40% of this year's graduating class matched to family

[MarathonRunner]

News release from the U of A:

 

"U of A medical school seeing rise in number of grads choosing family medicine"

 

http://www.expressnews.ualberta.ca/en/NewsArticles/2011/03/UofAmedicalschoolseeingriseinnumberofgradschoosingfamilymedicine.aspx

 

The Integrated Community Clerkship mentioned, which places clerks in rural communities, sounds like an interesting program. I guess it is succeeding at getting at least some students more interested in family medicine.

 

Also interesting that they are focusing on "the ability to have a life outside of medicine" as mentioned in the article.

[cardiomegaly]

It's a combination of so many efforts from multiple levels of the faculty

-ICC program in 3rd year

-the regular stream of clerkship has 4 weeks rotation rural family, 4 weeks urban (much more exposure than most medical schools)

-Family Med Interest Group and Rural Medicine Interest groups - they have amazing activities and fieldtrips during the year

-Our vice dean of Education is a family doc and speaks openly about the profession. Plus more family docs in Gilbert Scholars, Discovery Learning, Patient Centered Care etc

-U of A has an incredible, dynamic, well-spoken program director for Family Medicine

-students are realizing they want the flexibility, long term relationships, and preventative approach you get in FM

 

40% is amazing, and finally a step in the right direction!!!!

[galaxy012]

I am not from Alberta, but I have to call BS on that one. If they are that proud of their students choosing FM, why don't they post how many chose FM as their first choice specialty? I don't see much else leftover besides FM in the second iteration, aside from the less desirable pathology, psych, etc.

 

A more accurate title may be "U of A medical school sees grads choosing family medicine over going unmatched"

[cardiomegaly]

They will release those stats eventually.

 

FM has leftover spots because UofA's program does not rank everyone who applies - they call BS on people who are hardcore backing up.

 

The 2011s had matches to derm, optho, ENT, 8 rads, nuc med, rad onc, plastics, urology, anaesthesia, emerg and every other competitive specialty you can think of. Why would we have 20 students match to rural family if they were "backing up"? Some of those rural programs are just as competitive as Royal College specialties. You'd be surprised how many people want to train in Red Deer over Edmonton or Calgary.

 

Our faculty is trying to fight against that kind of attitude - that matching to family medicine is only slightly better than going unmatched.

[rmorelan]

I am not from Alberta, but I have to call BS on that one. If they are that proud of their students choosing FM, why don't they post how many chose FM as their first choice specialty? I don't see much else leftover besides FM in the second iteration, aside from the less desirable pathology, psych, etc.

 

A more accurate title may be "U of A medical school sees grads choosing family medicine over going unmatched"

 

While eventually those stats will come out in the carms match final statistics which will require the usual pouring over I wonder how many non medical people really know enough about carms to understand first/second choices etc as casual readers.

 

also the year to year flucuations in family speciality choices are quite common though - western moved upwards to 40% two years ago, dropped to 33% last year and changed again this year as well. Sometimes school jump on these changes as being significant when it is just random choices of a relatively small number of people followed by regression to the mean effects. I have seen similar things at other schools as well.

 

still u of a has done a lot to promote family medicine so we may very well find there is a great push for the speciality. Actually quite a lot attractive about family medicine now.

[TheBoss]

A more accurate title may be "U of A medical school sees grads choosing family medicine over going unmatched"

 

I disagree, I think UofA grads are choosing family med over specialties more often. According to last years match results, 68.3% of UofA grads matched to their first choice and 90% matched to one of their top 3 choices, which is pretty decent I'd say. I doubt this year UofA grads had that much more trouble matching into specialties if they wanted it.

 

http://www.carms.ca/pdfs/2010R1_MatchResults/Match%20Results%20by%20First%20and%20Lower%20Ranked%20Program%20Choices_en.pdf

[ihatechem]

I disagree, I think UofA grads are choosing family med over specialties more often. According to last years match results, 68.3% of UofA grads matched to their first choice and 90% matched to one of their top 3 choices, which is pretty decent I'd say. I doubt this year UofA grads had that much more trouble matching into specialties if they wanted it.

 

http://www.carms.ca/pdfs/2010R1_MatchResults/Match%20Results%20by%20First%20and%20Lower%20Ranked%20Program%20Choices_en.pdf

 

is this first choice specialty or first choice speciality + location?

