Another IMG!!

[kurdishmed]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm a 4th year medical student (5 year program) in Royal college of surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain, planning to do my residency in Canada. I have the PR and I'm aware of the difficult path ahead of me ...I just have a couple of questions.

 

I've heard that fresh graduates have better chances in getting residency spots...I'm planning to do research in Canada for a year after my graduation in 2014. Will I still be considered a fresh graduate if I apply a year after my graduation?

 

My other option is sitting the mccee by the end of this year and apply through CaRMS..but I havent done any electives in Canada, I will be doing an elective in Feb 2014. Are they going to consider the elective if I mention it on my CV?

 

I'm kinda lost. Will doing research after graduation increase my chances in getting a residency spot? Should I do more electives for a year after graduation then start the application process? Should I sit the mccee this year and apply without doing the research?

 

I'd appreciate some help.

[NLengr]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm a 4th year medical student (5 year program) in Royal college of surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain, planning to do my residency in Canada. I have the PR and I'm aware of the difficult path ahead of me ...I just have a couple of questions.

 

I've heard that fresh graduates have better chances in getting residency spots...I'm planning to do research in Canada for a year after my graduation in 2014. Will I still be considered a fresh graduate if I apply a year after my graduation?

 

My other option is sitting the mccee by the end of this year and apply through CaRMS..but I havent done any electives in Canada, I will be doing an elective in Feb 2014. Are they going to consider the elective if I mention it on my CV?

 

I'm kinda lost. Will doing research after graduation increase my chances in getting a residency spot? Should I do more electives for a year after graduation then start the application process? Should I sit the mccee this year and apply without doing the research?

 

I'd appreciate some help.

 

For clarification, options are:

1. Apply to CaRMS for 2014. You will have no Canadian electives done prior to December 2013 (which is when programs submit interview invites for the first round).

 

2. Graduate 2014. Try to do research in Canada for a year. Apply to CaRMS 2015. Have some electives done in Canada from your 5th year of med school. Do no electives during your research year.

 

Is that correct?

 

Second question, how much potential elective time do you have prior to December 2013. How much prior to March 2014?

 

Third question, do you have any electives done now? Are any of those Canadian electives?

 

Fourth, how picky about what kind of residency you get?

[kurdishmed]

For clarification, options are:

1. Apply to CaRMS for 2014. You will have no Canadian electives done prior to December 2013 (which is when programs submit interview invites for the first round).

 

2. Graduate 2014. Try to do research in Canada for a year. Apply to CaRMS 2015. Have some electives done in Canada from your 5th year of med school. Do no electives during your research year.

 

Is that correct?

 

Yes. Obviously the first option is too risky, and most probably I will not get matched to a program, but is there a chance that I get matched to the less competitive programs i.e FM in Manitoba/SK?

Also, is research as important as electives in Canada?

 

Second question, how much potential elective time do you have prior to December 2013. How much prior to March 2014?

 

I think its too late to apply for electives this summer. So I basically have one shot at doing electives in Canada: Feb 2014

 

 

Third question, do you have any electives done now? Are any of those Canadian electives?

 

I've only done electives in the middle east.

 

 

Fourth, how picky about what kind of residency you get?

 

Not very picky tbh, I know I will not be a "strong" candidate as I don't have enough clinical experience in Canada. I am not aiming at very competitive programs.

[NLengr]

Yes. Obviously the first option is too risky, and most probably I will not get matched to a program, but is there a chance that I get matched to the less competitive programs i.e FM in Manitoba/SK?

Also, is research as important as electives in Canada?

 

 

 

I think its too late to apply for electives this summer. So I basically have one shot at doing electives in Canada: Feb 2014

 

 

 

 

I've only done electives in the middle east.

 

 

 

 

Not very picky tbh, I know I will not be a "strong" candidate as I don't have enough clinical experience in Canada. I am not aiming at very competitive programs.

 

Without Canadian electives your chances of getting a Canadian residency are essentially zero. There are dozens of people applying for each spot, no matter how bad it is. Many have done Canadian elective time at the program they are applying to.

 

Electives and exposure are they key thing when it comes to CaRMS. Nobody wants to take a chance on someone they don't know. You need to maximize the elective that you have prior to applying. I would concentrate on places that are not overly popular (I.e. not Toronto, Vancouver etc.). Too much competition for someone with a weak application. Try spots that will be less popular, so you may, if you are lucky, face less competition.

