Canadian Survival Guide(edit date 2013)

**Please note the content of this document is subjectto change…always**

Canadian Medical Students Association at WSUSOM

Welcome to Detroit!

Wayne State is going to be your new home for a while and there are afew considerations to make before you get too engrossed in yourstudies:

Where to live:Detroit, Royal Oak, Birmingham/Beverley Hills, Dearborn, GrossePointe, Windsor. While crossing the border for class can becomecostly, some people find that they prefer living in Canada. Somestudents have even spent their entire 4 years in Windsor. Theavailability of streaming lectures definitely reduces the number of tripsyou need to make. As well, if living at home means living in Windsor foryou, this might make more financial sense for you.Find a good place for 1st and 2nd year, and then when you find outwhere you will be for your 3rd year clerkships in March of your 2nd year,decide whether to stay in the same place or move to a more convenientlocation closer to your hospital.

Cell Phone:Most cell phone companies will not give you a contract if you do nothave a SSN. Some companies like Sprint will allow you to pay a deposit,and sign a contract. From 2013, T­Mobile plans are no longer bound bycontracts and might be a good option. There are Wayne State andhealthcare system (eg DMC) discounts that are available to you. Prepaidphones are another option, and are usually cheaper than contracts forthose budget minded people. Google Voice offers free calls throughyour computer or mobile app to Canada as of 2012.

NEXUS:NEXUS is a program for travellers/commuters who frequently cross theCanadian/American border. It allows for expedited border crossing andis an essential document for the Canadian student. It also allows forpriority screening at Canadian airports for American and domesticflights. If you are crossing the border in your car, all passengers in thecar must have a NEXUS card. This is especially useful when crossing atthe Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia/Port Huron (the fastest way to Toronto

from Detroit). You will need to update your visa status with the NEXUSoffice in person every year, especially if you want to use this for flying.NEXUS costs $50 and expires in 5 years.http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/trusted_traveler/nexus_prog/

I­20:You received this document from the Office for International Studentsand Scholars (OISS) when you started at Wayne. It is a proof of yourvalid visa status in the US and you MUST HAVE THIS ON YOU EVERYTIME YOU CROSS THE BORDER. (Even if you are using NEXUS).Staple your I­94 to your I­20. Customs officers did not become customsofficers because they are nice people. Read the rules about your I20and NEXUS card so that you don’t run into a customs officer telling youthat he wants to revoke your visa or NEXUS card. This document needsto be signed by the OISS (office at Woodward & Warren) every summerto remain valid – DO NOT FORGET TO DO THIS. Each signatureextends the validity for another year and it must be assigned exactly 365days or less from the most recent date of signature. Do not let thisexpire. You have a 30 day grace period to return to Canada following theexpiration of your I­20 after fourth year (unless you remain in US andpursue further visa options).

SSN:This is probably the most important number in America. You need it forany contract, insurance, job, and to get an American driver’s license. Formost people, getting an SSN involves getting a visa for residency in theUS. You can only apply for an SSN once you are employed in the US.There are some on campus jobs that you are eligible on your visa thatwill allow you to get an SSN. This might include tutoring, being ananatomy lab guard, etc. Find out by going to the OISS. Obtaining anSSN is NOT necessary as a medical student.

Licensing Exams

American Licensing exams (USMLE Steps 1, 2CS, 2CK and 3)

To be licensed in the USA, you must have written the indicated exams.Ask upperclassmen for advice on preparation. As well, Leah Robinsonis the student affairs expert so use her if you need.Step 1 is taken in between second and third year. It consists of mostlybasic science information. It’s a full day 8hr exam.Step 2 is taken in early fourth year.(latest recommended date is Sept)CS = Clinical Skills and is an all day OSCE. CK = Clinical Knowledgeand is an all day 9hr exam mostly on the clinical sciences.Step 3 is taken in year one of residency and is a two­day exam. You willcross that bridge when you do.

**Step 1, 2CS, 2CK, 3 are no longer equivalent to MCCQE 1, 2 as of2011. In Ontario if you have taken USMLE step 1­3, it is accepted asequivalent as MCCQE1 and ONLY IF YOU DO A SUPERVISED YEARAFTER RESIDENCY and you cannot get your independent practicelicense until that year is complete.

