Minimize Travel Costs of the CaRMS Match

Minimize Travel Costs of the CaRMS Match

Reduce Travel Costs Each year, graduating medical students participate in the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS). CaRMS is a not-for-profit organization that works in close cooperation with the medical education community and medical schools as well as residents and medical students to provide both an electronic application service and a computer match for entry into postgraduate medical training throughout Canada. In addition to administering the matching process for postgraduate Year 1 entry residency positions, CaRMS also co-ordinates the Year 3 Family Medicine residency positions, Internal Medicine subspecialty residency positions and Pediatric subspecialty residency positions. CaRMS also provides access to the U.S. electronic application system for postgraduate medical training (ERAS) for interested Canadian medical students. Canadian medical school graduates who participate in CaRMS are automatically registered by their respective undergraduate office. All other applicants must complete a request for registration with CaRMS. Once a respective registration has been reviewed and verified by CaRMS, eligible applicants are sent a token by e-mail, which will allow access to CaRMS online (www.carms.ca) where the student may complete their respective application. Generally, individual programs offer interviews to qualified and desirable applicants. Applicants are not only responsible for scheduling these interviews directly with the programs but also must bear all travel and accommodation costs associated with this step in the application process. As veterans of the CaRMS Match will affirm, these costs can be onerous. The following are a few considerations and suggestions that can minimize travel and accommodation costs as one participates in the selection process. Ask a Peer Asking a friend who recently completed the CaRMS Match or Fellowship selection will often provide advice regarding the application process as well as attributes of a particular program or programs. In addition, the more senior colleague may be able to provide travel tips that may save the medical student both time and money. Frequently, previous students or residents utilize a specific travel agency or airline whose service was optimal and which may have provided significant discounts. In addition, these individuals or friends in other cities may offer accommodation during upcoming interviews, helping one avoid costly hotel bills. Trains, planes and automobiles Airline and accommodation costs represent the bulk of CaRMS travel expenditures. As full -time students, those in medical school and residency are eligible to obtain an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) and may book travel through a TravelCuts agency whose offices are located on most campuses. ISIC membership provides the convenience of a travel agency and generates considerable benefits and savings on both travel arrangements and accommodations. In addition, membership provides increased flexibility with regard to advanced purchase requirements and allows increased leniency in making changes to existing airline reservations. Membership is inexpensive and can be obtained at a TravelCuts office or online at travelcuts.com or by phone at 1-800-667-2887. Furthermore, students attending a Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) member school are entitled to free membership. The prudent medical student or resident may wish to consider one or more of a number of websites for booking travel and accommodation on-line. In addition to Microsoft s Expedia, other sites to consider include cheapflights.ca, priceline.com, flightcentre.ca, and travel.yahoo.com. Alternatively, flights may be

booked online directly with Air Canada, Westjet or Porter Airlines. Furthermore, the busy medical student or resident can review these websites at any time of the day or night. Travel by train and bus can be convenient and economical for many medical students and residents in Canada. With an International Student Identity Card (ISIC), full-time students save 40 per cent (as at January 1, 2013), regardless of their age, for tickets with Greyhound Bus Lines and benefit from other discounts with VIA Rail. Additionally, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and some provincial medical associations offer members considerable discounts off the best available fares when traveling by VIA Rail within Canada and also provide discounts on car rentals, hotels and bookings with certain airlines. Contact the respective provincial medical association or the CMA Member Service Centre (at 1-888 855-2555 or by e-mail at cmamsc@cma.ca.cma.ca) to get the corporate discount code. Frequent Flyer Programs Before beginning interviews, it is wise to join a frequent-flyer program and capitalize on extensive travel plans. Most airlines provide programs in which members accumulate travel points each time they fly, stay at participating hotels or rent cars from participating dealers. Accumulated points may then be exchanged for discounted or free air travel in the future. One resident was pleasantly surprised that he had accumulated sufficient travel points from his CARMS interviews for a free round-trip ticket to anywhere in North America. Membership information in most programs can be obtained from a travel agent or via the Internet. Accommodations Many medical students and residents contact friends, relatives, and former colleagues in a destination city for possible accommodations during a brief stopover for interviews. Interested students may wish to contact the medical student society of the respective city to see if there may be a student or resident with a spare room and a willingness to host a visitor during the interview season. To avoid costly hotel bills, many students attempt to stay at university residences and apartment complexes. These institutions tend to be centrally located and the costs, particularly for students, are remarkably low. The Canadian Universities and College Conference Officers Association (CUCCOA) represents more than 50 educational institutions that wish to promote the use of their facilities, particularly during the spring and summer months. CUCCOA has designed a website, www.cuccoa.org, where links to member institutions are available. One can review the particulars of a respective institution and make reservations directly over the Internet. Whatever hotel or institution the student or resident may decide upon, it is wise to determine if any discounts are available for select groups. Many chains and individual hotels have preferential rates for corporate groups, like members of the Canadian Medical Association, provincial medical associations or other groups, such as the Canadian Automobile Association. These may save the medical student or resident a sizeable amount over the duration of travel. Telephone calls or Texting An often costly expense during travel is telephone calls from hotel rooms. A review of any hotel bill demonstrates the very expensive nature of dialing local or long distance numbers directly from these phones. For students and residents who may need to confirm appointments, re-schedule interviews or contact loved ones while traveling, obtaining a calling card from your telephone company prior to travel can be both convenient and economical. Alternatively, the prudent medical student or resident will check

