R1 match data graphs

[anesthete]

Hi all

I was looking through these charts on the carms site. I'm wondering if anybody can explain the Chart #5 (Average Number of Electives Taken by Matched CMGs)

https://www.carms.ca/data-reports/r1-data-reports/electives

This chart shows the "average number of electives taken by CMG who matched to a Canadian program in first iteration". However, the numbers don't seem to make a lot of sense to me.

If you pick any field, let's say OBGYN, it shows the avg number of electives taken in the matched discipline is 3.6 and the average number of electives taken in different fields is 6.7.

This seems strange to me; do they mean 'weeks spent in electives'? because it doesn't make sense that people would have 3.6+6.7 separate electives (that would be > 10 electives total x2 weeks = 20+ weeks of elective time which I don't think is particularly common). Similarly, if you select Plastic Surgery, you see an avg of 6.8 electives in that field + 6.3 in other disciplines. That sounds like too much total elective time and it would make more sense they mean weeks. Unless I'm missing something....

Any perspectives?

 

 

[RichardHammond]

Yeah I agree that seems a bit high for average numbers but still think it's possible for a couple reasons.

1) Some schools allow 1-week electives. 

2) Some schools also have 9-10 blocks of 2-week electives if you include pre- and post-CaRMS electives. 

3) Stats rely on self-reporting by CaRMS applicants according to their R1 application and is not verified by anything so there's a lot of variation in how people report their electives. For example, some schools have "selectives" as part of their core rotation where you could choose a 2-week subspecialty within your surgery rotation and some people would list that as an "elective"