Canadian Licensing exams (MCCQE1 and 2)

MCCQE1 is taken in fourth year, after the match (usually end of April andearly May) and is only required if you match in Canada. Otherwise you donot need to take it. This exam contains basic sciences but is mostlyfocused on clinical sciences. USMGs do not need to take the MCCEE.

** You will need to sign up for the MCCQE1 in Oct. or Nov. of yourgraduating year. The registration has two parts: signing up for the examand registering for the Medical Council of Canada. It states thatscheduling is done in the order that they receive registration, so if thedate is important to you register as early as possible.** https://www.mcc.ca/en/exams/qe1/Qe1ExamWizard/FirstTimeUsStudentApplicationSteps.shtml

Registering for the MCCQE1 has two parts.

1. Register for an MCC­Online account and then click “Apply forMCCQE1”, and fill in the necessary information online. You will fill outyour information like you did for USMLE Step 1. The cost of the exam isabout $900. You can save and print the form to submit with theverification of identity papers. *Important to note that all of the followingsteps must be complete within 10 days of hitting the submit button; itis probably easier to get it done ahead of time to save the late fee*

2. Verification of Identity (This is the annoying part)1. Certified Identity Confirmation form­ you must get passport

photos attached to the form and stamped by a notary. (Available atmost FedEX offices, OISS will NOT fill out your form)

2. Certified passport: You must also photocopy your passport andhave that certified as well with its form that is available from theMCC website. The Notary must write “I certify this to be a truecopy of the original” or it WILL be rejected.

3. Student Attestation form: Attestation form for eligibility whichneeds to be filled out by a “Dean or Registrar” from records andregistration. The ladies who work at Records and Registration arenot official registrars, and there have been issues with MCCrejecting their signature. The way to bypass trouble is to get theofficial registrar Mark Speece to sign, or get a letter from Recordsstating that their signature should be accepted as valid. Submit thisform with the other one.

Submit your MCCQE1 registration form, passport copy/certified, photoform certified and attestation form all to the MCC 10 days after youronline registration is done. Follow the steps they provide.Once all forms have been received by the MCC, your registration statuswill change to complete. You will be assigned a test center based uponyour preferences in late Feb not be able to schedule your day until MidMarch. Each Location offers spots over a span of three weeks. For the2012 year, we were able to schedule on March 14th at 10am. They willopen up spots at each location based on availability. For a fee you canspecial request days to avoid or switch location. Contact the MCC formore information.

MCCQE2 is taken in first year residency. It is more of a practical exam.

What are IMGs, USMGs and CMGs?

IMG = international medical graduate.AMG/USMG = American/United States medical graduate (anyone whograduates from an LCME accredited school).CMG = Canadian medical graduate (anyone who is a Canadian citizengraduating from a Canadian medical school or an American LCMEmedical school).

USMG is equivalent to CMG in Canada if you are a Canadiancitizen.

As of March 2012, a WSU SOM with Canadian citizenship will beapplying to residency as either an AMG or USMG depending on

whichever country you are applying to.

Should I Go Back To Canada or Stay in the

USA?

This is a complex question and it is very much based on your personalneeds. However this is just an outline that puts some things intoperspective in case you are up in the air. The main question you need toask is “did I come to the US to stay here?” or “did I come to the US

because I didn’t get into Canada?” After that, look at the following proscons list:

**keep in mind, as of 2012, a Canadian citizen at an LCME accreditedmedical school (i.e WSUSOM) applies as a CMG in Canada and anAMG in the USA (neither place are you considered an IMG). A lot ofprogram directors do not know this**

Pros ConsResidency inCanada

­if you want to be dual licensed, it iseasier in this route1

­ resident salary is substantiallyhigher in Canada once you factor intuition credit, call stipend etc..(~100­120K/5 years)

­ Higher floor for income (almost allphysicians do quite well, FamilyMedicine for example)

­ if you plan to practice in Canada, itis easier2

­all residencies (with a fewexceptions) are longer inCanada

­competitive specialties areharder to get into b/c you haveless elective time and lessfamiliarity of Canadian schoolswith Wayne State

­Canadian schools aren’t asreputable around the world asHarvard and Yale if you canachieve those standards.

­lower ceiling for incomepotential in Canada once youfinish.