[tooty]

is this first choice specialty or first choice speciality + location?

 

first choice implies first choice program at a specific school.

[GGGSaint]

It's a combination of so many efforts from multiple levels of the faculty

-ICC program in 3rd year

-the regular stream of clerkship has 4 weeks rotation rural family, 4 weeks urban (much more exposure than most medical schools)

-Family Med Interest Group and Rural Medicine Interest groups - they have amazing activities and fieldtrips during the year

-Our vice dean of Education is a family doc and speaks openly about the profession. Plus more family docs in Gilbert Scholars, Discovery Learning, Patient Centered Care etc

-U of A has an incredible, dynamic, well-spoken program director for Family Medicine

-students are realizing they want the flexibility, long term relationships, and preventative approach you get in FM

 

40% is amazing, and finally a step in the right direction!!!!

 

++. Sounds like you gals and guys in Alberta are doing it right. Kudos to you.

[igotacookie]

I am not from Alberta, but I have to call BS on that one. If they are that proud of their students choosing FM, why don't they post how many chose FM as their first choice specialty? I don't see much else leftover besides FM in the second iteration, aside from the less desirable pathology, psych, etc.

 

A more accurate title may be "U of A medical school sees grads choosing family medicine over going unmatched"

 

How can you even compare those two?

 

Family is not a backup. It is a wonderful specialty that I never considered prior to starting at UofA, but our program/club leaders/various support organizations have done a stellar job of promoting it.

 

I would seriously contemplate it now.

[Jamer]

I thought I wanted family when I came in and the faculty has done nothing but reinforce my original thoughts. There will be some students who just end up in family because they go unmatched otherwise, but you'd be shocked at the number of my peers who have family as their #1 choice.

[JC5]

I thought I wanted family when I came in and the faculty has done nothing but reinforce my original thoughts. There will be some students who just end up in family because they go unmatched otherwise, but you'd be shocked at the number of my peers who have family as their #1 choice.

 

++

 

all hail family

[Jochi1543]

I am not from Alberta, but I have to call BS on that one. If they are that proud of their students choosing FM, why don't they post how many chose FM as their first choice specialty? I don't see much else leftover besides FM in the second iteration, aside from the less desirable pathology, psych, etc.

 

A more accurate title may be "U of A medical school sees grads choosing family medicine over going unmatched"

 

Why would we have 20 students match to rural family if they were "backing up"? Some of those rural programs are just as competitive as Royal College specialties. You'd be surprised how many people want to train in Red Deer over Edmonton or Calgary.

 

Agreed, talked to a program director last year and there's between 10 and 15 applicants per spot for the Red Deer site.

[Erk]

I've never really understood the hate-on so many have for FM. My thoughts may change when I'm in school, but at this point I see very little appealing about more specific specialisations. I want to be a doctor so I can interact with people, get involved in their lives and communities, and help them in medicine. The freedom to live where I want, not just in a large center, is also a big factor. Few, if any, specialisations have that to the degree family does. I doubt I'm the only one who sees this appeal, as the stats show.

 

Yeah, you make more money in spec; the difference, compared to the average Canadian, is between being rich and being richer. FM isn't exactly uncomfortable living.

[bones]

Just to add my two cents: Yes, our class did exceptionally well in the match this year. Not only did we send people to competitive specialities like ophtho, plastics, and rads, we also sent people to competitive locations (such as the most appealing places in BC and rural Alberta) for both FM and other specialities.

 

I'm not sure, but perhaps the current favourable climate for FM in Alberta has something to do with the interest in FM. I think Alberta is perhaps the best place to study and practice FM in the country right now, when you factor in residency pay and benefits, fee codes for family docs, scope of practice, big city and small town life, mountains, economy, etc.

 

Finally, the job market for other specialities may have had something to do with the high interest in FM, especially from those who were considering both FM and another speciality. I kept hearing stories from residents in other specialities trying to find jobs, and the idea of doing 1 or 2 fellowships, brown-nosing for 5 or more years, and hoping to find a job +/- OR time someplace where your friends and family are was just too much for me, and likely too much for other people.

[gb35]

Just to add my two cents: Yes, our class did exceptionally well in the match this year. Not only did we send people to competitive specialities like ophtho, plastics, and rads, we also sent people to competitive locations (such as the most appealing places in BC and rural Alberta) for both FM and other specialities.

