The 5 Types of People on The CaRMS Tour That We All Met

CaRMS has come and gone, but the one thing that stuck in my mind was how hilarious the personalities of my fellow med students are. Here are 5 personalities that showed up at nearly all of my stops across the country. 

1) The Toronto Lover

This person was born in Toronto, grew up in Toronto, did undergrad in Toronto, and wanted Toronto for medical school but wasn't accepted. They can't help but talk about how much better Toronto is than the current city they are in, and use vague terms like "vibrant" or "energy" to describe Toronto's best parts. And the advice about the city they live in is next to useless, 

Me: "Oh, you went to school here? What's it like to live in Ottawa?"

Them: "Ottawa is good, but the Chinatown here really doesn't compare you know?".

Oh. Thanks. I was just dying to know how energetic and vibrant Chinatown is. It's the first thing that every single white male in their late 20s wants to know.

2) The guy who can't stop checking out girls

Easy there stud. You may be a beefcake and look like a young Harrison Ford in that dark grey suit, but the "I just got out of prison" look you have in your eyes is making everyone uncomfortable. What's your end game here? You think she's going to see you leering at her like a factory worker and develop overwhelming romantic interest in you? I tried talking to you before I smelled your overpowering cologne, and became instantly tired of hearing about "the blonde with the legs". Get out of my face, I'm trying to crush enough coffee to keep my stomach from gurgling loud enough for the resident panel that I don't hear the same questions be asked for the 100th time. 

3) The hater of the hometown discount

Wow! CaRMS has been amazing! Emerge is super competitive this year, but I got tonnes of interviews and being on the tour with the same 30 people across the country has been amazing! But wait? Who's this guy being invited to do shots with the residents at the emerge social? I don't recognize him. Better go see what his deal is… Oh, he went here for medical school. I better be extremely catty and make sure he understands that the program director and I go way back, and that I've interviewed at EVERY school for emerge… Except for Calgary and they don't know what they're missing anyways.

4) The jeans guy

I love seeing this guy at interviews, because I know that there is at least one person who is going to score lower on the interview than I am. I am a guy with next to no sense of style, and even I am embarrassed at the boot cut, machine washed Levi's you're wearing. When I see you I feel like the main character from Jurassic Park when he first sees the dinosaurs, peering out of the jeep, mouth open, absolutely awe struck. "I've heard that they existed, but I never thought I'd get a chance to see one in real life". Thanks guy, I can die happy.

5) The “can you believe what happened in my interview?” person

Yes. Yes I can believe that when you said "I've never had a clinical conflict in medical school" the interviewer looked at you like you were an idiot. In fact, was that look anything like the look I am giving you right now? That was a stupid answer to an easy question, and the interviewer had every right to think – and he did think this – "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?".

Graeme R., Class of 2014, Queen's University