Residency in theUSA

­ higher earning potential as a fullylicensed physician

­ shorter residency length for mostspecialties

­A lot more options in terms ofgeography, practice environment(pp vs academics vs non clinical)

­ if you stay, you will needvisas (see section on matchingin the American system)

­ if you stay and want to goback to Canada, it is a littlemore difficult2

1: To get licensed in Canada after doing residency in the USA can bedifficult depending on the specialty and depending on the program. Mostprograms are longer at least by 1 year, however they may not just simplyaccept US qualifications just by having 1 year extra US residency. Go tothe Royal College websites for each specialty and they have a list of allthe specific things they need before you are even CONSIDERED to sitfor Canadian licensing. To become licensed in the USA after aCanadian residency, often you need to write the step exams however forspecialites such ENT, they may not accept your Canadian qualificationsAT THIS MOMENT. These rules change frequently so make sure youinvestigate further.

2: The licensing exams do not match up exactly. So you must completeall three USMLE exams (includes both Step 2 CS and CK) to beequivalent to the two MCCQE exams. See the other two sections formore details on these exams.

3: Here are the 2010 costs for each application =CAN app fee = $150 + 88 (verification fee) + 24/ program (must apply to4)USA app fee = $165 + 50 (joining NRMP) + 7­15/program (depends onnumber of apps)

Average student applies to 10 programs; cost is $480 CAD in Canada,$285 USD in USA.

Matching in the American System

Applying to residency in the USA means….

OISS/Visa options

Prior to making a rank list (preferably before you go for interviews) take ameeting with the OISS. You need to familiarize yourself with the differentvisa options you have for residency.

Here are some options as of 2012: F1/OPT; during or after your education, the US government allows

a total of one year of curriculum related work to get experience inyour field. If you are approved for this (which is highly likely), youcan cover your first year of residency while determining anothervisa option. You would apply for this visa three months before youneed it (i.e. March of graduation year). For those of you hoping toget an H1b visa, this is important as a non­cap exempt H1b visanecessitates you to be on OPT during this year due to timingissues. This is noteworthy as your OPT eligibility can also be usedduring medical school for a summer externship. Using your OPTfor a summer externship would make this impossible, andjeopardize your ability to get an H1b. Make sure your residencyprogram allows you to work on an OPT. Applying for OPT costs$380 as of 2013.

J1 visa; this is for people who are just in the USA for education.You have this visa for 5 years and must return to your country oforigin for TWO years prior to returning to the USA. The onlyrequirement is that you get permission from your provincialgovernment for doing residency (which is rarely a problem). This isa cheaper visa for all parties and is most likely the one you areoffered. You cannot work towards your Green card (US permanentresident status) nor switch to a H1b if it expires. You may stay inthe country after the visa expires if you get special permission orserve in a rural setting. One benefit to the J1 VISA is that if youare married, your spouse is able to work in the United States whileyou are working in the US. You do not have to contribute (tax)

towards medicare nor social security on a J­1; of course you arenot entitled to these benefits either.

H1b visa; this is for people who intend on staying in the USA. Youcan have it for 3­6 years and can convert to a J1 visa if it expires(which does not work the other way). Graduates of Americanmedical schools are not required to complete all Step exams priorto application, unlike IMGs. The H1b is an expensive visa requiringlawyers and the program to sponsor you and fork up some dough.Not a lot of will offer this visa. While you have this visa, you mayapply for a Green card. While technically not legal, some programsmay allow you to pay for this visa as well to alleviate the cost issueto the program. This is the one you want if offered, it has morebenefits even if you don’t plan on being a US citizen eventually,most notably the ability to moonlight if your program allows it.Unlike a J1, your spouse is not eligible to work in the UnitedStates, unless they obtain their own work visa.

TN VISA: Not applicable for residency. You may get this visa onceyou are a working doctor, in the teaching/research realm (ie not innormal practice).

A few thoughts on visas (Alex Lau, Class of 2012):To be frank, if you plan on staying in the United States an H1b visa iswhat you want. It is the best way of assuring your stay in the USfollowing your training (with the freedom to move where you want).You are able to moonlight which can help with your finances as well.Most programs these days are shying away from offering H1b visasdue to cost, however you need to do your research. Most programwebsites will say that they do not sponsor H1bs, or even any visas, asa way of screening out applicants. Many do follow that rule hard andfast, however if you talk to program directors you might find that thereare exceptions, most notably for graduates of American medicalschools or medical schools that they are affiliated with. You need tofind this out by staying in contact with your program directors before,during and after your interviews. Many of them are still unfamiliar withthe entire process. Preferably get it in writing that they will sponsorthis for you.

