Medicine Subspecialty Match (MSM)

Application Process - Supporting Documents

Updated May 20, 2013

The major supporting document requirements for an application file are listed on each program description under the Supporting Documents heading. CaRMS will move all documents from an historical application to their current application, but it is up to the applicant to determine whether the document is still useful. Additional documents can be provided as part of an application at the applicant's discretion. The following document types may be added:

Medical School Transcript
Medical Student Performance Record / Dean's letter
Letters of Reference
Early References
Guidelines for Referees
Examinations
Proof of Canadian Citizenship Status
Personal Letter
Photograph
Extra Documents

Program descriptions are posted on the CaRMS website. New programs may be added and modifications may be made during the year, so keep reviewing the program directory, which can be found here. In addition to the information listed under the Supporting Documents section of each program description, there may be university and/or provincial requirements that are listed on the Criteria page of the Medicine Match section on www.carms.ca. These requirements are implicitly included for every program, though they are not explicitly mentioned in each program description. The Criteria page can be found here.

The majority of documents will require a cover sheet, and each unique document requires its own cover sheet. Cover sheets are to be submitted to CaRMS with each document. The Medical Student Performance Record/dean's letter, and medical school transcript do not require cover sheets, as there is a pre-designated spot in your electronic file for each of these documents. Cover sheets are created in the Applicant Webstation (AWS) under the My Documents heading. For more information about creating cover sheets, see the AWS Help Manual.

Transcripts, MSPRs, and letters of reference should be original. All other documents sent to CaRMS should be certified or notarized copies of the original (with the exception of applicant-created materials, including but not limited to the CV and photograph). All important documents should be sent by courier/traceable mail. Do not send fax copies or photocopies of documents. Faxes are of very poor quality after scanning, and a photocopy of a document will be stamped 'copy' (unless it is has been notarized). There are some programs that require all documents from international medical graduates be notarized.

All documents must be in English or French, so an applicant must send an official translation of any foreign language documents. The original document, in these circumstances, is not required.

Medical School Transcript

A medical school transcript is a list of marks from the medical school of graduation.

NOTE: A medical school transcript does not require a cover sheet when sent to CaRMS.

Canadian and United States Medical School Graduates

Any applicant who participated in a CaRMS R-1 Residency Match will have their previous application material forwarded, including their documents. If this is the first time applying to a residency position through CaRMS, the medical school transcript can be sent directly from the applicant or the medical school.

NOTE: The undergraduate medical transcript from an R-1 application will be forwarded, but the document will not be a complete version, as it was submitted to CaRMS before the completion of the final training year. The applicant must decide whether or not they wish to provide CaRMS with a completed copy for their application.

If undergraduate or graduate work was conducted at the same school where an applicant received their medical degree, the medical school transcript may include these marks as well. CaRMS cannot separate the medical school results from the other marks.

If applying to any programs that request an undergraduate transcript, an Extra Document cover sheet for the transcript must be created—even if the transcript is the same as the medical school transcript.

International Medical Graduates

The medical school transcript can be provided to CaRMS directly from the applicant or sent from the international medical school.

An applicant can request that a transcript from the R-1 residency application be forwarded to a current profile, but if the document is incomplete, it may not be accepted by programs.

If an applicant is sending the transcript directly to CaRMS, identifying it by affixing a note to the document will help when processing it.

If the transcript is in a language other than English or French, the applicant will be responsible for providing an official translation for the transcript. Do not submit the original document to CaRMS.

Medical Student Performance Record / Dean's letter

The MSPR/dean's letter is a letter of standing from the dean of the applicant's medical school.

Typically, the document:

Reports on your activities during medical school; and/or
Comments on your performance in clinical rotations; and/or
Recommends you for further medical training

Canadian and United States Medical School Graduates

Applicants must arrange to have the undergraduate office of their medical school send an original version of their Medical Student Performance Record to CaRMS.

An applicant is able to request that a MSPR from the R-1 residency application be forwarded to a current profile, but if the document is incomplete, it may not be accepted by programs.

A cover sheet is not required for a MSPR.

International Medical Graduates

The dean's letter can be provided to CaRMS directly from the applicant, or sent from the international medical school.

