At McGill, the anatomical pathology residency program has a practical internship curriculum, friendly residents, supportive program directors, excellent teaching staff, diligent support staff, a large caseload, and is situated in the charming city of Montreal.

In the initial months of my training, I was endlessly strategizing how to balance reading and looking at glass slides. I was trying different references and various study styles, including flash cards and mind maps. After three core rotations in subspecialty pathology this academic year, I have come up with a list of the references (books and websites) that have helped me maximize my learning.

My guess is that what makes a GOOD personal statement is OBJECTIVE—clear, concise, well-written, grammatically correct. It doesn't raise any red flags. Meanwhile, what makes a GREAT personal statement is subjective.

As this is one of the last clinical rotations I will do before I return to the world of pathology, I take my sweet time when seeing patients. I take all the time I need, so much so that I receive compliments on how wonderful it is to have a doctor who carefully asks questions, gently examines, and simply listens. Patients say that I do well what I do. I courteously say thank you, a bit embarrassed by the trust placed in me. But in moments of silence, away from the busy humming of clinics, when I can actually hear myself think and cannot be charmed by the gratification of being front…

By reading current and relevant scientific papers, I not only deepen my understanding of topics in my present rotation—I also familiarize myself with possible existing research questions, thereby allowing me to generate my own hypothesis for a project.

The road to practicing medicine in Canada is difficult, especially if you are an international medical graduate (IMG). There are the exams to tackle, and exam scores are important if you want to be a competitive applicant for the residency match.