Artier

Would recommend staying away from ophtho if this is true

sounds like you made the right decision

It could also potentially be a game-changer for virtual work, as currently I believe at least in Ontario both the provider and patient have to be physically within Ontario to bill. This may increase opportunity for things like counseling, teleradiology, etc.

I think this is the best advice. If you're looking for a safe "formula" for letters, I would do a research project at your home program and then ask to work with that same staff during your home elective (or shadow them for a few days outside of a formal elective), then ask them for a mixed research/clinical letter. The remaining two letters can be from any other specialties that you performed well in clinically and the staff liked you.

I would hold off until staff tbh.

Personally I found UWorld overkill. The MCC posts "learning objectives" for the Medical Expert related content tested (see https://mcc.ca/objectives/expert/). I just copied and pasted these into a word document and went down the list reading through Toronto Notes/my notes from medical school on each topic listed until I got to the end. Other than Medical Expert content, the exam also had a fair amount tested on medical ethics type stuff which I didn't spend any time preparing for as I thought they were straightforward/common sense.

I think they're referring to writing the MCCQE1 at the end of 3rd year of med school? If this is the case, I believe you can but you need approval from your undergradute medical education office.

It depends on the specialty as some have different training times in Canada versus the US. If the training in the US for the specialty is equal to or greater than Canada, then I believe it is not hard to come back. I believe if the training time is shorter in the US (e.g. ER is 3 years in the US and 5 in Canada), you have to get some kind of additional training or supervised practice first, although I'm not entirely sure of the specifics.

If you graduated from a Canadian medical school prior to 2026, do you still have to go through ECFMG certification? i.e. as a current resident, will I need to write the USMLEs to do a fellowship in the US in 2026 on a J1 visa?

Would CMGs who graduated medical school before 2025, but will be applying for fellowship starting 2026 will also need the USMLEs now for the J1?

Just looked up the Conrad 30 Waiver Program, the only issue seems to be that when you work in the US under this program for 3 years (as an exception to the 2 year return to Canada requirement of the J1), you are required to do it under an H1B visa so this would still require the completion of the USMLE's in my understanding. Otherwise, you raise an excellent point that someone who wants to do a fellowship at a particular institution in the US which doesn't offer H1B can still do so under a J1 provided that they have their USMLE's done.

Good to know. Looks like the main hurdle is obtaining a visa/GC but besides that the USMLE isn't specifically needed. Can you elaborate on the bolded sentence? I was under the impression that most people working there post-residency also did so on an H1B visa. Is this not the case?

Do we know how the LMCC exams are treated now that the MCCQE Part II no longer exists? Do the states which previously considered it equivalent now consider Part I to be equivalent to the entire USMLE series? I find it difficult to believe that it will now be accepted in place of the USMLE in any state.

Can you provide a source for this?

You certainly can. My school had an anatomy course but I still mostly learned it myself through Netter's and online apps.