Purpose of R-3 Match?

[Who M.D.]

I'm a few years away from matching, but I was wondering if someone could explain the purpose of the R-3 match. In particular,

 

1. What is the purpose of this match? Why is the R-1 match unsuitable for some?

 

2. Who actually applies to the R-3 match? Is it just for people who want to switch specialities a couple of years in?

[JewelLeigh]

The R3 match is for family medicine residents who, having finished their two year residency, want to get extra training in an area of interest. The training is for 1 year and is in areas such as: Emergency Medicine, Sports Medicine, Geriatrics, Obs/Gyne, etc. The R3 match through CaRMS is particularly for Emergency Medicine spots. Other areas of training are often offered at each school, where I would imagine they have their own application/admission process for these.

[TimmyMax]

Hey,

 

Anaesthesia is another field that is available to Family Medicine residents entering the R-3 Match. UWO usually has two spots per year for these residents, who are basically "adopted" as Anaesthesia residents for the 12 months that they are with us. It's quite an intense program and not everyone who enters it finishes, but the job opportunities that it opens up are quite appealing!

[ffp]

There is another match (not through CaRMS) that takes place during R3 (called the R4 match). This is for internal med residents who want to pursue a further subspecialty (like cardio) after 3 years of core internal medicine. Even if you want to continue on in general internal medicine, you have to apply for a 1-2 year fellowship.