Can residents specifically rank a candidate higher if they know the candidate personally?

[TOEiremed]

I was just wondering if it’s a thing in CaRMS where either faculty or current residents will rank a candidate higher not by merit or interview performance, but just because they know the candidate well and is good friends with them? 

[indefatigable]

6 minutes ago, TOEiremed said:

I was just wondering if it’s a thing in CaRMS where either faculty or current residents will rank a candidate higher not by merit or interview performance, but just because they know the candidate well and is good friends with them? 

It's a sticky issue and grey area - but "fit" can play a big role in smaller specialties especially where there is much less transparency.   

This could be mean also being the son/daughter of an important colleague etc..  - which could play into the reasons for selecting the candidate.  (and I know of at least one small residency program where this was essentially the reason vs the competition).

[bearded frog]

3 hours ago, TOEiremed said:

I was just wondering if it’s a thing in CaRMS where either faculty or current residents will rank a candidate higher not by merit or interview performance, but just because they know the candidate well and is good friends with them? 

If you have personal experience with someone you can go to bat for them and advocate for them to the committee... most common with students who did electives with residents/staff and so they have a personal opinion. I think if it was someone's kid or another obvious conflict of interest they would abstain, at least now hopefully to avoid the fiasco with the I think urology resident who was kid of the program director or something who got in by nepotism.

[zoxy]

22 minutes ago, bearded frog said:

at least now hopefully to avoid the fiasco with the I think urology resident who was kid of the program director or something who got in by nepotism

At least that person was a CMG. I think that the IMG who was the son of the head of Cardiac surgery at UBC and got a Cardiac Surgery spot in 2013 at UBC takes the cake for nepotism. The year that he matched was the only year that UBC had two Cardiac Surgery spots. And in case you're wondering, nothing happened to anyone and he's finished his training and the dad is still the head of Cardiac Surgery at UBC.

Additionally, his mom was a minister in the provincial government and had written something called the “Action Plan for Repatriating B.C. Medical Students Studying Abroad.” She'd failed to mention that her son was studying abroad at the time. This was covered in 2012 by Macleans as a case of nepotism but the parents still went ahead with getting him a spot in the 2013 match. Imagine being called out for nepotism in Canada's national magazine and the going ahead and doing something even more egregious a year later. As I said, nothing happened and everyone kept their positions and he's finished his training.

[shikimate]

Sometimes it's "easier" for residents to say something equivocal or negative about another candidate, hence indirectly enhancing the chances of candidates below that person.

[smeagol]

Based on speaking to residents (small surgical specialty), it seems that it's a group decision and like shikimate mentioned, more often than not, a lukewarm/unfavourable comment tends to kick people out, rather than a good comment counting people in. Also, it seemed that ultimately resident input can matter just as much, if not more than staff (program dependent), since you've likely worked with them more frequently.

[becomingmd]

Out of curiosity if you got in the nepotism way like that Cardiac surg resident, how will your coresidents perceive you if every one knows you got in unfairly? 

[bearded frog]

6 hours ago, becomingmd said:

Out of curiosity if you got in the nepotism way like that Cardiac surg resident, how will your coresidents perceive you if every one knows you got in unfairly? 

Probably poorly, especially if their obviously not competent.

[mdlifecrisis]

I've seen residents ask medical students about the candidates from their cohort. I've also heard of candidates getting blacklisted by the residents (ex: e-mailing the program director to tell them that they don't want to work with a certain candidate)

[Edict]

It really depends on the program. I would say most programs are not like this, i.e. residents do not have a huge role, but there are some programs where senior residents or residents can be asked to provide input or given the opportunity to provide feedback on rank lists. 

[Snowmen]

For our (small-ish) program, the two co-chief residents (who are elected by the residents) are on the admission committee and take part in the file review and interviews so their input would count about the same as any other interviewer (ie: they also fill their own evaluation after interviews).