midwifery website.
Practices designated as northern are prioritized for northern students. Some practices offer designated placements that are prioritized for students who identify as Indigenous, Black, or as Racialized/Persons of Colour. Some practices offer placements which require language fluency, most commonly in French, Spanish or Mandarin and Cantonese. The placement allocation process allows students to indicate if a designated placement is their preference. Black and Indigenous students are allowed to select a designated placement from any region in the province.
Students are not able to change the area into which they are admitted. However, they can apply for consideration for an Out of Area placement. Out of area placements are offered after all students in their respective assigned area are placed.
Students work with Academic Accommodation Support to assess possible accommodations in placements for medical or disability reasons. There are essential capacities required for participation in this program - see Essential Requirements for Study in Undergraduate Midwifery Programs in Ontario. For example students must be able to be on call and be able to work several nights per week.
Students must have all placement requirements verified through Synergy and received by the program in order to participate in the placement allocation process and start a placement.
Although most students receive one of their top three choices of the available placements, all students need to be prepared to relocate for placements. Placements may not be available in the location where you are hoping to be placed.