with their cell phone provider to ensure that their plans provide for local and long distance calls or text messaging at an economical price. Credit Cards Some credit cards provide travel points which can increase the benefits of an existing frequent -flyer program. Paying for travel with these cards offers several benefits. In addition to earning points with an airline s frequent flyer program, one may also earn additional points when financing the trip with the respective credit card. Also, credit cards provide an interest -free period between the date of purchase of a product or service and the date payment is required. The latter benefit reduces the overall cost to the medical student or resident as it provides additional time before an expensive loan or line of credit needs to be increased. Certain cards may also cover car insurance, decreasing the cost of rental vehicles one may require during an interview process. The interested student or resident should contact their credit card company to avail themselves of all benefits provided by their credit card. Protect Your Credit Cards The possible loss or theft of one s wallet or purse during a hectic travel schedule can be time consuming, stressful and financially costly. To lessen the costs and time involved with such a contingency, financial institutions have offered credit card registry services where all personal credit cards, debit cards and important numbered documents can be registered. Upon a reported loss or theft, the respective registry will cancel all (not only their respective credit card) of these documents and can make arrangements for replacement cards to be forwarded to you in a prompt fashion. Alternatively, some travelers have made photocopies of all their important identification cards, including all debit and credit cards, and have kept these copies in a secure but accessible location. In the event of a lost or stolen wallet or purse, the traveller can then use the photocopies to not only cancel credit and debit cards but also assist in their application for replacement of these respective documents. Airport Clubs not for the faint of wallet Today, most airline carriers are attracting frequent travelers with clubs like Maple Leaf Lounge (Air Canada) or Admiral s Club (American Airlines). Such clubs offer complimentary food and beverages, more comfortable lounges than the standard waiting rooms as well as an opportunity to change plane tickets without waiting in line. Meeting rooms, fax machines and computers are also available for the busy traveler. This service is not cheap; costs are often $300 to $500 per year. Nevertheless, for the very busy student, resident or Fellow who is doing extensive travel, the benefits of increased comfort, improved productivity and available business and study facilities while en route to interviews or conferences may be worth the additional cost. Travel and Taxes Travel and accommodation costs incurred during CaRMS or Fellowship interviews are not tax deductible. Only specific moving expenses incurred during one s ultimate move to a new location to begin residency or Fellowship may be deductible against income at the new location. Registration and application fees paid to CaRMS can be $300 to $400 or more depending upon the number of programs that the medical student wishes to include in the application. Receipts for fees paid should be retained and provided to the student s accountant or financial advisor for possible tax relief.

Brian E. Cummings, BBA, CPA, CA, MD, FRCPC, FCAP, FASCP Physician Consultant, MD Physician Services Staff Pathologist, Grand River Hospital & Saint Mary s General Hospital, Kitchener, ON We wish to acknowledge the significant contribution of the author of this resource document. Updated January 2013