Advice from those more clever than me about CaRMS

At the end of our third year, we had a panel of residency directors and residents come talk to the class about CaRMS. I feverishly wrote everything down for a friend who was stressed about missing the day. Now that I'm moving, I've just found this again and want to pass it on before I just chuck it in the recycle bin.

This list is not well organized, but there's some good advice in here.

- take care of yourself during the entire process, you'll be less likely to try to jump off your balcony

(our school is one of the lucky ones that doesn't have call during CaRMS!)

- know who you are and what you are great at

- your rank order list is a wish list for your future

- safety first, don't put all your eggs in one basket

- don't rank your back up if you don't want to do it

- things to consider - income, overhead and available jobs at the end of your residency

- what if I have no idea what specialty to pick?

- avoid seduction (e.g. special toys used in the field)

- look at what the day to day life in the specialty is like

- How can I be competitive with a pass/fail system?

- references and their letters

- electives

- research is used as a surrogate for proving that you work hard, focus, problem solve and follow a project to completion

- How do I pick who will do my reference letters?

- someone who knows you really well

-something will something interesting/good to say

- nice to have, but not needed to have qualities of a reference:

- well known

- on the selection committee

- all electives in one area is not a good idea

- diversify

- longer electives --> better reference letters

- high risk/high yield strategy is "bad" (not my word)

- choosing between the programs:

- do their residents pass?

- do they have good employment rates on graduation?

- how happy are the alumni?

- location of the program

- personal factors (family, sports, etc.)

- don't just apply to Toronto

- there are not plenty of spots in the 2nd iteration

- only rank the program if you can see yourself doing it

- just b/c you applied, doesn't mean you need to rank it

- you can apply to as may programs as you want

from the resident:

- personal letter should address:

- why the specialty

- where the program is (I *love* the ocean, etc.)

- some ask specific questions

- pay attention to the word limit ranges

- don't send the wrong letter to the wrong program

- can do generic outline then answer their specific questions

- references:

- most programs ask for 3 - 5

- ask "do you think you'd be willing to write me a good letter of reference?"

- pick someone who knows you well, another who is in your program, and another who isn't from your home school

- as long as you're going to be happy with a back up, go with it

- setting up electives:

- "we're full" isn't always true, use gentle persistance

- 3 week electives are a good amount of time

- don't split your elective time between 2 competitive electives, it makes you look like you don't want either

- when on electives:

- people expect you to be dumb

- be nice and smile

- don't be tired

- be keen but not over the top

- don't be late

- stick around at the end of the day

- offer to do call

- offer to present a case at rounds

- take the time before electives start to get your immunizations up to date

- good general things to have; anesthesia, gen surg, family medicine

- bottom line, residents are chosen based on who they want to work with for the next 5 years

that's it - as I've said, not my advice, it's from people much more clever than me