Logistics

Once you have submitted your residency applications, the programs will review applicant files and begin to make interview offers. Ideally, you will go to more interviews than you necessarily would like to rank in order to keep as many options open as possible, but you will need to juggle program interview schedules, personal finances, the reality of “interview fatigue”, etc. and attend as many interviews as is realistic for you.

Canadian residency programs can only begin reviewing applicant files once file review begins (see the R1 Match Applicant Timeline for your cohort to determine when this is; typically mid-winter), after which they begin to make their offers. Some programs will be very prompt in offering interviews while others will wait until well into January. CaRMS has instituted a three-week “national interview period” that most programs respect, usually near the end of January/beginning of February; your interviews will be concentrated during that period.

Since 2021, interviews have been virtual in order to respect COVID-19 safety measures.

A Note About Money

The shift to virtual interviews has significantly reduced travel costs. Indeed, in-person residency interviews don't come cheap. Depending on the number of applied programs you will interview in and where the interviews are given, students will see their total costs for the interview process ranging from $2500 to over $5000. Learn about travel arrangements negotiated by the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS).