The Canadian Federation of Medical Students is an organization made up entirely of students from 15 different societies spread all across the country. The CFMS exists in order to serve as representation for all the medical students in Canada to the public, the government, and to other medical organizations both nationally and worldwide.
What the CFMS Does
The Canadian Federation of Medical Students plays numerous important roles. They are involved in advocacy, education, global health, communications, and student affairs, among other things, and they push to provide new initiatives for medical students to pursue. Currently, some of these initiatives include:
- CFMS Wellness – This initiative seeks to promote wellness at medical schools throughout Canada with the ideology that wellness is an important ingredient in becoming a successful medical professional.
- Residency Matchbook – The CFMS also reviews the residency match list set forth by the CaRMS, which is designed to help those moving into their residencies learn more about them and prepare.
- Day of Action – This is an annual event during which a bevy of medical students travel to Ottawa’s Parliament Hill to talk about various issues of importance with lawmakers.
- Press Releases – The CFMS is constantly involved with national and local press, which helps to get the word out about their organization and the goings-on in the national healthcare industry.
- International Exchanges – This excellent exchange program allows medical students to travel to a foreign country to take on clinical electives or even research for a period of four weeks. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for many students that the CFMS is proud to sponsor.
Unique CFMS Resources
Though the medical schools and organizations in Canada strive to provide numerous services designed to enhance success rates, the CFMS, made entirely of students themselves, takes things even further. Their website provides medical students with a host of resources, too.
- Residency Matchbook – The organization links to and reviews the CaRMS annual match to help provide aspiring doctors with career planning advice and more.
- Discounts – Thanks to the popularity and reach of the CFMS, they have secured numerous discounts on everything from interview tours, WestJet flights, hotels, and even electives through a variety of service providers.
- Resources from MD Financial Management – MD Financial Management is the financial services partner of the CFMS, and this group serves medical students who want to better manage their money. Included are financial checklists, options for buying a house and car, tips for buying insurance, budgeting advice, and much more.
- Couples Match Ranking App – Finally, this unique app helps students come up with a ranking order when they apply for a residency using the CaRMS Couples Match option. This option allows couples the chance to stay together during their residencies – something that is quite unique to Canada, and something the CFMS promotes as important.
The CFMS is very much like a student council, but it has a much broader reach and is made up of students attending medical schools from one Canadian coast to the other. Thanks to its excellent reputation, it has become a go-to source of information and advice for thousands of medical students each year.
Image Source: https://www.cfms.org/