Edict Posted February 27, 2016 Report Share Posted February 27, 2016 The problem is US schools trying to apply their system to the Canadian one, incorrectly. In the US, school reputation matters. It's reflected in where med school applicants apply, in entrance requirements, in clinical opportunities and then in residency options. School reputation has some validity as a marker for quality in the US because everyone at all stages acts as though it does and students compete to get into the more reputable schools. In Canada, that doesn't apply. Medical school quality is pretty consistent and U of T, while a very good school, is by no means uniquely good. Yet, because U of T is a large school, affiliated with the quaternary care centres in Canada, with an established international research presence, it has a reputation for quality in the US. That has very little to do with its undergraduate medical program, but since the US equates reputation with quality in all things, U of T students likely have somewhat of an advantage when applying to the US. That advantage is far from absolute, however, and good applicants from other Canadian schools can be very successful in the US. I know last year a Western grad matched to a highly competitive US program (like, a crazy-competitive program that US students are actively stabbing each other in the back to get into). Canadian schools are all LMCE-accredited, and US programs aren't likely to ignore a stellar applicant from an LMCE-accredited school based on school reputation alone. I agree, there are just too many things on the application that can be used to distinguish applicants and in terms of nuts and bolts education, there is not a single medical school in Canada that will hinder you from becoming a good resident or doctor and honestly what you learn in a MD program is really only just the beginning, you are still a very easily moldable learner at the start of residency and PDs know that. Also, PDs have to work with the people they admit for the next 3-6+ years, they definitely care more about other things, are you really going to rule out someone who might be the perfect candidate in terms of conscientiousness, ability, drive, intelligence and personality just because you screened them out for going to any specific school? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qw098 Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 That advantage is far from absolute, however, and good applicants from other Canadian schools can be very successful in the US. I know last year a Western grad matched to a highly competitive US program (like, a crazy-competitive program that US students are actively stabbing each other in the back to get into). Canadian schools are all LMCE-accredited, and US programs aren't likely to ignore a stellar applicant from an LMCE-accredited school based on school reputation alone. What specialty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralk Posted February 28, 2016 Report Share Posted February 28, 2016 What specialty? Internal, which isn't an overly competitive specialty, but at a program so competitive it makes most surgical residencies look easy to get into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medstudent1010 Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Sorry to reopen this topic again but does anyone personally know someone who went to the US for residency after doing medical school in Canada? For personal reasons, I am going down that path and would like to hear from someone who can shed light on the difficulties of doing so. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medstudent1010 Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Internal, which isn't an overly competitive specialty, but at a program so competitive it makes most surgical residencies look easy to get into. Ralk would you be able to get me in touch with this individual? I have some very specific questions and I need answering in terms of applying to US for residency Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralk Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Ralk would you be able to get me in touch with this individual? I have some very specific questions and I need answering in terms of applying to US for residency I'm afraid they're an acquaintance only and I don't have their contact information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peace2014 Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Although I do not know anyone who did MD in Canada and residency in the US, I know that reputation of med school plays an enormous factor in getting into competitive residency programs from US MD friends. Just look at the match list for IM for BWH or MGH (harvard affiliated hospitals), literally everyone came from top 20 schools and half came from harvard. Now, if you are interested in family medicine at an unknown community hospital, of course no one cares about your school. In addition, the US matching system is very different from Canadian ones, US cares more about USMLE, grades and research, while canada cares about connections and face time, so even though in canada, PDs do not care where u went to school, but in the US, it does plays in to a factor but not as important as USMLE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peace2014 Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 BTW, since you came from Canada, you are considered foreign and if your PD have not even heard of your school, your chances DROP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edict Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 BTW, since you came from Canada, you are considered foreign and if your PD have not even heard of your school, your chances DROP. People definitely over exaggerate the importance of school. Even in the states people will look at your resume. I mean, a PD wants the best and they know the best can come from anywhere at least for Canada. In the states it is a bit different because there are a lot of schools and the top students do predominate at some schools over others, which is why you won't see many or any DO students at MGH or JHH for internal, but even most PDs in the US probably know that Canadian schools are pretty much competitive and that good students will come from any Canadian med school. But to be quite honest, the reason very few will do residency in the states is because unless you have a good reason to live in the states, the medical education differs very little between the two countries. The amount of extra effort and risk you take by going for the states and essentially forgoing canada for residency by choosing that path just isn't worth it for most people who don't have a really good reason (like family) for going there. Much more common for canadians to do fellowships in the states though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peace2014 Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 People definitely over exaggerate the importance of school. Even in the states people will look at your resume. I mean, a PD wants the best and they know the best can come from anywhere at least for Canada. In the states it is a bit different because there are a lot of schools and the top students do predominate at some schools over others, which is why you won't see many or any DO students at MGH or JHH for internal, but even most PDs in the US probably know that Canadian schools are pretty much competitive and that good students will come from any Canadian med school. But to be quite honest, the reason very few will do residency in the states is because unless you have a good reason to live in the states, the medical education differs very little between the two countries. The amount of extra effort and risk you take by going for the states and essentially forgoing canada for residency by choosing that path just isn't worth it for most people who don't have a really good reason (like family) for going there. Agreed, however, there are many more job opportunities in US than Canada, especially in nice cities. For example, theres no job for othro surgeons in Canada, but in the US, there is an abundance of positions. Much more common for canadians to do fellowships in the states though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLengr Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 It's pretty easy to get a US job even after a Canadian residency. I know quite a few people who did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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