gradguy Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Hey guys, How many family medicine interviews do most people get? I'm interested to know this because I plan on staying in Ontario for residency and will probably apply to each of the Ontario schools. What are the odds that someone gets an interview everywhere (... or nowhere?!?!)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darla Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Hey guys,How many family medicine interviews do most people get? I'm interested to know this because I plan on staying in Ontario for residency and will probably apply to each of the Ontario schools. What are the odds that someone gets an interview everywhere (... or nowhere?!?!)? It depends on your application. Some of the programs sent out invites as soon as the apps were available to them (Swift River), others reviewed the apps and were a bit more picky about who they invited/didn't invite all applicants (Mac). That said, I freaked out during the CaRMS process, applied to everything I could in Canada, received interviews at all sites I applied to, and realised that would cost way too much in airfare considering I plan to stay in Ontario. I'm only interviewing in Ontario. As far as I know, not having looked at other people's apps, the folks who are obviously backing up with family may not have received interviews. Those who have done family family electives, participate in FMIG, don't have a laundry list of research in ENT or ONE area of specialty that isn't family med will be fine (my research was in 5 specialties, none of which were family). But research isn't necessary either Can't really give you odds of getting interviews everywhere/nowhere, but I can say that the Ontario schools all took more than a week to review our apps before sending out invites. That may have just been to ensure that they were complete though. Not sure if that's helpful or just more post-interview babbling.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradguy Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Not sure if that's helpful or just more post-interview babbling.... Haha! Definitely not babbling - thanks for the reply! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geetar2112 Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 It depends on your application. As far as I know, not having looked at other people's apps, the folks who are obviously backing up with family may not have received interviews. Those who have done family family electives, participate in FMIG, don't have a laundry list of research in ENT or ONE area of specialty that isn't family med will be fine (my research was in 5 specialties, none of which were family). But research isn't necessary either : Sorry, I may be misunderstanding the point...but what's wrong with having lots of research in ENT if you want to go into family? Do they really hold that against you? I don't see how that would be fair at all, and it's really worrisome. What if you did research in preclerkship in ENT/plastics, and then decided in clerkship that you like family med? Please clarify. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebouque Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Sorry, I may be misunderstanding the point...but what's wrong with having lots of research in ENT if you want to go into family? Do they really hold that against you? I don't see how that would be fair at all, and it's really worrisome. What if you did research in preclerkship in ENT/plastics, and then decided in clerkship that you like family med? Please clarify. Thanks Justify your change of mind during the interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beekeeper Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 I don't see how that would be fair at all, and it's really worrisome. What if you did research in preclerkship in ENT/plastics, and then decided in clerkship that you like family med? Please clarify. Thanks It won't necessarily be held against you, especially if you realized later on that you were a better match for family medicine. Be prepared to articulate that in your interview, however, if it looks like all of your research/electives have been in a different area. This goes for any specialty, not just family medicine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 What if you did research in preclerkship in ENT/plastics, and then decided in clerkship that you like family med? Please clarify. Thanks Then one would expect to see clerkship electives in family instead of ENT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darla Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Then one would expect to see clerkship electives in family instead of ENT. Exactly - thanks for clarifying for me guys If your resume reads like someone whose heart is set on ENT, the programs will think you're backing up. Having a mix of electives, especially including family as well as family-type extracurriculars make it more clear. It's not that you won't get an interview with family if you *are* backing up, but you *may* not get them at every school you hope for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supafield Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Sorry, I may be misunderstanding the point...but what's wrong with having lots of research in ENT if you want to go into family? Do they really hold that against you? I don't see how that would be fair at all, and it's really worrisome. What if you did research in preclerkship in ENT/plastics, and then decided in clerkship that you like family med? Please clarify. Thanks We had a residency director at Ottawa come in and talk to us and said, if you have 3 urology electives, we'll get the idea that we're being backed up, to which a 4th year in the back row slowly raised his hand and explained to the interest group that he thought he was set on urology and had taken 3 electives in it, only to have a change of heart and now he wasn't even applying to urology programs. It was pretty funny that the lady used this guy's exact situation at the prototypical family med back up candidate. The advice that was given however, was to use the accompanying letter to the program to explain the change of heart and why you actually want to do family, and not all will be lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLengr Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Even if you are backing up, don't sweat it too much. Programs know how the game is played. They know that given the finality of CaRMS, you need to have some kinda back up plan if you don't get into a highly competitive spot. Even if you are backing up, if you can articulate how you would be happy in that specialty if you ended up there and that you would be an asset to their program, they will consider you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moo Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 I had two anesthesia electives, one FM elective, and one other elective in something that I can't remember now (it's been 5 years!) and I got interviews at all the FM programs I applied to. Its not make or break, as long as you have at least one FM elective to demonstrate SOME interest in it, you should be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cantbreathe Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 I have never heard of anyone not getting an interview for family medicine. (unless you've acquired a criminal record in medical school or punched a patient right before CaRMS). I'm not even sure if you need an elective in family medicine to get interviewed everywhere. People last year were getting interviews without having the required number of reference letters! You might not get matched to your top choice, but you would surely get interviewed. Family medicine was what I chose to go into, but I hate how everyone is now being misled into thinking it's more competitive than it actually is. For god's sakes, there are 150 spots going unfilled after the first iteration every year. It's not hard at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 I agree it is currently not hard to find a family medicine spot somewhere in the country, but if someone has a preference for a specific location, some cities are more competitive and selective in granting interviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cantbreathe Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 I agree it is currently not hard to find a family medicine spot somewhere in the country, but if someone has a preference for a specific location, some cities are more competitive and selective in granting interviews. Selective in granting interviews?? Which schools are these? I'm curious now. Because Mac, Toronto and UBC have definitely been granting interviews to almost all applicants over the past few years. Popular schools/locations certainly do not match all applicants, I agree. But I definitely have not heard of anyone not getting interviews for Family Medicine (axe-murderers, serial rapists, etc being the obvious exception. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cantbreathe Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 although I am by no means on the selection committee for family medicine, it just wouldn't make sense. half the applicants to family medicine are probably applying as a backup for something else. If programs didn't interview and rank as many people as they could, there would be even more spots going unfilled every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 I've heard of people not getting interviewed at Calgary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darla Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 I've heard of people not getting interviewed at Calgary. same for Mac. While it's true that getting a spot is easy - even down past the 2nd iteration to the scramble, *some* programs are selective about who they will grant interviews to. I'm not saying that everyone should be scared and do FM research, just that if you're serious about a specific program/location, don't eff it up by not paying attention to deadlines, electives or writing a decent letter. It's not rocket science to get an interview - I got lots and I'm not a star applicant - but don't slack off and treat it as "just family". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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