Jump to content
Premed 101 Forums

IMG doing Residency in British Columbia


Recommended Posts

Presumably you've already looked at this link: http://www.imgbc.med.ubc.ca/Home.htm

 

You know about CaRMS, right? BC info is here: http://carms.ca/eng/r1_eligibility_prov_e.shtml (UBC is at the bottom of the page, scroll way down)

 

Reports for this years match are here: http://carms.ca/eng/operations_R1reports_09_e.shtml . Look especially at tables 19-24, 31, 32, 45, 46, 48, 49.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am starting med school in Hong Kong (MBBS), I know this program, like MBBS from Australia and new zealand, is recognized by Canada. But what are the steps of doing residency after I am done in Hong Kong?

 

I looked at the tables from the previous post. How does the matching work? Why are there so many position unfilled (especially family medicine) while people always say it's is super tough to get a residency spot in Canada?

 

Sorry if I am asking stupid question, but I am super new to the matching system.

 

Thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I mentioned previously I am currently working with many IMG students from all over the world and the challenges they face to match to a residency in Canada is overwhelming. It's not just about knowing medicine but there is much to learn about Canadian culture, Canadian ethics and experiencing what the examiners are looking for when completing the necessary exams.

 

The IMG School of Ontario has helped hundreds of students successfully match to residency programs across the nation. Many IMGs who applied in other provinces came to the IMG School of Ontario to have a better chance at matching.

 

I would highly recommend that you visit their website at http://www.ontarioimgschool.com and email them with any of your questions and concerns.

 

Dedicated to Doctors. Committed to Service.

http://www.mtadvisory.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello MTesi, and ploughboy

 

thank you for your reply and the links you sent me. I will check them out right now. In general, do you think it's better to struggle a few years in Canada and apply to Canadian med schools or just go ahead with international schools, and either get residecies in US and transfer to Canada, or just struggle then and get residecy in Canada?

 

thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello ploughboy,

 

so i did look at these links...the first two ones, yes, i already had checked them out before, but thanks anyways. The last link (http://carms.ca/eng/operations_R1reports_09_e.shtml )was absoloutely great...however, some tables are kinda difficult for me to understand. For example, table 24: Match Results of IMGs by Medical School and , let's say the family medicine one or OBS Gyne one, at UBC, I'm not sure if it means 147 IMGs applied to UBC only, and they only took 12? or what does that 75% apply? Also, for example,in table 33, Distribution of Unmatched Applicants and Vacant Positions by Medical School, let's say for UBC, how come there are 11 unmatched groups when there is 25 vacant positions?? i'm a little confused and would appreciate a bit of clarification.

 

many thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello ploughboy,

 

so i did look at these links...the first two ones, yes, i already had checked them out before, but thanks anyways. The last link (http://carms.ca/eng/operations_R1reports_09_e.shtml )was absoloutely great...however, some tables are kinda difficult for me to understand. For example, table 24: Match Results of IMGs by Medical School and , let's say the family medicine one or OBS Gyne one, at UBC, I'm not sure if it means 147 IMGs applied to UBC only, and they only took 12? or what does that 75% apply? Also, for example,in table 33, Distribution of Unmatched Applicants and Vacant Positions by Medical School, let's say for UBC, how come there are 11 unmatched groups when there is 25 vacant positions?? i'm a little confused and would appreciate a bit of clarification.

 

many thanks

 

Hey,

 

Table 24 made my head explode. I have no idea what those numbers refer to, sorry.

 

Table 33 - My interpretation of this is that 11 people from UBC went unmatched in the first round of CaRMS (I'm assuming that based on the numbers shown for my own school). Most of those would have been UBC Meds '09, but CaRMS also includes prior-year UBC grads who were in the first round this year for whatver reason.

 

There were also 25 unmatched residency spots at UBC after the first round (4 family, 16 internal (!) 1 biochem, 2 peds neuro, 1 neuropath and 1 ob/gyne) as shown in table 33 (distribution of unmatched applicants blahblahblah)

 

It's kind of a silly way to present the results, I agree. But that's CaRMS.

