Program Transfer

[greywolf4]

Hi all,

3rd year resident in internal medicine in Quebec here. Match day did not go well yesterday and let's just say I'm crushed. I applied across Canada to my first choice specialty and matched to my second choice specialty. I am now trying to damage control and figure out if it is in any way humanly possible to transfer programs. I understand that within Quebec there needs to be an open spot left in the program in order to transfer (which is very unlikely given the program in question). Does anyone know of any other options that I might have? I am willing to try absolutely anything crazy that might give me a chance at doing what I've wanted to do for the rest of my life since med school.

Thanks in advance.

[JohnGrisham]

2 hours ago, greywolf4 said:

Hi all,

3rd year resident in internal medicine in Quebec here. Match day did not go well yesterday and let's just say I'm crushed. I applied across Canada to my first choice specialty and matched to my second choice specialty. I am now trying to damage control and figure out if it is in any way humanly possible to transfer programs. I understand that within Quebec there needs to be an open spot left in the program in order to transfer (which is very unlikely given the program in question). Does anyone know of any other options that I might have? I am willing to try absolutely anything crazy that might give me a chance at doing what I've wanted to do for the rest of my life since med school.

Thanks in advance.

are USMLES and US fellowships an option at all?

[greywolf4]

I'd definitely be willing to write the USMLES if it might help my chances. It's just that not that I've matched through CaRMS I'm not sure when and how I'd even be able to apply to the US? 

[Bluberblubo]

5 hours ago, greywolf4 said:

I'd definitely be willing to write the USMLES if it might help my chances. It's just that not that I've matched through CaRMS I'm not sure when and how I'd even be able to apply to the US? 

well Carms is a contract. my understanding is that you can apply to the usa at anytime even after fellowship. I just wonder if you'll be able to get strong references and all that especially if your PD knows you are willing to break the contract to go elsewhere. 

sorry about the match

[greywolf4]

The PD for my target program would be willing to write me a strong reference letter. Not sure how the PD of my current program would react but I don't want to discuss it until the possibilities are more clear. Is it even possible to break the CaRMS contract slash withdraw or would I have to complete fellowship for what I matched in and apply after?

[LittleDaisy]

9 hours ago, greywolf4 said:

The PD for my target program would be willing to write me a strong reference letter. Not sure how the PD of my current program would react but I don't want to discuss it until the possibilities are more clear. Is it even possible to break the CaRMS contract slash withdraw or would I have to complete fellowship for what I matched in and apply after?

Sorry to hear about your plight. The best way is to ask CaRMS directly if you can drop out of CaRMS and do the US IM match?

[bearded frog]

Curious why you applied to a back-up specialty you didn't want to do?

[greywolf4]

Thank you for your replies.

I have gotten in touch with my PD who has been very helpful. Apparently the CaRMS contract is binding for 1 year, so I have the option of applying to the US IM match next fall or the year after. Meanwhile I will attempt to transfer into another seat in Canada if ever one becomes available.

As for why I applied to a back-up I didn't want to do - it seemed better than not matching. I applied across Canada to my first choice specialty. No matching in Quebec means defaulting into GIM (which I even more so do not want to do) and not being able to practice in Quebec. And with an IM subspecialty no match (unlike with the initial CaRMS during medical school) it is not possible to take a year off (for example, to do research) and then to re-apply during the following cycle. 

[LittleDaisy]

2 hours ago, greywolf4 said:

Thank you for your replies.

I have gotten in touch with my PD who has been very helpful. Apparently the CaRMS contract is binding for 1 year, so I have the option of applying to the US IM match next fall or the year after. Meanwhile I will attempt to transfer into another seat in Canada if ever one becomes available.

As for why I applied to a back-up I didn't want to do - it seemed better than not matching. I applied across Canada to my first choice specialty. No matching in Quebec means defaulting into GIM (which I even more so do not want to do) and not being able to practice in Quebec. And with an IM subspecialty no match (unlike with the initial CaRMS during medical school) it is not possible to take a year off (for example, to do research) and then to re-apply during the following cycle. 

Not matching in Quebec means defaulting into the 4 year GIM program or 5 year GIM program?

I think Quebec puts emphasis on 5 year GIM training, where in rest of Canada, a lot of internists go through 4 year training and are doing fine!

Sorry to hear about your plight, it seems at this point US match seems a better option? 

[greywolf4]

Not matching in Quebec means defaulting into the 4 year GIM program. It is impossible to practice in Quebec with this, so if that had happened I would have become a GIM that worked somewhere else in Canada. All around that seemed pretty bad to me hence why I decided to back-up with something that I don't particularly want to do, but preferred when compared to the alternative outcome.

Thanks for the info everyone and the support. It has been a very difficult few days so I appreciate it. Luckily my current IM PD seems to be quite knowledgeable about alternate routes I might be able to take to end up where I want to be one day. Whether it be attempting a transfer within Canada or applying to the US, I have a few options and I will do everything I can to pursue them.