 

Unfortunately you are kinda between a rock and a hard place. Ideally, you would have done your previous electives in Canada, then applied to CaRMS in your last year of med school. Now you will be a year post grad when you apply if you wait for electives to be done. That puts you at a huge disadvantage. Programs are known to favour new grads vs. previous year grads. Every year you don't match decreases your chance of matching the next year.

 

In Canada, electives are far more important than research. Very few non competitive programs care about research. Even competitive ones consider it of secondary importance. Having research is unlikely to even come close to maki up for having no electives.

 

I don't know exactly your best path. Both are poor options. Personally, I think you face difficult odds matching to Canada either way. I would strongly consider also applying to the US and any other place you qualify for residency. The odds of getting a spot in Canada are stacked against you and having a back up plan in place is a must.

[Nick30]

New to forum:

 

Am considering going to an international med school as a mature student. My fear would be the possibility of returning to Canada (am a Canadian citizen) and not getting a residency. My initial preference would be family medicine, however, as an IMG, I realize the disadvantage I'd be at.

 

My question is, if an IMG is not picky about location or specialty, are there enough residencies open in Canada to at least allow me to assume a reasonable chance of getting one?

[NLengr]

New to forum:

 

Am considering going to an international med school as a mature student. My fear would be the possibility of returning to Canada (am a Canadian citizen) and not getting a residency. My initial preference would be family medicine, however, as an IMG, I realize the disadvantage I'd be at.

 

My question is, if an IMG is not picky about location or specialty, are there enough residencies open in Canada to at least allow me to assume a reasonable chance of getting one?

 

No. Especially not in 4-5 years time with the US losing most or all of its IMG spots starting around 2015-2017, the fact that hundreds of Canadians per year are now overseas, and Canadian med school seats have been greatly expanded.

 

Look at the second round thread from this year in the CaRMS section. The majority of IMG posters didn't match.

 

The back door to medicine in Canada is rapidly closing. Unless you can afford to waste the 250-350k when going overseas or can easily pay it back, I would be reluctant to do it.

[leviathan]

The expanding number of med school seats in Canada doesn't matter because they don't have access to the IMG residency positions. I wouldn't bank on getting those though, since there's only 1 for every 10 applicants.

[NLengr]

The expanding number of med school seats in Canada doesn't matter because they don't have access to the IMG residency positions. I wouldn't bank on getting those though, since there's only 1 for every 10 applicants.

 

But it does influence second round seats since they are open to both.

 

It would also play a role in any future expansion of residency seats.

[Nick30]

So the question is (and the one I can't seem to find answered):

 

Are the amount of actual residencies in Canada greater or less than the amount of medical grads looking for one? That is, if one will take ANY residency, are there residencies available?

 

I found this document:

 

http://www.pgme.utoronto.ca/content/2013-carms-vacancies-medical-school

 

Seems to indicate that some residencies go vacant?

 

I apologize if my questions are either elementary or redundant, however, all I am finding online is conflicting information and the organizations I've contacted seem to be very vague in their answers.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Mourning Cloak]

Are the amount of actual residencies in Canada greater or less than the amount of medical grads looking for one? That is, if one will take ANY residency, are there residencies available?

 

For CMGs, there is approximately one residency position for each CMG. So if you're a CMG willing to take anything, you'll very probably match.

 

For IMGs, there are many, many more applicants than spots. <20% of IMGs match.

 

If a spot doesn't fill, it's likely that the program chose not to fill it with the candidates to hand.

[Edict]

So the question is (and the one I can't seem to find answered):

 

Are the amount of actual residencies in Canada greater or less than the amount of medical grads looking for one? That is, if one will take ANY residency, are there residencies available?

 

I found this document:

 

http://www.pgme.utoronto.ca/content/2013-carms-vacancies-medical-school

 

Seems to indicate that some residencies go vacant?

 

I apologize if my questions are either elementary or redundant, however, all I am finding online is conflicting information and the organizations I've contacted seem to be very vague in their answers.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

There is a reasonable chance if you want FM you can get it if you work hard. There are some vacancies because I believe a lot of PDs would rather take nobody rather than someone they don't think is qualified.

 

If you go abroad, do research and shadowing every chance you get at the place you want to match, then do electives all in FM and achieve high grades on your MCCEE and MCCQE pt 1 and NAC OSCE, you will most certainly get an interview. Then its up to your interview skills to determine whether you will match