 

Same table shows 1093 IMGs went unmatched in the first round of CaRMS (78.8% unmatched, or 21.2% success). That, in and of itself, should help to guide your decision-making regarding doing your MD in Canada vs overseas. If you can afford, both in time and money, to reapply to Canada you will have much better chance of matching as a CMG than as an IMG. If time or money are at a premium, or if you would be happy working in the States rather than in Canada, studying overseas might be the best option. Only you can really decide that.

 

Having said that, it's been my observation that the IMGs who are successful in the match are more likely to be young Canadian-raised students who went overseas after not getting into a Canadian school and who did electives in Canada and got Canadian reference letters, rather than mid-career physicians who have immigrated. So the 21% success rate is likely worst-case. But your mileage may vary.

 

Hope that helps.

 

pb

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi pb,

 

thanks again for getting back to me. that's exactly what i found out too, 21% which seemed quite scary and disappointing. however, it's some how a relief to hear that the majority of this percentage are people like me! :)

 

Do you also know anything about doing residency in US and transferring to Canada? is that an easier way perhaps?

 

 

your help is much appreciated

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you also know anything about doing residency in US and transferring to Canada? is that an easier way perhaps?

 

No idea, sorry. I know it's possible, but varies between specialties, and if for instance your American residency was shorter than the Canadian equivalent (as many of them are) you'd have to find a way to make up that extra training time. There are other stipulations and "gotchas" too, but I don't know all the ins and outs.

 

I think there might be some old posts around here somewhere about that topic, but I'm afraid I'm not much help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No idea, sorry. I know it's possible, but varies between specialties, and if for instance your American residency was shorter than the Canadian equivalent (as many of them are) you'd have to find a way to make up that extra training time. There are other stipulations and "gotchas" too, but I don't know all the ins and outs.

 

I think there might be some old posts around here somewhere about that topic, but I'm afraid I'm not much help.

 

 

hello again,

 

so I did go to college of physicians and surgeons of B.C, as well as St. Paul's hospital, and VGH (postgrad), and this is what i gathered:

 

in orger to apply for residency in canada, I'd have to do MCCEE, (only pass or fail), then the qualifying exam 1 (pass or fail) before applying for residency and part 2 after residency (pass or fail). then, after all the required exams are done, I need to apply for IMGs at St.paul's hospital and then finally write the OSCE exam in march. they will take the top 35 scores, and they will be sent for 12 weeks of assessment. Then the IMG centre will send a summary to CaRMS, and i would also have to apply to CaRMS separately. Then CaRMS will match. If we get matched in one of the 18 seats offered by UBC, then we will be required to work 2 years (for family medicine) in remote areas and 3 years for specialties in remote areas. please correct me if i'm wrong!

 

Now, if i get residency in US, (you were exactly right about the fact that if my American residency was shorter than the Canadian equivalent I'd have to find a way to make up that extra training time; which it's very unlikely to find anyone what would let me do that. but for family medicine, it would be absoloutely no problem, and i'd be able to practice in Canada, only i would have to apply for CCF? membership...again, i'd appreciate if you correct me if i'm wrong.

 

i'v gathered all these info, but i must be honest that i still have hard time deciding :(

 

many thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi pb,

 

thanks again for getting back to me. that's exactly what i found out too, 21% which seemed quite scary and disappointing. however, it's some how a relief to hear that the majority of this percentage are people like me! :)

 

Do you also know anything about doing residency in US and transferring to Canada? is that an easier way perhaps?

 

 

your help is much appreciated

 

Yes, indeed applying and getting admitted into residency in the US is much easier than Canada. In the US they take 5000 IMGs every year while Canada takes only 250.

 

It is about one year that they allow IMGs who finished their residency in the US and passed the US board exam to practice in Canada under supervision until they pass the Canadian board exam. This helps ease flow of doctors from the US to Canada.

 

Dedicated to Doctors. Committed to Service.

http://www.mtadvisory.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BC is basically the worst province to try and get a residency. I'm currently an IMG and would ideally like to do my post-graduate training in BC, but with the current situation it is much more likely that I'll end up in Ontario or somewhere else in Canada (if not the United States).

 

I think the most likely option to practicing in BC would be either to do your residency in the rest of Canada/US first, and then your return of service, and then you can finally come back to BC.

 

The good news is that BC College updated their requirements for registration so that you only have to pass the USMLE Steps 1,2,3 and the American board exam of your specialty (ABFM) to be registered and practice in BC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...