Med School/life After Medschool

[unkn0wnfutur3]

Hey future docs,

 I'm quite interested in the field, but aren't very informed of what actually happens after 4 years of medical school. Can someone briefly explain the processes of writing board exams, getting residency, specializing, so on and so forth?

As well, how are different medical schools in Ontario different in terms of teaching style, and Job prospective (ex. chance of getting matched in residency/getting a job)

Thank you everyone

[TechToMD]

In your last year of medical school you apply for residency in whichever specialty you are interested in doing and spend the next 2-6 years training in that specialty while also getting paid ~70k/year (varies by province and increases with each subsequent year of residency). After residency you can choose to subspecialize further by doing fellowships.

At the end of medical school you write the LMCC exam and at the end of your residency you write the CFPC for family medicine or Royal College exam for your specialty. At this point you can independently practice.

Also at some point in residency you have to write the LMCC 2 exam (?), I think after 1st year (?), but I'm not totally sure.

[Guest]

In your last year of medical school you apply for residency in whichever specialty you are interested in doing and spend the next 2-6 years training in that specialty while also getting paid ~70k/year (varies by province and increases with each subsequent year of residency). After residency you can choose to subspecialize further by doing fellowships.

 

At the end of medical school you write the LMCC exam and at the end of your residency you write the CFPC for family medicine or Royal College exam for your specialty. At this point you can independently practice.

 

Also at some point in residency you have to write the LMCC 2 exam (?), I think after 1st year (?), but I'm not totally sure.

What are you supposed to do during med school? In terms of activities (except for getting good grades)

[OwnerOfTheTARDIS]

What are you supposed to do during med school? In terms of activities (except for getting good grades)

Good grades really only matter in pre-med. In med school, you only need to pass (>65% I think) and then demonstrate competency in clerkship and rotations etc.

In addition to that, most med students do observations on their free time and some do research.

[rmorelan]

Good grades really only matter in pre-med. In med school, you only need to pass (>65% I think) and then demonstrate competency in clerkship and rotations etc.

In addition to that, most med students do observations on their free time and some do research.

 

sure depends on the school - you are still trying to get "good grades" because that means you learned the medicine. I mean that is why you are there after all, ha. Moreover that is what will save you in clerkship/electives as the evaluation may be less formal but it also more critical as residency LORs and just impression of your surrounding staff it pretty important. 

 

the second LMCC exam is in first year of residency or for some in early second year. 

[OwnerOfTheTARDIS]

sure depends on the school - you are still trying to get "good grades" because that means you learned the medicine. I mean that is why you are there after all, ha. Moreover that is what will save you in clerkship/electives as the evaluation may be less formal but it also more critical as residency LORs and just impression of your surrounding staff it pretty important.

 

the second LMCC exam is in first year of residency or for some in early second year.

 

True! I should have described competency in a more wholistic sense - you need to know the material in order to be competent as a future physician. I was merely trying to illustrate that beyond passing, I believe the pressure to know the material is largely self-driven since there isn't formal letter grades

[indefatigable]

What are you supposed to do during med school? In terms of activities (except for getting good grades)

 

True! I should have described competency in a more wholistic sense - you need to know the material in order to be competent as a future physician. I was merely trying to illustrate that beyond passing, I believe the pressure to know the material is largely self-driven since there isn't formal letter grades

 

The francophone medical schools do still use letter grades, at least all at a pre-clinical level.  They can be important for matching to certain specialties in some (francophone) faculties.  

 

 

 

[rmorelan]

True! I should have described competency in a more wholistic sense - you need to know the material in order to be competent as a future physician. I was merely trying to illustrate that beyond passing, I believe the pressure to know the material is largely self-driven since there isn't formal letter grades

 

ha - I certainly didn't think you were implying people should slack off  

[shikimate]

Generally: MD School --> Residency --> Fellowship (optional) --> Locum (optional) --> Full time staff/consultant

 

To be licensed for independent practice: LMCC Part 1 (last year of med school) --> LMCC Part 2 (first year of residency) --> Complete residency --> Specialty exam --> subspecialty exam (if applicable) --> full licensed independent practitioner --> Maintenance of Certification activities (to keep your license)

 

For USA: USMLE step 1 (year 2 of med school) --> step 2 CK (after 3rd year) --> step 2 CS (after 3rd year) --> step 3 (first year of residency) --> Specialty exam --> subspecialty exam (if applicable) --> Maintenance of Certification activities (depending on your state)

[1D7]

Everyone's got everything basically covered but to add to that, there's a huge difference in time spent training depending on what you'll want to do.

 

Doing family medicine means you'll spend 2 years in residency before getting a job (3 years if you do a 'plus one' to get a broader scope of practice). 

 

For almost everything else you're looking at 5 years of residency minimum. I say minimum because for many specialties it has become commonplace to do a fellowship (i.e. subspecialty training) after residency, meaning an additional 1-2 years of training. 

 

After residency the difficulty finding a job depends on your specialty, as well as geographical constraints.