 

I'm not sure, but perhaps the current favourable climate for FM in Alberta has something to do with the interest in FM. I think Alberta is perhaps the best place to study and practice FM in the country right now, when you factor in residency pay and benefits, fee codes for family docs, scope of practice, big city and small town life, mountains, economy, etc.

 

Finally, the job market for other specialities may have had something to do with the high interest in FM, especially from those who were considering both FM and another speciality. I kept hearing stories from residents in other specialities trying to find jobs, and the idea of doing 1 or 2 fellowships, brown-nosing for 5 or more years, and hoping to find a job +/- OR time someplace where your friends and family are was just too much for me, and likely too much for other people.

 

I can't help but wonder, with the job markets from some specialties being so difficult is there a chance that, in 4 years when my turn for CaRMs rolls around, family will be flooded with too many people and family docs won't have their pick of locations to work? It just all seems so cyclical, and I'm wondering to what degree family medicine is safe in this regard.

 

Right now, FM+EM (2+1) sounds like my dream career.

[cardiomegaly]

I highly doubt that family medicine will have too many people in a few years. FM is so diverse...you can practice low-risk obs, do chronic care, palliative work, sports medicine, add on cosmetic dermatology, acute care centres etc etc etc not too many people practice straight clinic FM anymore. I highly doubt that more than 50% of new grads have 5 clinic days a week where they see traditional family practice patients. Millions of Canadians are lacking family docs with the surge of chronic disease I don't think our increases in FM enrollment will meet the need fully.

 

Remember though, FM+EM (2+1) in cities like Calgary and Edmonton does not equal 3 days in the clinic plus a couple shifts in the emerg - those guys do straight emerg for 10-15+ years before they return to FM. You can't retain your emerg skills in a tertiary centre otherwise. All of the CCFP-Ems I have talked to in big EDs do not practice family medicine. And technically if you do EM in a regional or rural centre, they don't always require the +1 year. It's pretty sweet.

[gb35]

I highly doubt that family medicine will have too many people in a few years. FM is so diverse...you can practice low-risk obs, do chronic care, palliative work, sports medicine, add on cosmetic dermatology, acute care centres etc etc etc not too many people practice straight clinic FM anymore. I highly doubt that more than 50% of new grads have 5 clinic days a week where they see traditional family practice patients. Millions of Canadians are lacking family docs with the surge of chronic disease I don't think our increases in FM enrollment will meet the need fully.

 

Remember though, FM+EM (2+1) in cities like Calgary and Edmonton does not equal 3 days in the clinic plus a couple shifts in the emerg - those guys do straight emerg for 10-15+ years before they return to FM. You can't retain your emerg skills in a tertiary centre otherwise. All of the CCFP-Ems I have talked to in big EDs do not practice family medicine. And technically if you do EM in a regional or rural centre, they don't always require the +1 year. It's pretty sweet.

 

Thanks for that post! I actually see myself working in a rural area, so I would want a mix of ER and family clinic time. I've heard a few people say that you don't need the +1 to get ER time in rural areas, but I just feel like I'd want that training. Is that a really weird stance to maintain? How do people get ER training otherwise?

[moo]

I think this hate on FM all has to do with prestige and perception of more money.

 

But when you think about it, a lot of specialties have huge drawbacks. You spend at least 5 years training, then you have to do fellowships to get into a center of your choice. For example, I just received a letter from a new orthopod in our community in BC who did two upper extremity fellowships in Ottawa and the US and he was finally able to get in with the group in Vancouver. You also have to do call most of the time in a lot of specialties. In FM, you can take call if you want or jut do your walk-ins for 4 hours, bill 1800 for the day and be done with it.

 

I like my specialty (public health) but I also am realistic in knowing that jobs may be hard to come by for me. Thus, I will always practice some family medicine on the side, so as not to be unemployed by June of next year when I'm done my training.

[supafield]

Thanks for that post! I actually see myself working in a rural area, so I would want a mix of ER and family clinic time. I've heard a few people say that you don't need the +1 to get ER time in rural areas, but I just feel like I'd want that training. Is that a really weird stance to maintain? How do people get ER training otherwise?

 

I think a lot of people hold that attitude. When you talk to doctors that work in Emerge without the +1 some question why you would go get it when you don't need it... but then you talk to the FM residents considering going into Emerge and lots of them wouldn't feel comfortable starting right away without at least a little training.