An applicant can request that a dean's letter from the R-1 residency application be forwarded to a current profile, but if the document is incomplete, it may not be accepted by programs.

If an applicant is sending the dean's letter directly to CaRMS, identifying it by affixing a note to the document will help when processing it.

If the dean's letter is in a language other than English or French, the applicant will be responsible for providing an official translation for the transcript.

NOTE: If you don't have, and/or cannot obtain a dean's letter, in your personal statement, explain to the programs to which you are applying why you couldn't get a copy of the letter.

Reference Letters and Evaluations

References letters are letters or evaluation forms provided by physicians recommending an applicant for further medical training.

All reference letters or evaluations submitted to CaRMS to be included as part of an application are considered confidential. An applicant is not entitled to review letters of reference or evaluations provided by a referee, nor can applicants request information regarding the content or tone of a reference letter or evaluation.

NOTE: When describing an evaluation form completed by a referee for this match, CaRMS is not referring to a rotation evaluation. Rotation evaluations or in-training evaluation reports should be entered in the Extra Documents section.

By policy, all letters of reference received at CaRMS, from ALL applicants (both IMGs and CMGs) will be treated as confidential and will NOT be shared with the applicant.

Create a specific coversheet in the Applicant Webstation (AWS) for each letter or evaluation form. For letters, be sure to indicate whether you are requesting a generic, discipline-specific, or program-specific letter. Mail the letter to your referee, or copy/paste the content into an e-mail to the referee.

Additional International Medical Graduate Instructions

Ideally, your reference letters should be written by people who have worked with you in a clinical setting in North America; however, CaRMS will accept any reference letter you can provide.

If you already have the letter in your possession, make a cover sheet for it, and send the letter and its cover sheet to CaRMS.

If a letter of reference is in a language other than English and French, have the letter translated and send the translated copy to CaRMS.

Early References

Note to applicants who want to contact referees and have them send letters of reference before the opening of the Applicant Webstation (AWS):

Please print the following instruction sheet to guide your referee when writing references.

Instruction sheet for early references - First iteration - 2014

The CaRMS document department will e-mail you when receiving early references with this sheet. You should keep these e-mails, as they will help you create appropriate cover sheets when AWS is open.

NOTE THIS IS NOT A COVER SHEET. Once AWS opens in July, you will still be required to create a cover sheet, print it, sign it, and send it to CaRMS by mail. CaRMS will NOT be able to post your early letters of reference with your electronic file without submitted cover sheets.

Guidelines to Referees

These guidelines are not intended to standardize the letter of reference, but to be helpful to referees in constructing the reference letter, therefore allowing program directors to use the letters for comparative purposes. All letters of reference are considered confidential. Once a letter has been sent to CaRMS, its contents will not be revealed to (or discussed with) an applicant by CaRMS, with the exception of assisting an applicant in ensuring a letter has been scanned to the proper location in AWS. Please note CaRMS does not assist applicants in determining whether a letter of reference has been assigned to the correct program.

Reference letters should state whether or not the applicant has seen or will receive a copy of this letter, and should include:

The type and duration of the referee's contact with the individual student
Appropriate comment on the student's:
- Cognitive skills and knowledge
- Problem solving and patient management
- Behaviour and attitudinal skills
- Communication skills and working relationships
- Ability to work in a team
- Motivation and punctuality
- Sense of responsibility
- Procedural skills specific to the discipline to which the application is being made

If the referee is unable to comment on a specific component of the student's performance in any of the above categories, he/she is asked to indicate that he/she did not observe or have knowledge of that particular component.

Referees are encouraged to comment on any special qualities they noted, or unique contributions of the applicant.

Some programs may request comments on specific qualities of the applicant.

Reference letters should be sent directly to the CaRMS office, to the address on the Letter of Reference cover sheet.

Additional instructions to referees writing more than one reference letter for an applicant

If the referee is writing more than one letter of reference for an applicant, the applicant will have to provide a Letter of Reference cover sheet for each reference. Also, the letters must be uniquely titled in order to be processed by CaRMS. The Document Title created by the applicant will be printed on the reference cover sheet, along with the applicant's name and a unique reference request number generated by the Applicant Webstation (AWS). This will assist the referee in preparing the letter and putting the correct cover sheet with the correct letter.