*Please meet with OISS or and immigration lawyer before making anydecisions*

ERAS/NRMP(Electronic Residency Application System/NationalResidency Matching Program)

Information about this will be revealed to you when the time comes. Theschool is equipped to handle these applications and process so it isbetter to ask upperclassmen and administration for advice

Be sure to meet with your chair or someone who is well versed inapplications (Dr. Levine, Dr. Shenck, etc.) because you will need toknow how competitive you are and how many applications you shouldsend out. As a full Canadian (i.e. no American green card norcitizenship) you will be required to have a VISA (see above) and hencewill be less competitive than an American with your same or even lesscredentials.

*Please meet with an advisor to let you know where you stand and whatkinds of programs you can apply to successfully so that you are not leftin despair*

Matching in the Canadian System

The following is some advice/checkslists past grads have made to ensure you

do well with the Canadian match

Maximizing your chances to Match into a Canadian Specialty.Jeff Grenville

Introduction: Matching into CaRMS is no easy task – whether you are applying to primary

care or specialties. The following checklist is by no means complete. It provides a rough

guide that will help you maximize your chance at matching into a specialty within the CaRMS

match.

ü Make connections early

o i.e. Use summer of first year to establish research or clinical experience

with a Canadian MD at your desired institution

ü Establish 1-2 away electives in Canada during 4th year

o Apply early (Nov/Dec of 3rd year)

o If unable to establish elective at a desired institution between

July-October, try to establish Independent Elective with Canadian MD

in your desired field and institution

o Independent research elective with a Canadian MD is a great option –

especially if you have worked with him/her previously.

ü Do your research and work with the right people

o Try and set up elective at hospital where you know members of

residency committee will be. If this information is not online, phone or

email the residency coordinator

o At away elective in Canada, ask around for who is on residency

committee and do your best to work with them

o If you can do research (poster, case report, etc.)

ü Publish your research with a Canadian MD and attend conferences

o Introduce yourself at conferences to faculty/residents and find out if

members of selection committee might be there…easier for a smaller

conference

ü Shine on your away elective

o Be on-time, enthused, and treat it as a 1 month interview

o Get to know residents and ask your questions

o Go above and beyond – take call when it is not required

o Obtain resident contact information so a gentle reminder email can be

sent i.e. chief resident prior to CaRMS

o Introduce yourself to program director if present

o Express your interest in the program/moving back home to each

faculty/resident when the conversation arises without over-doing it

ü Do your absolute best you can do in each course and clinical experience at

Wayne.

ü Do your best you can do on USMLE step one and two

o If Canadian match does not work out in your favor, solid step scores will

keep more options available to you in USA.

o Although submitting your USMLE scores is not required in Canada, many

residents/fellows and attending physicians are USA fellowship trained

and may be familiar with the scoring system. They may have written

boards themselves…

ü You need a perfect application

o Spend time writing exceptional and creative personal statements

o Be organized and ensure you meet each school and program’s specific

requirements

o You need a CV that shines – participating in co-curricular and leadership

activities at Wayne makes this very easy for you.

o The more published research/case reports/posters, the better.

o At least one letter from a well-known Canadian MD is crucial – this is

why establishing a relationship early is important

ü Shine on interview day

o US interviews will help cut the nerves down but expect a more difficult

interview in Canada

o Be prepared to answer clinical/ethical situations

o You know you have done your job well when you are interviewing with

people you have met/worked with

Some notes/pointers:

1. Since you are limited by several one-month electives and there are so few

positions available, be strategic. Consider looking at the number of applicants a

specialty accepts at each institution BEFORE you set up your 4th year electives.

You are better off doing an elective at an institution that offers 8-9 spots than one

that offers 3.

2. Keep your options wide open. This means apply to every program in Canada that

you can, and apply broadly in the USA.

3. Stick together and keep the Canadian Medical Student Group strong – you will rely

on each other throughout the process.

4. Refer to the document that outlines the steps necessary to complete the

application process for CaRMS

5. Attend social events if possible prior to interviews (when available) to get your

questions answered and learn about the program

Best of luck with the match!!

Here is some advice provided by a class of 2012 member. Rememberthe rules change every year, but these are some helpful hintsnonetheless:

1) Know the match date. The typical order is the Canadian match in thefirst week of March, and the ERAS match in Mid March (around the15­17th). There have been a few years where this order has changed,but it is far from often.

2) Make friends. It is recommended to do an elective in Canada. SinceCanadian residency programs compare you by your references, it wouldbe suggested to get a Canadian LOR if possible. Don’t be intimidatedby Canadian students, we see an incredible amount of pathology inDetroit, and are very prepared.

3) Be confident on your rotations. Your fund of knowledge will be verygood. Try to do the rotation in Canada once you’ve done an equivalent inthe USA so you are able to shine.

4) Apply broadly. Some places just have a bias against “foreign grads”.Make sure you apply such that you will get plenty of interviews.

5) Prepare for your interviews. Canadian interviews function differentlythan American ones.Since all the interviews are held over the span of three weeks, it is verylikely you will be interviewing alongside many (up to 100) otherapplicants, and will have one 30 minute interview with 2 or 3 on 1 ascompared to the American system which interviews about 10 applicantsa day and has multiple 1 on 1 interviews.

6) Good luck, it’s worth it.

Having said that, here is the process by which you can achieve theabove goals:

Doing a rotation in Canada

As of 2012, a Canadian rotation through a licensed University (a schoolwhich has a medical school attached) is considered an away rotation. Ifyou do a rotation in Canada anywhere else, it is considered aninternational elective. You are allowed 3 away, and one of those may bea international elective during your medical school career.Here is a step­by­step process of setting up an elective: Find the website of the school you want to get into. Most Canadian

medical schools have online applications or paper forms found ontheir website. Most places require paperwork to be provided 4­6months in advance, so get on top of it.

Schedule the month that you are thinking of as an away rotation inthat field.

Take the away elective form (found at student affairs) to be signedby Dr. Tranchida or the WSU head of the department you areapplying to.

Bring your signed away elective form and the application from theschool to your counselor. They will help you fill out the forms.Once this is completed, send off everything to the school you areapplying to.

Each school will have a different set of instructions afterwards.Your counselor is the one who will help you get all those stepscompleted. There is an away rotation secretary who will also help.

Be on top of everything. Do things quick so you have time to getthe kinks worked as time goes…trust me there will be. Makesure you stay on top of student affairs.

Applying to CaRMS (Canadian Residency Matching System)

CaRMS opens later than ERAS. In early August you will need to apply toget a “token” to apply. ERAS requires this too but since we are at anAmerican school, it is done automatically without cost. So keep an eyeout, this is a step, which allows CaRMS to contact Wayne State andretrieve info on you about your legitimacy as a medical school graduate.In addition it will cost you about 80­90 bucks. On the CaRMS website, itis called “request for registration”.

About early September you will be distributed a “token” (much like theAmerican match) which you will use to activate the AWS (applicantworkstation – found on the CaRMS website). This is how you will provideyour application.

Checklist for CaRMS (By Jeff Grenville)

Complete the following to match in CaRMS at Wayne State University SOM

o Request for Token and pay fee (mid­late August)o Access AWS once token is emailed to you (early September)o Reference Options (Early vs. Normal; Mail vs. Internet) (cover letter required)

o Early: give letter writer temporary cover sheet available on CaRMS withinstructions and expectations of letter. Send in via mail once ready OR obtainsign and sealed letter, hold onto it until AWS is open, print official cover sheet,attach cover sheet with paper clip to letter and send in.

o Normal (when AWS is open and official cover sheet is available to create andprint): Either print copy of official cover sheet, give to letter writer and he/she

mails in OR you obtain signed and sealed letter and attach cover sheet withpaper clip and send in yourself. Other option is for letter writer to send in copyof letter electronically (instructions on official cover letter). For this, they willrequire (1) the letter, (2) the website(https://phx.e­carms.ca/phoenix­web/referee/register), (3) your CaRMSreference ID (found on official cover sheet) and letter request ID (also found onofficial cover sheet). You have an option to include letter writer email addresswithin the online application portal. This will email a copy of cover sheet to yourletter writer. I recommend this AND send a personal email with the followinginformation: (1) link to website to upload letter, (2) your CaRMS ID, and (3)Letter request ID. (4) attach official cover sheet to email. Remember: ALL theinformation (ID numbers, requirements) are on cover sheet. If you choose forreference to upload the letter of reference to CaRMS, you do NOT need to mailin an official cover letter. Cover letters are used to help CaRMS matchdocuments that come through the MAIL to your file.

o Arrange to have Medical School Transcript sent to CaRMS (cover sheet required)o Ms. Carol Yates arranges this for us. Email her to provide gentle reminder if

needed.o Arrange to have undergraduate/graduate transcript sent to CaRMS (cover sheet required)

o Program specific. Can have them sent to you (signed and sealed by registrar)and you send them to CaRMS with attached cover sheet.

o Arrange to have MSPE letter sent directly to CaRMS (October 1; no cover sheet required)o Ms. Nicole Collier arranges this

o Arrange for professional photo to be sent to YOU to uploado Ms. Lynette Harper can send you electronic copy of picture if you purchased the

photo for ERAS and commencement. Remember to adjust file size to meetrequirements of CaRMS (need to make it smaller…)

o Will also require 2 passport­sized photo for MCCQE­1. Can obtain at Shopper’sDrug Mart or CAA in Canada, likely can find a location close by in the States.Document that you will attach these to will require notarization. The notarymust be very specific with how he/she notarizes the document. Refer toguidelines on website.

o Arrange for notarized copy of passport/birth certificate etc. to be sent (cover sheet required)o Will need this for MCCQE­1 as well so obtain a few copies

o Scan and upload copy of ACLS/BCLS to CaRMS (if required)o Program specific

o USMLE Scoreso Save FIRST page of your Step Score Reports as PDF and upload electronicallyo No requirement to arrange official USMLE transcript to be sent, but you may

choose to do so. Arguable whether programs look/understand the score.o Other Documents

o Program specific (i.e. personal CV – tailor to program and include clinical

clerkships/electives with descriptions specific to the discipline you are applyingto.

o Personal Statementso Program specific. Upload electronically. Stay organized and create a unique title

to each personal statement for each program within the online application.o Remainder of Application

o Similar to ERAS. Describing each clinical rotation under “clinical experience” isimportant. You can describe responsibilities and/or memorable patientencounters. You will also do this on your personal CV if required (and cantherefore go in more depth as there is no character limit)

o MCCQE­1 Requirementso Only allowed to write exam in April/May of year you graduate BUT MUST APPLY

IN OCTOBER.o Need two passport­sized pictures mentioned above and will need to notarize the

Attestation document you will attach them to (found on MCCQE­1 website)o Need proof of citizenship to be notarized (i.e. passport, birth certificate)o Need registration request document signed by Dr. MacLean (available only once

you are able to apply to write exam).o All 3 documents can be sent in together.

Notes

Letters of Reference: You choose to have letter be discipline specific or general. If you plan onapplying to more than one type of program, either ask letter writer to write a general letter ofrecommendation without specific mention to a specialty, OR ask for two different letters.Obviously, it is most convenient for the letter writer to write one generalized letter ofrecommendation. A letter writer from the discipline that you are interested in should write youa letter specifically mentioning that they recommend you for the specialty. When you ask for aletter for ERAS, you can ask them to save a letter for the CaRMS application and arrange toobtain letter or have them send out letter once AWS is open.

Documents: Each document that arrives via mail (except for MSPE letter) requires a coversheet. You create a “space” for a document on the application, you print the cover sheet, andhave two options. Either send in just the cover sheet to “meet” the other document at CaRMS(if you had it sent to CaRMS for some reason), OR you can send in the document with coversheet yourself. I encourage you to take responsibility for all documents by asking referees tosend letters to you so that you can send things in an organized fashion, keep track of whathas been sent, and minimize postage. If your letter writers are good with computers, it iseasiest to have them send in their letters electronically.

You can track documents arriving at CaRMS. So, frequently check to see they arrive. Oncethey do, you can “archive” them away so it is essentially off your to­do list.

All envelopes sent in should have “R1­Iteration and year of match (i.e. R1­Iteration 2013)”.This is described on CaRMS website.

Remember to triple check everything. Make sure you assign personal statements andreferences correctly, address personal statements to the correct program director!! Pay

attention to details….

Good luck.

Extra Tidbits

**tips for CaRMS** you still need to have letter of recommendations for CaRMS, so ask

your preceptors to save them from ERAS. You will need to giveyour Letter writers separate CaRMs forms that need to be directlymailed to CaRMS and do not need to go through the school.

you will need to do everything yourself, which is kind of a good thing.So you will submit all your application things to CaRMS directly. Butgood thing you did it in ERAS so you can copy and paste it allproperly.

Your picture is uploaded electronically and you will need to have oneor get it from Lynette Harper if you got it through the school.

They need USMLE scores, so get a copy saved when they arereleased to you.

