New subspecialities added to the MSM and PSM

[zxcccxz]

https://www.carms.ca/news/new-disciplines-joining-the-msm-and-psm/

Does anyone have more info about this?

Looks like there were new subspecialties added to the Medicine subspecialty and pediatric subspecialty matches - these being thoracic surgery, colorectal surgery, geri psych and forensic psych. I'm guessing even though they're under these matches, you can only apply to them if you did your residency in gen surg or psych, respectively? 

Is this just a way of consolidating some fellowships that already exist into the formal CARMS process? I wonder whether there are plans to expand this to other fellowships in the future (maybe eventually even create a separate category of "surgery subspeciality match" once there are enough programs involved).

[MedicineLCS]

That's what the programs themselves seem to be saying:

https://psychiatry.queensu.ca/academics/subspecialties/geriatric-psychiatry

Seems like a way for programs to outsource admin to a reliable partner and make the applicants pay for it (I'd be curious if there are any differences in costs to applicants for new vs old). 

[bearded frog]

Man, annoying to have to do for 4 years of a peds residency just to have a chance to be a colorectal surgeon! /s

It says on the link you posted that they are just adding them on as it's much cheaper to add programs to existing match cycles than create whole new psych and surgery matches. So like the system will be shared but it will be an entirely different pool of applicants (ie. not medicine/pediatric residents) applying to just these programs. I think the match system is appealing for fellowships that use the traditional job application system, and we'll probably see more switch to a match format, and then eventually have the psych and surgical matches spin off into their own.

The one thing I am confused about is why thoracic surgery is in the MSM and colorectal is in the PSM, it makes more sense to have the surgical ones together (perhaps you are interested in both, and could rank both).

[Haribo7173]

As someone who’s applying to one of these subspecialties, I can’t tell you how annoyed I am to have to go through CaRMS again. 

[1D7]

IMO The match process is generally a massive improvement over the free-for-all that occurs without one, the exception being if you were planning on matching to your own institution for fellowship (because then it can be an informal under the table deal).