CARMS application template

[Elusive]

Hi all,

I was wondering what the CaRMS application looked like?? I don't know anyone in the upper years of med, and was wondering if anyone had a template saved they could post or describe please...

Thanks!

[JewelLeigh]

The application for CaRMS involves several sections.

 

The first is a group of lists, somewhat like a CV, where you describe your educational background (undergrad, masters, med school), your clinical electives, work experience, volunteer experience, research experience (including publications and presentations) and your activities and interests. This section mainly allows you to include the title, dates of the activity, and a brief description of each. It is all formatted through the CaRMS site, similar to OMSAS' med school application.

 

The second section is your "Documents." These include all of the required documents for each program. (See individual program requirements through the CaRMS "Program Information" section.) Examples include your reference letters, personal letters (essay format) and other things like undergrad transcripts, resumes, medical school performace record, citizenship proof, etc. For reference letters, you create a standard cover sheet on the CaRMS site and send it to your referee. The referee sends it with their letter to CaRMS where it is scanned in. You don't see your reference letters, but you do see when they have arrived and been scanned in. Your personal letters are typed directly into a box on the CaRMS site and saved that way - again, like OMSAS. Your medical school transcript is sent directly to CaRMS from your school. Your medical school performance record is sent from your dean and apparently summarizes your achievements and performance at medical school. At Dal, we provided our dean with a list of our activities to help them in filling out the letter. I assume they also take into account your academic performance on exams, OSCEs, etc., as well as your individual tutorial and clerkship evaluations.

 

The final section is "Program Selections and Assignments". In this section, you choose the programs to which you want to apply, and assign documents to each. For example, if you have a great reference for McMaster Pediatrics, but suspect that it won't carry the same weight at UofT, you can assign this reference just to Mac, and other letters to UofT. The same applies for the multiple personal letters you will have to write.

 

These sections should be completed by the "Document Assignment Milestone." This is a date in late November (usually) after which the CaRMS system opens for the programs to begin evaluating the applicants. Basically it should be thought of as your application due date.

 

Interview invites are sent to you directly, usually (if not always) via email, during December and early January.

 

The interview period is 3 weeks (set aside for this purpose by the majority of medical schools - i.e. you have this time off to attend your interviews) around the end of January/beginning of February.

 

After interviews, a new section on the CaRMS site opens. This is the Rank Order List section. You may rank any of the programs to which you applied, but do not have to rank them all. If you submit a rank list, you are obligated by contract to do residency at the program to which you are matched - and you can only be matched to a program that you have included on your rank list. I highly recommend reading the CaRMS section entitled "The Match Algorithm" to understand how matching works:

 

http://www.carms.ca/eng/operations_algorithm_e.shtml

 

Hope that helps

[Elusive]

Thanks JL,

hope u had a desirable match!

[physiology]

Hey,

 

If I could do CaRMs all over again...

 

1) I would DOUBLE check all the requirements for passports/citizenship papers. Provinces like Quebec need more than just a passport, even if it says "born in Canada" in the information section. (Ie. I had to fax over my birth certificate)

 

2) Notarize, but don't go crazy. I used my dad's engineering stamp instead of paying notary public fees. I contacted some programs as well (ie. U of T, and McGill, and CERTAIN programs didn't necessarily require notarization).

 

3) Get your documents and reference letters in EARLY. Nothing worse than sitting there checking their status, as the deadline looms, and all it says is "not received". Luckily, one of my documets arrived late, but was still scanned in time. I would say most physician referees are just like us, procrastinators. Put FAKE deadlines on the reference letter cover sheets (but even that, my preceptors knew it was fake...and STILL sent it in late...).

[Ollie]

Here's my advice:

 

1. Work on your personal letters/essays early! I procrastinated on these and rushed them more than I would have liked. I ended up not having time to have them read over (just my mom edited them!). At UofT there is a career counsellor who will help you with your CV and your letters, and I'm sure most schools have something similar. It never hurts to go see them.