This information is essential for identification and processing at the CaRMS office, and the letter writer must ensure that they attach the correct cover sheet to the letter.

Examinations

Medical Council of Canada exam results

All applicants are required to provide MCC examination results as part of their application. In AWS, applicants must fill out when they wrote each exam. They must also provide the results letter with the corresponding cover sheet to CaRMS.

Applicants are not able to enter their own MCC exam results—CaRMS collects all MCC examination results directly from the MCC to post in each application. This process ensures programs are provided with MCC verified results, and that no errors are made while applicants are entering scores.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) & Test of Spoken English (TSE) score reports

Any applicant whose language of instruction during medical school or residency training was not in English or French, may be required to submit a language assessment exam.

An applicant may send a notarized/certified copy of a TOEFL or TSE score report directly to CaRMS. An applicant also has the option to have a TOEFL or TSE score report sent from the testing center directly to CaRMS. CaRMS institution code is 8309. If the result is being sent directly from the testing center, a cover sheet will still need to be mailed by the applicant to CaRMS (which CaRMS will match to the corresponding document), to help avoid any processing delays.

Print a cover sheet for a TOEFL or TSE score report under the Examination section of your application, and send this cover sheet to CaRMS.

All examinations, including USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) or French language exams, require a cover sheet.

Photocopies of language examination results will not be accepted.

Proof of Canadian Citizenship Status

Proof of Canadian citizenship status requires a notarized or certified copy of an official government-issued document, identifying the applicant's citizenship status in Canada.

Accepted document types are:

Canadian Birth Certificate
Passport Page showing Canadian Citizenship
Canadian Citizenship Certificate
Record of Landing (clearly showing the date of landing)
Confirmation of Permanent Residence
Permanent Resident card (both sides)
Proof of Pending Citizenship

A representative from the undergraduate office of a Canadian Medical school can certify the authenticity of a citizenship document for a current-year Canadian medical school graduate. All other applicant types must submit a notarized copy of their citizenship document to CaRMS for inclusion in their application.

Applicants have the opportunity to submit multiple Proof of Canadian Citizenship Status documents if they wish to.

Personal Letters

Personal letters are documents written by the applicant, introducing themselves to a residency program, and expressing interest in the program or the specific discipline.

Canadian, United States and International Medical School Graduates

Each program has preferences as to what the personal letter should contain. Please check individual program descriptions in the Program Directory to see what the programs you are applying to are looking for in a personal letter.

Personal letters are incorporated into the Applicant Webstation (AWS) electronic application file. An applicant can write the letter directly in AWS, or paste the content from a text file. For details, please refer to the AWS Help Manual.

Do not make cover sheets for personal letters, and do not send personal letters to CaRMS.

Make sure personal letters are complete before assigning them to programs. Personal letters should be completed and assigned by the Document Assignment milestone.

Photograph

Photographs are masked until the interview period has started and then used by programs as memory aids to identify applicants.

Canadian, United States and International Medical School Graduates

CaRMS will only accept digital photographs uploaded electronically in the Applicant Webstation. Photographs must be in JPG format and vertically oriented (i.e., taller than it is wide).

The photograph is not mandatory unless indicated on the program description.

Extra documents

Custom Resume

Programs will often ask for a custom resume from an applicant. This information is often duplicated in the AWS application. However, a custom resume cannot be substituted for the CaRMS application; it can only act as a supplement. An applicant is free to copy/paste content from a custom resume into the appropriate sections of the AWS application.

An Extra Document cover sheet is required for each unique resume. Send the resumes and cover sheets to CaRMS.

Return of Service Obligation Document

Any applicant with a return of service obligation is required to provide a letter (or a copy of the contract) from the funding agent (the province, a municipality, a private organization, etc.) outlining the obligations of the applicant. This information is required by some provinces, regardless of whether the obligation can be financially returned. Be sure to carefully review the provincial criteria for this match to ensure proper documentation relating to any return of service obligation is included in an application.

RCPSC Assessment of Training

For information on the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) assessment of training, please click here.