Canadian Direct Entry Cardiac Surgery Residencies

[ArrogantSurgeon]

I've recently learned that cardiac surgery residency in Canada is 6 years long and is direct entry from medical school. You do 2 years of core surgery, followed by 1 year of research, and then do 3 years of cardiac surgery. I belive the University of Toronto accepts students from outside of Canada, but am not sure if any of the others do (e.g. McGill, Alberta, Queen's, etc).

I'd appreciate any info on any of these programs. Especailly info on what kind of Canadian board scores you need to be eligible.

Also, I read that after you finish the first 2 years (core surgery), you must pass the "Principles of Surgery" exam in order to continue on in the residency. Does anybody know anything about this exam and its approximate pass rate? Is it like the FRCS Part I exam they give to surgical residents in the UK after their first 2 years?

Any info would be greatly appreciated. You can PM me if you wish, as I am very interested in finding out as much as I can about these programs. Thank you.

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[tussy]

Originally posted by ArrogantSurgeon


Also, I read that after you finish the first 2 years (core surgery), you must pass the "Principles of Surgery" exam in order to continue on in the residency. Does anybody know anything about this exam and its approximate pass rate? Is it like the FRCS Part I exam they give to surgical residents in the UK after their first 2 years?

I just wrote and passed this exam (got the letter in the mail this week). As for the pass mark - nobody knows what it is. They do not release any stats about the exam and it's a big mystery. Everyone in my program (gen surg) passed this year, but there were a few people in other programs that failed.

There are "objectives" for the exam on the royal college website (http://rcpsc.medical.org/english/residency/certification/training/corsur_e.html#contents), but basically you just have to know the first 500 or so pages of scwartz, greenfield, sabiston or any other basic surgery text. The exam is on surgical principles such as wound healing, infection, immunology, hematology, pharmacology, etc.

The exam is 300 multiple choice questions, spread over 2 days. And yes, it is a requirement for all surgical residencies (with the exception of obs/gyne and ophthamology). (http://rcpsc.medical.org/english/residency/certification/training/pos_e.html) Anything else you want to know about POS??

 

[ArrogantSurgeon]

tussy I sent you a PM.

 

[tussy]

I PM'd you back.

Also, check out www.carms.ca for info on canadian residency programs and the canadian match if you are really serious.

 

[eddieberetta]

A couple points of clarification:

1.) Cardiac surgery is a direct entry program that is a minimum of 6 years long. Many programs "encourage" research so it may be longer depending on your interest. These are very strong programs, all in tertiary care academic medical centers with large cachement areas. However, you must be aware that the focus is on cardiac and not thoracic surgery (hence the name). Also, beacuse the training does not include a general surgery residency, you will not be board eligible for the American Boards of Surgery or Thoracic surgery (with most Canadian programs, including gen surg, you are eligible to be boarded in Canada and the US...but not in this case).

2.) In Canada, the main licensing exam is the MCCQE. It is written at the end of fourth year. Hence the scores are not usually available for residency program directors. The factors used in determining entrance to residency programs in Canada are: Honors/Grades in medical school; research/pubs (very impt in cardiac surg); letters; statements; interview.

It sounds like you are not from Canada -- for you it will be essential to visit or even do some research at a prospective program!

3.) Residency will prepare you for the POS exam. I am not entering a surgery program but I have not heard of many people failing. I would not worry about it at this stage.

Good luck.

 

[ArrogantSurgeon]

eddieberetta I sent you a PM.