ourlastnight Posted September 20, 2019 Report Share Posted September 20, 2019 I have a quick question, I am a IMG who didn't match during last years cycle and I am currently enrolled in a grad program. I have been going to residency programs over the past several months, and when I talk to program directors, there seems to be less weight held on a having a masters degree over published research. I have the ability to prolong my masters over two years, but in setting where I match, I can just drop it. Does anyone have any experience onto how much weight a master's degree adds to the CaRMS application? Or should I be focusing more on research and exposure? I have several publications at the moment, but I am finding that my grad program is taking more time away from my research than what I would like. I have received a bunch of mixed answers. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGrisham Posted September 20, 2019 Report Share Posted September 20, 2019 Well, a masters itself doesn't add much. Research can help a little bit if its relevant to the specialty in question. But really, your clinical acumen is whats important and the further you get away from medical school the less likely you are to match. Is your grad program just a course based program? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ourlastnight Posted September 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2019 Thanks for responding, my masters is a mixture of courses + research project. It can be completed in one year but extended to two or more years if needed. The courses are pretty intensive and require a lot of work since I am unfamiliar with a lot of the concepts. I am not a big fan of epidemiology or biostatistics..... When I spoke to program directors and CaRMS committee members - they said a Master's doesn't hold much weight since they don't have any perspective to the amount of work which has been put into it vs. publications where most to all CaRMS committee members can related to the pain of publishing/editorial process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notagunner Posted September 20, 2019 Report Share Posted September 20, 2019 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGrisham Posted September 20, 2019 Report Share Posted September 20, 2019 Your time is better spent on doing discipline specific research, making connections with those in your field of interest. or better yet, do the USMLEs and try for a spot in the US. Are you hoping to use the masters for an alternate career if medicine/residency doesn't work out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ourlastnight Posted September 21, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2019 I was hoping to use the Master's as a way to improve my application/CV competitiveness. I have completed my USMLEs and I will be applying to the States this year. I completed my medical school in the UK. If the consensus is that research + exposure is more important, I will just throttle down my Master's work load and extend it over two years. If i end up matching this year I will drop my grad program and take it up in the future. Do I have disclose that my master's program is going to be extended? Also, do programs ask for a master's/grad school transcript? Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearded frog Posted September 21, 2019 Report Share Posted September 21, 2019 The master's degree will only be worth the publications and posters you get out of it, the letters after your name won't do much for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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