 

2. Give your referees the following:

-a cover letter that reminds them how they know you ("I really enjoyed the elective I did with you"), what letter you are asking them to write (program/specialty/general) and a little about why you are applying to said program/specialty.

-a deadline for the letter to be received at CaRMS (make this about 2 weeks before the actual deadline. I said Nov 15 and the real deadline was Nov 28)

-the CaRMS document cover letter (the most important thing!)

-a copy of your CV

-a pre-addressed, pre-paid express post envelope. This makes it easy for them and allows you to track the letter.

-a friendly reminder email a couple of days before the deadline

After the letters were received at CaRMS, I sent all my referees cards to let them know and to say thanks. After the match I just emailed then to let them know where I matched.

 

3. Regarding notarizing documents, you can usually get this done for free at your school (our registrar is a Notary and she does it for everyone). If you are away on elective, ask at the school you are at if there is someone who can do it for you. Our student affairs coordinator kind of confused matters by telling us we didn't need to notarize our proof of citizenship but I did it anyways because some programs spefically asked for it.

 

4. Do some mock interviews. Residents are usually happy to help you out.

[Tei]

This is a little off topic, but I was just wondering if the programs you applied to knows the other specialties/programs that you've also applied to?

 

Tei

[Lactic Folly]

They do not receive that information from CaRMS, although they might guess at it based on the electives you did.

 

It can also come out informally at interviews (e.g. after the goodbye handshake, "So, where are you heading off to next?"), so be prepared.

[rad86]

Just a few follow-up questions on the details of the CaRMS applications:

 

1. Is there a maximum number of entries allowed for the lists (like 48 for OMSAS)?

 

2. How much room (i.e. # characters) is there for the descriptions of activities? (More like one line in OMSAS or 1500 characters in AMCAS?)

 

3. What's the length of the personal statement in general? 1000 words?

 

4. Is there an explicit age limit above which activities can be included? (for example only things done after 16 can be included in OMSAS)

 

I know people may question the value of of such seemingly pointless questions, but it's just more reassuring to be aware of the full details...Thanks a lot!

 

p.s. actually one more question, what's the CaRMS interview format usually like? i imagine it may vary considerably from program to program, but what sorta things are generally discussed? Reasons for interests, experiences, life? Is it like med school interviews all over again (minus the health care and ethics stuff)?

[Lactic Folly]

Just a few follow-up questions on the details of the CaRMS applications:

 

1. Is there a maximum number of entries allowed for the lists (like 48 for OMSAS)?

 

I don't think there was - if you go to the CaRMS website and find the AWS help manual it should tell you for sure. But try to omit less relevant stuff as your readers are busy people and may be skimming rapidly (I still ended up listing a lot of stuff though).

 

2. How much room (i.e. # characters) is there for the descriptions of activities? (More like one line in OMSAS or 1500 characters in AMCAS?)

 

I think one line for the title of the activity, a paragraph for the description. Again, should be in the AWS help manual.

 

3. What's the length of the personal statement in general? 1000 words?

 

Program dependent, but tends to be shorter (< one page), though some ask for more. It's a good idea to go to the program directory and look at the information for the programs that you are interested in.

 

4. Is there an explicit age limit above which activities can be included? (for example only things done after 16 can be included in OMSAS)

 

No.

 

I know people may question the value of of such seemingly pointless questions, but it's just more reassuring to be aware of the full details...Thanks a lot!

 

p.s. actually one more question, what's the CaRMS interview format usually like? i imagine it may vary considerably from program to program, but what sorta things are generally discussed? Reasons for interests, experiences, life? Is it like med school interviews all over again (minus the health care and ethics stuff)?

 

Varies considerably, as you said. Some disciplines have MMI type interviews. Others are more traditional. You can get an idea from the program information in the directory - reasons for choosing that specialty/location and personal qualities like conflict resolution skills are important, though current events and ethics are not unheard of either.