2021 IM Subspecialty Match data - any idea why UBC IM had ~30% unmatched rate this year?

[Davinci]

Source: CaRMS

[bearded frog]

nm

[indefatigable]

I've informally heard that residents become attached to BC and see matching to the "default" 4-year training program as "not a bad option" since they'll be able to stay in BC.   

[shikimate]

Does the 5th year GIM really add anything? I know someone who did the 4 year IM on purpose and he's quite comfortable, happy, and making big bucks doing community practice. Sure he won't be working at Toronto General Hospital but he doesn't care for that anyways. It would be a shame if 5 year GIM slowly creeps in just because they can ask for another year of residency.

[indefatigable]

It's probably just another example of credential creep that will affect academic centres first and community last.  It also puts further distance between GIM and sub-specialty trained internists who in the past did 'moonlighting' in GIM.  

I've informally heard, that unless one has a very developed idea of what skills/training one wishes to acquire in the fifth year, then it's not very useful.    

[Davinci]

9 hours ago, indefatigable said:

I've informally heard that residents become attached to BC and see matching to the "default" 4-year training program as "not a bad option" since they'll be able to stay in BC.   

So they gave up on their dream of pursuing their desired subspecialty and went unmatched just to stay in BC for 1 more year? Not sure if I buy it haha

[indefatigable]

4 minutes ago, Davinci said:

So they gave up on their dream of pursuing their desired subspecialty and went unmatched just to stay in BC for 1 more year? Not sure if I buy it haha

It wouldn't just be one more year - probably make connections and stay there.  Most hiring is local.  

[offmychestplease]

3 minutes ago, Davinci said:

So they gave up on their dream of pursuing their desired subspecialty and went unmatched just to stay in BC for 1 more year? Not sure if I buy it haha

you know some people's desired area of practice is general IM right? And if given the choose to do 4 years of IM vs 5 training most people would choose 4 unless they are obsessed with being in a very major academic center...

[Davinci]

39 minutes ago, offmychestplease said:

you know some people's desired area of practice is general IM right? And if given the choose to do 4 years of IM vs 5 training most people would choose 4 unless they are obsessed with being in a very major academic center...

If most people chose the 4-year program over the 5-year one, all programs would have a 20-30% unmatch rate, so that's clearly not the case. GIM total program quota and hence the interest in GIM is also around ~19% nationally, which is too small to explain the 30% unmatch rate (not even including the 8 people who did match to 5-year UBC GIM this year). This is also a new, worrying trend for UBC that was not seen in previous years unless residents suddenly decided to fall in love with BC this year.

For such alarming unmatch rates, I prefer to discuss and challenge plausible reasons to identify potential red flags instead of accepting the first hearsay.

[JTFW]

Personally know UBC IM ppl, there are a lot of people wanting GIM this year, a lot of ppl also want to stay in BC, hence did not rank a lot of places. Prob explain why this year a lot of 4 year GIM, it is not a bad thing tbh if you want to do GIM. 

[thestar10]

On 3/30/2021 at 1:32 AM, Davinci said:

If most people chose the 4-year program over the 5-year one, all programs would have a 20-30% unmatch rate, so that's clearly not the case. GIM total program quota and hence the interest in GIM is also around ~19% nationally, which is too small to explain the 30% unmatch rate (not even including the 8 people who did match to 5-year UBC GIM this year). This is also a new, worrying trend for UBC that was not seen in previous years unless residents suddenly decided to fall in love with BC this year.

For such alarming unmatch rates, I prefer to discuss and challenge plausible reasons to identify potential red flags instead of accepting the first hearsay.

Some programs "force you" to enter the second round rather than just not enter it, hense the worse number. The five year GIM program is a waste in my opinion, (just an extra year of labour for the hospital where you get paid 1/5th of what you would make clinically. GIM is an attractive specialty right now. We need GIM more than multiple subspeciaties.

1 year (and only 17 people at that) doesn't make a trend. Its hardly concerning and completley different compared to medical school unmatching. 

[JohnGrisham]

On 3/30/2021 at 12:00 AM, JTFW said:

Personally know UBC IM ppl, there are a lot of people wanting GIM this year, a lot of ppl also want to stay in BC, hence did not rank a lot of places. Prob explain why this year a lot of 4 year GIM, it is not a bad thing tbh if you want to do GIM. 

Makes rational sense - many don't want to be uprooted and move just for a specific subspecialty, especially when GIM allows you to stay in the city, begin working sooner, and has ++ job security if you're flexible and willing to combine inpatient and outpatient. 

[JohnGrisham]

On 3/29/2021 at 10:32 PM, Davinci said:

If most people chose the 4-year program over the 5-year one, all programs would have a 20-30% unmatch rate, so that's clearly not the case. GIM total program quota and hence the interest in GIM is also around ~19% nationally, which is too small to explain the 30% unmatch rate (not even including the 8 people who did match to 5-year UBC GIM this year). This is also a new, worrying trend for UBC that was not seen in previous years unless residents suddenly decided to fall in love with BC this year.

For such alarming unmatch rates, I prefer to discuss and challenge plausible reasons to identify potential red flags instead of accepting the first hearsay.

I wouldn't be too worried, many people conciously choose GIM once they realize they can do focus areas as well. I.e do some focus in HTN, DM, COPD or CHF...and call your self a HTN specialist and get all the complex care HTN patients from comunity. Mix that with ER coverage and inpatient coverage, and its a excellent mix. Theres also those in GIM who focus on other niche areas like obesity medicine. If youre creative and are okay with outpatient too, there is lots of variety and excellent income to be had.

When there are no jobs in nephro and cardio for example, you'll see those with training in those fields simply doing in patient IM wards and CTU, waiting until someone moves or they find a job elsewhere. Many people don't want to go through the slog, and stick with GIM when they realize they value being able to work without significant hoops.