Canadian Studying In The Us

[jayceee]

Hi guys, 

 

I just finished my first block at a US (top 30) MD school. I'm already starting to think about what i'll need to match back to Canada in 2019. 

 

Anecdotal evidence is fine... Can you guys give me some insight as to what it will take to match in my first choice specialty--Ob-Gyn? 

 

At this point, I'm give up on dream specialty for a chance to move back. I've lived down here for four years so far, and cannot see myself working in this messed up system. 

 

Thanks a lot in advance. 

 

 

[3change]

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[jayceee]

Is it harder for you to match in Canada than the US?

 

I thought you just have to do electives in Canada and apply through first iteration CaRMS

 

I don't want to train in the US. I want to go home to Canada. That's what this post is about. 

Do you have any insight on how hard it would be to compete with Canadians who studied at Canadian institutions for specialties like Ob-Gyn? 

 

I don't really see many posts about Ob-Gyn on this forum..

[3change]

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[ralk]

You're at a disadvantage compared to CMGs. It's hard to say how much. On paper you are the same so I guess it comes down to implicit bias from individual programs.

 

That disadvantage is hard to quantify too - USMDs match at a lower rate through CaRMS than CMGs, but that could be as much USMDs not wanting many Canadian programs as it is Canadian programs not wanting USMDs.

 

OP, the rules for you are basically the same as the rules for CMGs: do electives and rotations in Canada at centres you want to match to, whenever possible. Make sure your references are good and, if you can, getting references from Canadians docs would be good. Apply broadly. If matching in Canada is more important than the specialty, back up appropriately. OB-GYN isn't super-competitive, but it's not an easy match either, so having a back up specialty is strongly advisable if you're dead set on coming to Canada.

 

You're still in your first block, so your desired specialty could easily change, but your overall approach shouldn't: get exposure to Canadian programs, get good references from wherever you can, apply broadly, back up if apply to any moderately or highly competitive fields. Do that and your chances are probably only marginally lower than it is for CMGs, if there's a difference at all.