[octals]

I am not from Alberta, but I have to call BS on that one. If they are that proud of their students choosing FM, why don't they post how many chose FM as their first choice specialty? I don't see much else leftover besides FM in the second iteration, aside from the less desirable pathology, psych, etc.

 

A more accurate title may be "U of A medical school sees grads choosing family medicine over going unmatched"

 

I could retort in some clever manner, but suffice it to say everything in you're above post was speculative, and as it turns out, completely incorrect.

 

My class liked family. So many chose to do it. We also liked some competitive ones too. Like rads. Which we pwned.

 

To do some speculating of my own: I'm willing to wager you haven't been through CaRMS. If you had, you probably wouldn't have said something like that.

[galaxy012]

I could retort in some clever manner, but suffice it to say everything in you're above post was speculative, and as it turns out, completely incorrect.

 

My class liked family. So many chose to do it. We also liked some competitive ones too. Like rads. Which we pwned.

 

To do some speculating of my own: I'm willing to wager you haven't been through CaRMS. If you had, you probably wouldn't have said something like that.

 

Wow, just came back to this thread and saw so many people upset with what I posted... My apologies if I came off as bashing FM as a specialty.

 

To clarify, I have nothing against family med as a specialty, lots of who I consider to be the most brilliant people in my class are going into FM.

 

However, I don't feel that promoting FM in an underhanded manner is a good way to solve the GP shortage. What I mean is, residency spots in most specialties are quite limited, forcing some people into family medicine, since most people prefer to match than take a year off. I know so many people who didn't get their first choice specialty, and has no choice but to go into FM - and those are people who ranked the most undesirable locations for non-FM specialties highest in the second round, yet they are still stuck with FM. I think that's pretty unfortunate. Not that the job market nor the training institutions have much trouble accommodating extra spots in certain specialties like peds/ob/gas/IM/etc.

 

And going back to why I made that comment initially. Every year ~90% of any class gets their first choice specialty, some goes unmatched. So the people who got FM as backup along with those unmatched probably drops that 40% statistic down to 30% or so. I definitely believe the interest in FM has improved, which is the main gist of the article. But I don't like the way they distort statistics to include people who are completely unhappy with FM but are stuck in it - good for you for forcing people into FM, now no need to use them to boost your statistics and brag about it.

 

 

I know I sound pretty negative, but I went through Carms and have seen how horribly it turned out for some very good people. Hopefully those people will eventually find FM to be tolerable or even enjoyable.

[galaxy012]

I think this hate on FM all has to do with prestige and perception of more money.

 

Talking to many people who don't like FM, the unanimous complaint I've heard is that clinic FM is boring - I have even heard that from many FM docs who have been practicing for many years and are shifting their practice towards more OB or EM. They just don't like seeing colds, chronic back pain, script refills, etc. For some people, expert knowledge and interesting pathology is important to them. To generalize broadly, they like "cases" as much or more than they like "patients". True excellent FM docs like "patients" more, those are difficult to find.

[thebouque]

Talking to many people who don't like FM, the unanimous complaint I've heard is that clinic FM is boring - I have even heard that from many FM docs who have been practicing for many years and are shifting their practice towards more OB or EM. They just don't like seeing colds, chronic back pain, script refills, etc. For some people, expert knowledge and interesting pathology is important to them. To generalize broadly, they like "cases" as much or more than they like "patients". True excellent FM docs like "patients" more, those are difficult to find.

 

+1

I know quite a few people who are stuck with FM because they ranked it after their 1st choice, didn't get their 1st choice, and are really unhappy about it.

[cardiomegaly]

I am not from Alberta, but I have to call BS on that one. If they are that proud of their students choosing FM, why don't they post how many chose FM as their first choice specialty? I don't see much else leftover besides FM in the second iteration, aside from the less desirable pathology, psych, etc.

 

A more accurate title may be "U of A medical school sees grads choosing family medicine over going unmatched"

 

http://carms.ca/pdfs/2011R1_MatchResults/26_Proportion%20of%20CDN%20Grads%20Choosing%20FM%20as%201st%20Choice_en.pdf

 

Sorry to revive an old thread, I saw this and laughed.

 

Clearly, U of A grads appreciate FM if 38% of them ranked it as their first choice. Our faculty is doing a pretty good job at decreasing hidden curriculum and not portraying family physicians as second rate doctors.