Reapplying To Im

[englers]

I'm a McGill student that applied to IM this year but finally went unmatched. Have no possibility of doing the residency elsewhere (family issues) so 2nd round is out of the option.

Debating between reapplying next year while doing research vs. going to FM and try to transfer, with the former being my prefered avenue.

 

Has anyone done that, or know anyone that has?

Would appreciate some input if possible.

 

Thanks in advance

[deathvvv]

Its a tough call

 

IM is generally not a competitive speciality. But if you are geographically restricted to one city it becomes incredibly difficult given the number of spots available. Doing research helps, but I think more fruitful endeavor is continue to do electives in IM and work with big names at McGill or UDEM who can vouch for you come carms selection time. There is always a risk when sitting out a year and re-applying (not as much if you plan to apply broadly and will be happy with IM anywhere, but very risky since you are only willing to work in Montreal).

 

Transfer is also a risky route. Im not familiar with year of funding issue but hearing stories of people who had successfully done it, its usually the FRCPC specialties to family since its 5 year of funding transferred to 2 year (not vice versa). Your best bet is contacting the mcgills undergrad office, they probably have the most up to date knowledge to help you out.

 

If geographical location is absolutely crucial to you, I see that McGill's gatineau site has some spots left. I know FM is not internal medicine but as a family doc you can still do hospitalist work. But if you have your heart set on a speciality like Cards or gastro that would obviously be out of the question. 

[LittleDaisy]

I think that it would be difficult for OP to do IM electives, since he & she won't be covered by the medical faculty's malpractice insurance anymore.  For IM research , it is always possible. If you could contact the faculty's guidance counsellor or academic advisor, there is so many research opportunities at McGill!

Its a tough call

 

IM is generally not a competitive speciality. But if you are geographically restricted to one city it becomes incredibly difficult given the number of spots available. Doing research helps, but I think more fruitful endeavor is continue to do electives in IM and work with big names at McGill or UDEM who can vouch for you come carms selection time. There is always a risk when sitting out a year and re-applying (not as much if you plan to apply broadly and will be happy with IM anywhere, but very risky since you are only willing to work in Montreal).

 

Transfer is also a risky route. Im not familiar with year of funding issue but hearing stories of people who had successfully done it, its usually the FRCPC specialties to family since its 5 year of funding transferred to 2 year (not vice versa). Your best bet is contacting the mcgills undergrad office, they probably have the most up to date knowledge to help you out.

 

If geographical location is absolutely crucial to you, I see that McGill's gatineau site has some spots left. I know FM is not internal medicine but as a family doc you can still do hospitalist work. But if you have your heart set on a speciality like Cards or gastro that would obviously be out of the question. 

[deathvvv]

If not mistaken. Many med school's malpractice insurance starts and End on July 1st and June 30th. So technically OP can try to do 3 months worth of IM elective if he/she had already fulfilled graduation requirements. I would say this would be something that OP should take advantage of since it means new letters and dedication to the field, which is always a plus.

[LittleDaisy]

Good point...sorry I wasn't aware of that!

OP, I know people who got matched to OB GYN this year after being unmatched last year. They did a year of master with good LORs...I think that if your heart set on IM and don't see yourself doing FM in the near future, you could take year off and doing research and electives before July 1st! Good luck

If not mistaken. Many med school's malpractice insurance starts and End on July 1st and June 30th. So technically OP can try to do 3 months worth of IM elective if he/she had already fulfilled graduation requirements. I would say this would be something that OP should take advantage of since it means new letters and dedication to the field, which is always a plus.

[englers]

Didn't know about the possibility of doing electives until July 1st! Will definitely ask advisers about it. Thought of delaying graduation and taking electives next year, but since I'm done with everything (save the MCC exam) there is nothing left to delay.

 

I hear a lot of stories of people going unmatched and then matching the year after, but only in surgical fields. That's why I was wondering if it was doable for IM.

[deathvvv]

I was unmatched for FM last year and ended up matching in one of the most competitive FM programs in Canada. But I was definitely prepared to go  anywhere and I applied broadly

 

Seeing you are CMG, you should be ok for medicine IF you apply broadly. But again, if you are set on Montreal, it will be less certain. Doing masters and getting connections that way will definitely help. You should check for elective extension opportunities (to July 1, if not into next year). I had friends from mac who went unmatched and they had clerkship extended until Oct 31st. Same for U of T. So definitely check with McGill

[futureGP]

Take a FM spot. Do well during IM rotations and get more letters and attempt to transfer.

