You’ve likely heard about Best Practices in Application and Selection (BPAS), the faculty-led initiative that is shaping the future of medical residency selection processes. Read on to find out a little about the history of BPAS, how CaRMS is supporting faculties’ work, and some changes you can expect to see in place for the 2020 match cycle.
In 2013, a Best Practices in Application and Selection (BPAS) report was published following the completion of a comprehensive literature review and environmental scan intending to inform the ongoing evolution of selection processes in postgraduate medical education.
In January 2018, the AFMC Board of Directors released the report Reducing the Number of Unmatched Canadian Medical Graduates: A Way Forward. Within this report, the AFMC endorsed the BPAS Report and called on faculties to implement its recommendations.
In parallel to the work being done by faculties of medicine to operationalize BPAS recommendations, CaRMS created a stakeholder-comprised working group to look at ways the CaRMS Online application platform can support BPAS implementation. The group, which includes postgraduate, undergraduate and learner representatives, has identified enhancements to program descriptions intended to introduce increased clarity and transparency into the selection process. These enhancements are expected to be in place for the opening of 2020 matches.
