Section A
Introduction
Purpose of the Guide
Acceptance to medical school represents the beginning of a journey toward lifelong service to the community. Along this journey there will be many choices to be made, but none will be as important as the one pertaining to what type of doctor you wish to be. In making this life-altering decision, there are a multitude of factors that require consideration, including job security, satisfaction, and quality of life. These are not trivial issues and require considerable time to fully evaluate; however it may seem like there is never enough time. From as early as the end of first year, students begin to feel the brewing pressure of the decision that looms regarding what residency to choose. In this guide, we try to relieve this pressure by providing students with an adjunct resource to their own experiences to help them make the most informed residency selection decision.
The 2011/2012 Canadian Medical Residency Guide has been compiled by medical students from all medical schools across Canada and in conjunction with the Office of Student Affairs at the University of Toronto. We have done our best to create continuity throughout the guide and hope it will be a useful guide and resource for your questions. Each chapter addresses an issue we identified as important for residency selection. Also, Case Studies have been added to this edition to showcase and address common questions regarding lifestyle, financial issues, and specialty specific concerns that medical students may face.
This guide highlights the areas that medical students, residents, and Program Directors feel are important in choosing and securing a specialty. Furthermore, it helps guide you through all aspects of your application.