Also save you ACLS card as you can send a copy showing that wefinished it.

Your Transcript will need to be requested from Records andregistration and sent directly toe CaRMS.

Your MSPE will not be available until WSU releases it, but KateConnors keeps a watch and makes sure it is sent on time. Makesure you go to student affairs and fill out the forms to get that doneby deadline date.

“Finalize” means that the extra document info gets submitted toCaRMS. This means, when you send in forms with the cover sheet,they can match it up. If you finalize, you can’t change things.

You must notarize your citizenship documents. Each program requires something different. Make sure you see

their CaRMS information so that you can upload the appropriatedocuments (i.e. some like CVs, different essays, etc.)

Any Last thoughts…

Approximate Timeline for your education: OSAP & I­20 signatures should be done at the end of each year.Jul

Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Year

1

Year 1 begins X X

Externship opportunitesarise

X X X

Speak to OISS forexternships

X X X

Registration for Year 2 X

Year

2

Year 2 begins X X

STEP 1 registration X X

Year Three locationselection

X X

Year Three Registration X

Write STEP 1 X X

Year

3

Year 3 begins X

STEP 2 CS/CK registration X X

Application for Canadianelective

X X X X X X

Year 4 rotation selection X X

Year 4 registration X

Year

4

Year 4 begins X

ERAS opens X

ERAS due X

CaRMS opens X X

CaRMS due X X

Registration for MCCQE 1 X X

American ProgramInterviews

X X X

Canadian Programinterviews

X X

Rank lists for match due X

Match day for residency X

Take MCCQE 1 X X

Residency Begins X

Past Match results and Contact Info:

2010 Grads:Dhaliwal, Navdeep ­ FM/EM at Edmonton, U of Alberta ­ndhaliwa@ualberta.caDhekney, Kalindi ­ Peds resident at CHMFitzgerald, Jaida ­ Anesthesia at Brigham and Women’s HospitalFox, Kelita ­ FM at U of WisconsinLam, Christopher ­ Radiology at UT­HoustonPabani, Wahid ­ FM at Hamilton, McMaster ­ wahid.pabani@gmail.comSo, Jon ­ EM at Thomas JeffersonTezani, Shezad ­ Neurosurgery at McMaster

2011 Grads:Abraham, Julie ­ Peds at Case WesternDavidson, Russ ­ EM at Denver HealthTang, Gilbert ­ Anesthesiology at Northwestern

2012 Grads:Cheema, Gagandeep ­ IM at Henry FordHussein, Aleem ­ FM at U of Toronto, RuralJoza, NicholasKam, Audrey ­ IM at RushKarnik, Aditya ­FM at McMaster, Hamilton ­ adityak47@gmail.comLam, Kevin ­ FM at Queen’s University, OshawaLau, Alexander ­ FM at Oakwood Hospital, MIMa, Grace – Anesthesiology at Ohio State UniversityMan, Carllin ­ FM at U of Calgary, Medicine Hat

Mehrani, Mevish ­ FM at U of Toronto, GTAPapapetrou, Peter – Anesthesiology at Wayne State UniversityPinto, Nisha – Anesthesiology at NorthwesternRuisi, Vincent ­ FM at UWO, WindsorThomas, Jake – Radiology atYee, Colin ­ IM at McGillZabetian, Saba ­ Dermatology at Henry Ford

2013 gradsAhsan, Shoeb ­ Internal Medicine, Western ­ sahsan@med.wayne.eduAli, Alia ­ Family Medicine, TorontoChaker, Sana ­ Internal Medicine, U of RochesterGrando, Nadia ­ Anesthesia, Medical College of WisconsinGrenville, Jeffrey ­ Radiology, Toronto ­ jgrenvil@med.wayne.eduKatirai, Anis ­ EM, MetroHealth Cleveland Clinic ­ borrah@gmail.comLee, Adrienne ­ Orthopedic Surgery, Toronto alee@med.wayne.eduMcClure, Matt ­ Family Medicine, DalhousieMehta, Mauli ­ Internal Medicine, WesternSaran, Jagroop ­ Anesthesia, U of RochesterShew, Mark ­ Family Medicine, TorontoSiddiqi, Ahmed ­ Neurology, Henry FordTyagi, Guarav ­ EM, UMDNJZafar, Amna ­ Internal Medicine, Rush UniversityZhang, Allison ­ Internal Medicine, Wayne State