Admissions decision... residencies

[Guest EngMaster]

I have been accepted to both UBC and UofT and need some information about residencies. If I know I definately will want to do my residency in BC (for family reasons or whatever), would I be better off going to UBC? Or would it be better to be at UofT because it is more 'prestigious' and I would be more likely to get my preferred residency position? Can anyone comment on this?

[Guest physiology]

Hello,

 

It doesn't really matter where you go for medical school in Canada. They're generally all the same quality. Prestige is based on research IMHO, and as such, schools such as U of T get more money because they're bigger.

 

Yes, if you go to U of T and really get to know the family medicine admissions officers, then you stand a good chance of matching there, but generally, residency programs take students from all across the country. Just do an elective in family med at U of T in 4th year.

 

I'm not sure of the situation if you want to go to the States. But from reading posts on this forum, it seems as if McGill is the best known Canadian medical school outside of Canada.

[Guest kellyl20]

Perhaps look into the history of where the successful applicants come from for UBC residencies? Next look at the characteristics/stats of the successful applicants from UBC for UBC residencies. Just a thought.

[Guest scrubbed]

EngMaster,

 

I think it depends whether you desire a competitive speciality. There is some merit in the argument that you have a better chance of matching into a competitive specialty at your home school. Presumably, you would have the opportunity to get to know the program director or others in the program a bit better, which isn't to say that if you go to U of T you would have no opportunity to come back. Regardless, it depends on you. A stellar applicant from UBC is the same as a stellar applicant from U of T.

 

I wouldn't choose a school because it is more prestigious. I would choose a school that I would perform the best at and would be the happiest at. Your family may be a great support during medical school. At the same time, perhaps you prefer the different experience in Toronto.

 

If you look at the 2005 Match Report:

 

www.carms.ca/jsp/main.jsp...rt/re_2005

 

UBC: 69/122 graduates matched at UBC.

 

U of T: 10/182 graduates matched at UBC.

 

(Those 10 people may be largely Vancouver residents though )

 

Best wishes with your decision.

[Guest canmic]

Something that is important is to do an elective where you want to match. It gives you a chance to impress the people who ultimately are going to be making the decision about the residency match.

 

So, if you want to do radiology in BC for example, and you go to UofT, do an elective in radiology in BC during your clerkship at UofT.

 

(forgive me if it's 'selective' for the cross school and 'elective' for the same school options, I always get them mixed up but you get the idea)

 

The research angle is huge however, so someone with a MD/PhD vs just an MD would have a better chance at a specialty residency. With that in mind, UofT has a LOT more MD/PhD opportunities than UBC does..