Questions regarding electives in Canada

[TheFutureDoc]

I am currently an International Medical Student (Canadian Studying Abroad) and my goal is to come back to Canada to do a residency. I am currently looking at doing either a Family Medicine or Psychiatry residency program and have a few questions regarding doing electives in Canada.

1) Which schools in Canada have Family Medicine and Psychiatry residency programs that are more International Medical Graduate friendly and therefore more likely to accept International Medical Graduate's for residency? I would like to know as I would preferably want to schedule electives at those schools

2) Should I do a General Family Medicine and General Psychiatry rotation in addition to some in subspecialties of each (i.e: Urban FM, Rural FM, Emergency Psychiatry etc...) or just focus on the subspecialties? I will have done core rotations in Family Medicine and Psychiatry (which are general) by the time I apply for electives

3) I have read that it is up to each school whether or not they will take students who have completed more than 12 weeks of electives in Canada. Do most schools allow International Medical Graduate's who have done more than 12 weeks of electives?

4) Are there any schools for electives you guys would recommend for General Family Medicine, General Psychiatry or subspecialties within each of those fields (i.e: Urban Family Medicine, Emergency Psychiatry etc...) 

5) Is it recommended I do a rural Family Medicine elective?

6) Any other electives in other fields (i.e: Emergency Medicine, Dermatology) that are recommended for Family Medicine and Psychiatry?

Thank you

[JohnGrisham]

3 hours ago, TheFutureDoc said:

I am currently an International Medical Student (Canadian Studying Abroad) and my goal is to come back to Canada to do a residency. I am currently looking at doing either a Family Medicine or Psychiatry residency program and have a few questions regarding doing electives in Canada.

1) Which schools in Canada have Family Medicine and Psychiatry residency programs that are more International Medical Graduate friendly and therefore more likely to accept International Medical Graduate's for residency? I would like to know as I would preferably want to schedule electives at those schools

2) Should I do a General Family Medicine and General Psychiatry rotation in addition to some in subspecialties of each (i.e: Urban FM, Rural FM, Emergency Psychiatry etc...) or just focus on the subspecialties? I will have done core rotations in Family Medicine and Psychiatry (which are general) by the time I apply for electives

3) I have read that it is up to each school whether or not they will take students who have completed more than 12 weeks of electives in Canada. Do most schools allow International Medical Graduate's who have done more than 12 weeks of electives?

4) Are there any schools for electives you guys would recommend for General Family Medicine, General Psychiatry or subspecialties within each of those fields (i.e: Urban Family Medicine, Emergency Psychiatry etc...) 

5) Is it recommended I do a rural Family Medicine elective?

6) Any other electives in other fields (i.e: Emergency Medicine, Dermatology) that are recommended for Family Medicine and Psychiatry?

Thank you

for 1) everything is freely listed and available on CaRMS in terms of how many IMG spots each school has. Every province is slightly different in their requirements of what hoops you need to jump through in order to apply as an IMG. So do all your research early on well before clerkship so you know.

3) I think youre misunderstanding this part. Some schools limit you on how many electives you can do with them yes, but if you can figure out ways to do more electives in Canada through various provinces, i doubt there is explicit restrictions on "oh this student did 16 weeks in Canada, we cant take them".

4) electives vary across schools, across hospitals, and even within hospitals/towns, varies via preceptors. It is extremely random. So just pick places you want to go, and in places of provinces you want to apply too.

5)If you want to apply for rural FM residency spots, sure do a rural FM elective. 

6) Any general specialties are applicable to family and psych. Dont do vascular surgery, but gen surg if you wanted. Internal medicine, obstetrics etc, all the usual ones. Youre unlikely to get a dermatology rotation since they are very competitive and get snapped up by derm gunners.