Guest Mikey59 Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Hey everyone, I'm more familiar with the US residency system than I am with Canada's, so was hoping some of you med students can help me with a quick question: If one does their residency in Canada (Family Medicine in particular), is it possible to "moonlight" after your first year of residency in an ER or clinic? I know this is possible here in the States, since you are granted a license after your first year of residency and it seems like a nice way of paying back loans faster and getting maximal hands on experience before venturing out into solo practice. Is the licensing system similar in Canada (granted after the first year)? Seeing that most Canadian programs are University based (with not nearly as much emphasis on Community based residencies) I was curious about such moonlighting opportunities. Thanks a bunch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Wong Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Family Medicine is only a two year program in Canada, as opposed to three years in the US. Before 1993-4 or thereabouts, you used to be able to start up as a General Practioner after only a 12 month internship! As far as moonlighting goes elsewhere, it definitely does happen. However, these things are contigent on the province you are in, and also the program. For example, in BC, residents who complete a rotating internship can actually sit the Family Medicine exam, and if they pass, can apply to work as family doctors (in BC only), even though they are still residents in whichever specialty they are in. Paradoxically, this route is even faster than doing a two year Family Medicine residency, as the Family Medicine residency doesn't use a rotating internship (I don't think). As a result, there are residents in Dermatology, Ophthalmology, and several other specialties who have finished their rotating internships, and are moonlighting as family doctors (mostly in after-hours walk-in clinics) on their time off. There's also mechanisms to moonlight in ICU and cover for other specialties, but I don't know the in's and out's of that, as you don't do that through Family Medicine. You might need to be a senior resident in something like General Surgery or Anesthesiology to get to do those things. I guess the bottom line is: "It depends." These sorts of things will vary with each province, each specialty, and maybe even with each city or individual program. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest me maniac Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Hey, Ian, I thought they didn't do rotating internships anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest marbledust Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 In Alberta residents can apply for a special "Resident Extender" license and moonlight hospitals. I'm not 100% sure how the programs work, but the resident extenders work on units that are short-staffed and cover things like academic half days. I think you need to be a PGY-3 or above to do it, but I could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Wong Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Many residencies in BC still do a rotating year for their first year, including Obs, Derm, Anes, Ophtho, Psych, Path, and Rads. There may well be others, but this is off the top of my head. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest me maniac Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Great! Thanks for the info..... I just happen to be interested in Path (right now, anyways) me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DrSahsi Posted June 12, 2003 Report Share Posted June 12, 2003 There are a number of residents who complete their two years of Family Medicine Training (CCFP) and go on to a third year of residency training ("special competence") in emergency medicine, anaestheisa, palliative care, OB/GYN etc. In that peculiar circumstance (in which I will find myself in just over a month) you have all the certification for a full Family Medicine practice license, but at the same time are still a "resident". If I'm fortunate enough to have time (hah!) to moonlight -- and thus work for full MD rates -- l'll be permitted to do so. Many other people who have done a PGY-3 year after completing their family med residencies pick up ER or urgent care shifts periodically without too much strain. The important thing is to look at it as a bonus rather than including moonlighting as a major part of one's financial planning. I still need to find time to have a life, let alone make a down payment on a mortgage. As for moonlighting otherwise, it's very region and program dependent. Your mileage may vary. - Rupinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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