JohnGrisham

Likewise 81k in debt is not bad at all for a Canadian medical graduate, certainly well below average - im guessing you either had savings/worked or family support or scholarships/bursaries...or are in Quebec haha.

Don't do this in bold. Just make your goal of residency to not add extra debt. Your residency salary should be more than enough to maintain your current debt without adding more(even if you are in a HCOL area like toronto or vancouver), and still have a decent quality of life (for the minimal free hours you have). Please don't go barebones for no reason. Obviously, don't go buy a brand new car - drive a used car under 20k, and make it last as long as you can. Your time is valuable and saving a few bucks on gas to take the bus, but add ++ time to your commute might not be worth it. Unless of course you live in an area where transit is actually convenient, and you may actually save time and its not a stressful feat? Then go for it! Also assuming you have gov't student loans too, that are probably at 0% interest depending on your province? I assume you have a professional medical LOC? Just put your resident income straight to that, and then use your LOC to pay for whatever bills you have and ongoing expenses. No point investing, as you are debt adverse. In theory, you could come ahead if you did...but its small peanuts in the grand scheme once you become staff and make a bigger income.

Yeah - when some of the administrators in PGME make more than an urban FM doc, there's an issue with how the system is set up in some provinces..

You'd be surprised, overhead in smaller centres can be just as high - but for different reasons (and not always real reasons, but just "well i can charge you because we are your only option" kinda thing) such as staff costs - its harder to get qualified MOAs and nurses etc in smaller centres, so their wages are higher. Same reason why a tim hortons worker in a small rural centre could make 25$/hr etc. Building costs for newer builds can be alot in some rural areas, but overall real estate costs are alot cheaper...but then you have scarcity of available options in some areas. Take 30% as an average, and will widly vary. Be aware of comparables and what you actually get for your 30%. If it gets you a well trained MOA, 2 rooms, well stocked etc etc etc maybe its worth it - if that all allows you to see more patients and bill more. If it just gets you a barebone room and you have to do all your own admin work, then thats a raw deal. In an urban setting, i can get a range from 15% to 35%, and 35% isnt necessarily better serviced than 20%. In rural settings, there is also the variable about fee bonuses, and set rates etc etc, so variable.

That's strange they would be so strict about it. You'll have a license to practice, so I dont see why they couldn't just work with you..to make it work. I dont think they would suddenly have another resident ready to go in the short amount of time anyways etc

Breathe, many people feel the same way as you. Time will tell how things work out, just focus on last few months of training. Pass rates are very high, especially if you are a CMG. SOO is where a higher proportion of test-takes fail, less so SAMPs. 10% of all test -takers seems a bit high but could be reasonable - last stats i heard informally(this is dated), is that most fails come from IMGs taking the exam, and that CMGs typically have >95% pass rate for the exam, with those that fail being mostly due to the SOO.

in AB/BC they often just consult internal medicine or hospitalist to deal with "medical" issues. Good to see that in some other centres they handle more!

Interesting that you had such a smooth experience, colleagues who tried the same had a bit of an uphill battle. Im sure its province/program/school specific no doubt.

I found STEP 2 CK to be "easier" than LMCC, only because you can more clearly prepare for STEP 2 CK, and its a well-written exam. LMCC exams are poorly written. UWORLD all the way. I'll stick to my guns that even if you get a partial first pass on UWORLD's 3600+ and 4000+, most average Canadian medical students will pass the exam. Again, getting a pass is very different than even getting an average score, and certainly very different then a strong score.... But most don't aim to "just pass". You are right though, if they are studying for their own RC exam at the same time then your timeline is more accurate - i must have misread that they weren't overlapping.

if you're just going fgr the pass, the timing is a bit much. OP would have done LMCC part 1 and part 2, so thats a good enough foundation for clinical components, to build on with abdriged UFAP, and just UWORLD for step 2 CK. Total of 6 months for both of step 1 and 2ck is not necessary for a comfortable passing score.

Get UWORLD, do it twice, and you'll probably get more than a comfortable pass if thats all you did - assuming you were at least an average medical student in the past.

Be independent, but know when to ask for help. Be well read and eager to learn and be practical. Practicality trumps all else IMO. Have some awareness in patient interactions and how to move the day along etc.

Be a strong resident in all your rotations, and make sure you do those 2 electives in Emerg or emerg-relevant rotations (icu, trauma etc). Thats about it. Extra stuff like CME, research etc could be helpful, but doing well in all your rotations and emerg ones is the main part for LORS.

West coast home program, so quite highly if they were given the option to interview.

I'd respectfully disagree, based only on my own anecdotes and those who went through carms over the last 4 years - many trainees who got interviews all across Canada but Alberta 1 or both did not grant interviews to keen FM gunners who matched to otherwise strong programs outside of Alberta.