How do you guys decide between US and Canadian match?

[spinnerette]

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This question came up to me recently and I do need to consider it carefully because the two matches happen at different times.
I think some of you might face the same problem.
Basically, the Canadian match occurs before the US match and if you were to match in Canada, you are automatically withdrawn from the US match. So..... how do you decide if you want to go through with the Canadian match?

I am interviewing at 1 program in Canada and it's supposed to be one of the top programs in Canada for my specialty.
However, I am still on the fence of "automatically" ranking the Canadian program to be #1 because I do have some good options here in US. I haven't gone to that Canadian program yet. Maybe I will fall in love with it. Maybe not (though my gut feeling says yes I will).


How about you guys? What do you guys think about your situations?

 

[mlw03]

shouldn't long-term goals be key to this decision? if you want to practice in the US, do the US residency. going to Canada after US training is doable, but seems to take some work. what exactly are you asking folks?

 

[spinnerette]

I don't know. I am having a really hard time deciding because I think at the end I need to decide if I truly love the Canadian program. I don't think where I want to work eventually is important at this point because my mentors graduated from CAD programs while some of my preceptors during my Canadian elective month were actually graduates of US programs. I guess they do go around.
For my mentor, one actually did not go through the Canadian match because the Harvard PD told him that he was ranked to match. Life was much easier for him =P


I just want to know what everyone is doing here hehe.

 

[Blitz2006]

I based it on residency/visa issues...

But I'm also an IMG from the UK (and I'm a Canadian-British citizen, but no Green Card/U.S Citizenship). So while I did the USMLEs, I realized my only legitimate residencies in the U.S are FM/Psych/IM/Peds....and I would like to do something surgical.

So I'm trying for Canada now, and will see what happens.

I want to eventually live in the U.S as well..but I figure with Canadian FRCS...this is doable...

 

[C5toC9]

Was it a competitive specialty and how likely are you to match at US programs?