Canadian Family Physician Interested in US EM Residency PGY-2 Spot

[DrUC]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hello, I am a Canadian family physician who currently practices ~100% emergency medicine at a large community hospital (> 400 beds) in Canada. I graduated from a reputable Canadian Medical School and have passed both USMLE step 1 and Step 2. I am wondering if it's possible for me to enter into any PGY-2 emergency medicine spots in the US?

I completed residency through the family medicine pathway in Canada with several months of additional focused emergency training.

Input would be appreciated 👌

 

[Druggernaut]

I've only seen US trained family medicine physicians get 6 months of credit towards their emergency medicine training, so I think that's the limit. I don't think they'd accept training from outside the US.

 

[Apollyon]

I thought Canadian schools were LCME certified.

But, 6 months is the most credit you can get. It sounds like you didn't do the entire 2 years of CCFP -EM. I recall a guy 20+ years ago who had that cert, and SUNY-Buffalo hired him like any other EP.

 

[EMhawkeye]

Fp residency is only 2 years in Canada. Only one more year of training to add on the ccfp em.
The two year fm training in the US is considered equivalent by the aafp

 

[EMhawkeye]

I believe the language the abem uses for transfer of credit from other specialties limits it to 6 months from another acgme/aoa accredited residency. I do not know if they extend that to the rcps.
The only thing I know they do say is those who complete the 5 year Canadian em residency are eligible to sit for the boards here with the abem

 

[DrUC]

I've only seen US trained family medicine physicians get 6 months of credit towards their emergency medicine training, so I think that's the limit. I don't think they'd accept training from outside the US.

I believe the language the abem uses for transfer of credit from other specialties limits it to 6 months from another acgme/aoa accredited residency. I do not know if they extend that to the rcps.
The only thing I know they do say is those who complete the 5 year Canadian em residency are eligible to sit for the boards here with the abem

I thought Canadian schools were LCME certified.

But, 6 months is the most credit you can get. It sounds like you didn't do the entire 2 years of CCFP -EM. I recall a guy 20+ years ago who had that cert, and SUNY-Buffalo hired him like any other EP.

Appreciate the replies. If I am eligible for 6 months of credit, would I still be applying to the PGY-1 positions in the NRMP match? I would guess the path might be to apply in the NRMP match to PGY-1 positions and speak with the program directors before or after the match to have my previous training counted towards completing their residency program.

Note that as a Canadian med school grad, I am eligible to apply to PGY-1 positions in the the 1st round of the nrmp match with US med school grads.

 

[EMhawkeye]

Yes you could apply to first year positions but as i said abem might not accept credit for a non acgme residency

 

[Porfirio]

No worries, just apply PGY2. I am sure HCA will take you as long as you sign for 2 years of post HCA residency HCA hospital service.

 

[DrUC]

Yes you could apply to first year positions but as i said abem might not accept credit for a non acgme residency

Thanks, it looks like the ABEM has a published policy on credit for transfers, so perhaps I’ll email them to clarify if Canadian programs are considered equivalent to acgme programs.

The policy says the maximum amount of equivalent training credits that can be granted is 12 months.

https://www.abem.org/public/docs/default-source/policies-faqs/Policy-on-Equivalent-Credit-for-Training-in-Other-Specialties.pdf

 

[gamerEMdoc]

Its 6 months if its a different field, and only if the rotations line up and are comparable. Its not automatically 6 months. And I believe only one month of EM as a non-EM resident will count.