CaRMS additional information

March 19, 2024

An overview of unfilled positions in the 2024 R-1 main residency match and information on international medical graduate eligibility.

Number of unfilled family medicine positions after the first iteration of the 2024 R-1 main residency match

By province:

  • Alberta: 12
  • British Columbia: 6
  • Manitoba: 10
  • Newfoundland: 17
  • Nova Scotia: 10
  • Ontario: 108
  • Quebec: 91
  • Saskatchewan: 0

Total: 254

Number of unfilled non-family medicine positions IN ALBERTA after the first iteration of the 2024 R-1 main residency match

By specialty:

  • Cardiac Surgery: 1
  • Diagnostic and Clinical Pathology: 3
  • Diagnostic and Molecular Pathology: 2
  • Emergency Medicine: 1
  • General Surgery: 3
  • Hematological Pathology: 2
  • Medical Genetics and Genomics: 1
  • Medical Microbiology: 2
  • Neurology: 1
  • Neuropathology: 1
  • Psychiatry: 1
  • Public Health and Preventive Medicine (incl. Family Medicine: 1

Additional context

Last year, the 2023-2024 CaRMS match results saw an unprecedented number of unmatched Family Medicine residency spots in Alberta. In order to improve the match rate this year, Alberta’s Family Medicine Residency Programs decided to utilize the CaRMS Reversion Tool, which allows any residency program to provide CaRMS with a secondary list for any spots that may not fill in round one. This means the empty spots in round one "revert" automatically to the reversion list and appear as round one results. This allows programs to match the maximum number in round one and train as many family doctors as possible while reducing the administrative burden of second and third iterations of CaRMS. In the case of Family Medicine, both Alberta programs used a reversion list of IMG applicants who, historically, would have had to wait until the completion of the round two match before being eligible for consideration (ostensibly a "round three").

We also believe that the provincial government signalling their intent to implement a new funding model for comprehensive care in Alberta, and their willingness to work to improve relations with the profession, has helped persuade medical students to consider Family Medicine in Alberta a viable career choice. 

Alberta Medical Association Mission: Advocate for and support Alberta physicians. Strengthen their leadership in the provision of sustainable quality care.