 

Youll be surprised how many switch from IM to FM and FM to IM.

 

Heard of many stories FM to IM but not many doing well after going unmatched. Most have no choice over location.

[blingbling]

Hey, 

 

I went unmatched in peds (despite people telling me I was a shoe-in, and 9/9 interviews). 
I am taking a year off to do research (something I would have already been doing because I see myself as a clinician-scientist in the future), and may start a MSc if I can get a program to accept me after the application deadline. 

 

I've spoken to a number of PDs about this, and they said (for peds) to not bank on a transfer because of funding year discrepencies and also you have to bank on a spot opening up. This happens less so in PEDS than IM. I am completely set on pediatrics. You have to decide if you REALLY want IM enough to go through the trouble. IM is more similar to FM than PEDS is to FM (though we can likely all make our practices tailored to whatever we want in FM...). I am big into research, so that is another reason I am pursuing peds over FM. 

 

You have to do your groundwork. I've emailed every PD in peds, 3 deans (or vice deans) of UGME at different medical schools to get varied opinions on the matter. Different schools give different advice to their unmatched students. The bottom line at the end is that CaRMS is a black box and a beast haha. It's a risk, and I haven't convinced myself yet that I'm going to take the risk. My PEDS mentors are telling me I should, but my faculty is telling me that I should just go into FM. I'm not ready to settle though  

[JohnGrisham]

Faculty have their own interest of not having people unmatched, even if it means matching to something that isn't what the student wants. Always take their advice with a grain of salt.

[amichel]

Hey,

 

I went unmatched in peds (despite people telling me I was a shoe-in, and 9/9 interviews).

I am taking a year off to do research (something I would have already been doing because I see myself as a clinician-scientist in the future), and may start a MSc if I can get a program to accept me after the application deadline.

 

I've spoken to a number of PDs about this, and they said (for peds) to not bank on a transfer because of funding year discrepencies and also you have to bank on a spot opening up. This happens less so in PEDS than IM. I am completely set on pediatrics. You have to decide if you REALLY want IM enough to go through the trouble. IM is more similar to FM than PEDS is to FM (though we can likely all make our practices tailored to whatever we want in FM...). I am big into research, so that is another reason I am pursuing peds over FM.

 

You have to do your groundwork. I've emailed every PD in peds, 3 deans (or vice deans) of UGME at different medical schools to get varied opinions on the matter. Different schools give different advice to their unmatched students. The bottom line at the end is that CaRMS is a black box and a beast haha. It's a risk, and I haven't convinced myself yet that I'm going to take the risk. My PEDS mentors are telling me I should, but my faculty is telling me that I should just go into FM. I'm not ready to settle though

I'm so sorry this happens to you. I feel like my atttitude is fairly similar to yours. I want Peds and struggle with the constant advice to back up, because I don't really want to.

 

The fact that you had 9 interviews and went unmatched is also my worst nightmare, haha. So again, sorry. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

[psychoswim]

Faculty have their own interest of not having people unmatched, even if it means matching to something that isn't what the student wants. Always take their advice with a grain of salt.

This x 10000.

 

I did not match in a surgical specialty. Faculty tried to convince me to apply to genetics and nuclear med because that is oh so close to a related field... They'd rather we match in anything regardless of what we want.

[hking03]

Faculty have their own interest of not having people unmatched, even if it means matching to something that isn't what the student wants. Always take their advice with a grain of salt.

The faculty are very self serving on a lot of fronts.

 

But.

 

It's also hard to match to a highly competitive specialty the second time around when you've graduated, have limited opportunities to get electives and better letters and really improve your application...

 

If an applicant can do all of those things and can't see themselves happy in family, internal or whatever else is left in the second round then by all means take their advice with a grain of a salt.

 

But carms is a fickle beast.

[deathvvv]

The problem is that for the more competitive specialties there is things beyond their control affecting their matches (ie particular interests). For example, radiology was mad competitive in 2015, so a lot of people applied and went unmatched. Now this year it was not very competitive at all. So in this example sitting out a year will most likely work out is a good idea. But for more competitive specialties like Uro and derm, where there is like 2-3 spots per school a shift in student interest will school people over and qualified people go unmatched and next year they are deemed "undesirable" even if student interests the next year went down.