Lies students tell
Online posting: April 1, 1997
Published in print: May. 1, 1997 (CMAJ 1997;156:1266)
Re: Teaching medical students to lie, by Dr. Tara A.
Young, CMAJ 1997;156:219-22 [full text / en bref]
Dr. Tara A. Young correctly points out the lying and deception
that goes on in the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS)
match. The applicant's fear of not matching is reinforced by
school administrators who ultimately are more concerned about
matching all their candidates and making their program look
successful than about students' integrity, aspirations and
happiness in their matches.
Institutionalized deception is rampant and contrary to
professional honesty, and it requires intervention. However,
honesty begins within the candidates, and it is their choice
whether they will give in to this competitive deceitfulness. Once
individuals say No, the lying will stop. I think it is better to
be unmatched and maintain your integrity than to match to an
undesirable program and regret the lies on your application.
I also was involved in the CaRMS match of 1996. I made the
decision to go into family medicine in my fourth year despite my
previous attraction to obstetrics and gynecology. I believe I got
into my program of first choice because I was honest about my
change of heart and my references supported my decision. I do not
think I am unique in being successful and honest in the CaRMS
match. I can only encourage those preparing to enter it to yield
to the threat of being unmatched and present yourself as you are.
I think you will find honesty goes farther than lies.
I also believe in the confidentiality of the CaRMS match,
which means that programs are not permitted to ask questions
about candidates' rank-order list. This information should be
irrelevant to the programs, since they should instead focus on
ranking the top candidates.
Sandy Tigchelaar, MD
Family Medicine Resident
Queen's University
Kingston, Ont.
CMAJ email
CMAJ Readers' Forum