One thousand words

Figure. Matched? In 2005 more than 1400 graduating medical students participated in the Canadian Resident Matching Service, best known by its acronym CaRMS. CaRMS held its first residency match in 1970, when the undergraduate dean of the local medical college handed out an envelope to each participating medical student. The envelope contained the match result (both the specialty and the city) that would secure or unravel the student's future plans. Since 1970 the residency matching process has become increasingly sophisticated, allowing for the matching of couples, the monitoring of document submissions and, in 1998, going online. This photo was taken at the University of Saskatchewan at 11:01 am on Match Day. Whether learning the match outcome involves tearing open an envelope or madly hitting “reload” on the Web site, reactions remain unchanged. Courtney Meier (left) will study family medicine at the University of Saskatoon, and Cory Tremeer will study radiology at Queen's University in Kingston. They remind you not to forget your online password for the Web station on the day of the match. — Photo by: Farrah Mateen