Updated
CaRMS Second Iteration 2027: How It Works and How to Prepare
The CaRMS second iteration is the second round of the R-1 Main Residency Match, for positions still open after the first round. In 2027 it opens to unmatched applicants at noon Eastern on March 2, applications are due March 16, the rank list is due April 8 and second iteration Match Day is April 20, 2027, per CaRMS's timeline.
Below: who can enter, every 2027 date, how it differs from the first iteration, which positions were left last year, and what to do in the two weeks after first iteration Match Day. All facts are from carms.ca, checked November 3, 2026.
What is the CaRMS second iteration?
CaRMS runs the R-1 match in two phases called iterations. Every position not filled in the first iteration moves to the second, along with Quebec particular stream programs offered only there. CaRMS describes it as the same structure as the first iteration on a more compressed schedule
: you choose programs, assign documents, programs review files and interview, both sides rank, and a match runs. The first iteration result itself is covered in our CaRMS Match Day guide.
Who can apply in the second iteration?
- Unmatched first iteration applicants. You can join any time after noon Eastern on Match Day, and the contract lets you take part at no cost, although program application fees may apply.
- Applicants with prior postgraduate training in Canada or the US. They can only enter the second iteration. If you are new to CaRMS, registration for the 2027 second iteration opens December 2, 2026, at noon Eastern.
- Some current residents. CaRMS says the second iteration is sometimes used to transfer.
You cannot take part if you matched in the first iteration or matched in the US (contract section 3.2).
CaRMS second iteration dates for 2027
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| December 2, 2026, noon | What happens: Registration opens for applicants new to CaRMS (for example, those with prior postgraduate training) |
| January 5, 2027, noon | What happens: CaRMS Online opens for second iteration applicants. Quebec particular stream program descriptions posted |
| February 19, 2027, 5 p.m. | What happens: Last day to request CaRMS translation of an MSPR or reference. This is before first iteration Match Day |
| March 2, 2027, noon | What happens: First iteration Match Day. Unmatched applicants can log in and join |
| March 4, 2027, noon | What happens: Unfilled program descriptions posted. Program selection opens |
| March 8, 2027 | What happens: Transcripts and MSPRs from faculties should arrive |
| March 15, 2027, 9 p.m. | What happens: References due from referees |
| March 16, 2027, noon | What happens: Applications and documents due. Anything later is stamped late |
| March 16, 2027, 12:05 p.m. | What happens: File review begins. Interviews can start |
| March 23, 2027, noon | What happens: Ranking opens |
| April 8, 2027, 3 p.m. | What happens: Rank order list deadline (firm) |
| April 20, 2027, noon | What happens: Second iteration Match Day |
From Match Day to the application deadline is two weeks. That is the window to pick programs, rewrite personal letters and line up references.
What changes from the first iteration?
- Positions can become competitive. In the first iteration most provinces run separate streams for Canadian and international graduates. In the second iteration, in some provinces, positions become competitive, so both groups apply for the same positions. Check each province's eligibility rules.
- No national interview period. Interviews can happen any time between file review opening on March 16 and the April 8 rank deadline (CaRMS interviews page). Keep your calendar open.
- You reapply from scratch. Programs you applied to in the first iteration are not carried forward. If one went unfilled and you still want it, apply again. Program credits from withdrawn applications do not carry over either.
- Late means late. Applications and documents assigned after noon on March 16 are stamped late, and CaRMS's translation service cannot promise translations in time on this schedule.
What positions are left in the second iteration?
Mostly family medicine. CaRMS's 2026 R-1 data snapshot shows 365 positions unfilled after the 2026 first iteration, and 255 of them were family medicine, about 70% by our math. Psychiatry, pediatrics and internal medicine were next, and most other disciplines had a handful or none. 82 current-year Canadian graduates matched in that round. CaRMS's breakdown by discipline is in the snapshot.
So the second iteration is a real chance to match, but rarely in the discipline you ranked first if that was a small specialty. Decide early whether you will apply to family medicine or another open discipline. Our family medicine CaRMS interview guide covers what FM programs look for.
How to prepare in the two weeks after Match Day
- Day one: open the list of unfilled positions linked from your Match Results page in CaRMS Online and talk to your undergraduate office.
- By March 4: read every program description you might apply to. Each lists its own documents, personal letter questions and eligibility rules, and CaRMS recommends reading them carefully.
- Personal letters: write a new one for each discipline you now apply to. A letter that says you always wanted dermatology will not work for family medicine. Our CaRMS application guide covers letters and references.
- References: ask referees now. Their letters are due March 15 at 9 p.m. Eastern, the night before your applications.
- Interviews: practice the question to expect in some form: what happened, and why us.
- Ranking: rank every program where you would truly train, in your real order. Results are binding. See our rank order list guide.
Fees in the second iteration
If you were unmatched in the first iteration, section 3.5 of the contract lets you take part in the second iteration at no cost, with program application fees possibly applying. Where they apply, the 2027 program application fee is $66.26 per program, plus applicable tax. Applicants new to CaRMS pay the $301.60 participation fee, which includes four programs (CaRMS fees).
What if you don't match in the second iteration?
CaRMS runs a free post-match process from April 21 to May 12, 2027, for programs still considering applications. There is no ranking or matching: you apply in CaRMS Online and programs contact you directly. The US equivalent is SOAP, explained in our SOAP guide.
Practice the setback question
Second iteration interviews come with little warning. Practice talking about not matching out loud now, so it sounds calm and honest on the day. More in our CaRMS interview questions.
“Tell me about a setback in your training and what you did next.”
In a second iteration interview this is often the real question behind every other one. Name the setback plainly, own your part, and spend most of your time on what you changed and what you learned.
Example answer written by Confetto (the applicant is invented)
The biggest one is recent. I did not match in the first iteration this year. I applied to one discipline in two provinces and my list was too short for that.
I spent the first two days after Match Day being honest with myself. I went back over my evaluations and asked two preceptors what they saw in me. Both pointed to my family medicine rotation, where I followed a man with new diabetes over six weeks and saw his numbers and his confidence improve.
So I applied this time to family medicine, which I had underrated, and I applied broadly. What I take from it is to ask for feedback early instead of waiting for a result to give it to me, and I plan to keep doing that in residency.
Sources: CaRMS's second iteration timeline, match overview, registration, after the match, information for unmatched IMGs, interviews, match results, fees, post-match timeline, the applicant contract and the 2026 R-1 data snapshot. Checked November 3, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CaRMS second iteration?
It is the second phase of the R-1 Main Residency Match. Positions left unfilled in the first iteration move into it, plus Quebec particular stream programs. It runs the same way as the first iteration, applications, file review, ranking and a match, on a compressed schedule. See CaRMS's match overview.
When is the CaRMS second iteration Match Day in 2027?
April 20, 2027, at 12:00 noon Eastern. Applications and documents are due March 16 at noon and the rank order list deadline is April 8 at 3 p.m. Eastern. See the second iteration timeline.
Who can apply in the second iteration?
Applicants who went unmatched in the first iteration, and applicants with prior postgraduate training in Canada or the US, who can only enter the second iteration. It is sometimes used by current residents to transfer. Anyone who matched in the first iteration or in the US cannot take part. Read the CaRMS applicant contract (PDF).
Does the second iteration cost extra?
If you were unmatched in the first iteration, the contract says you can take part at no cost, but program application fees may apply. Where they apply, program application fees are $66.26 per program in 2027, plus tax. See CaRMS's 2027 R-1 match fees.
Are there interviews in the CaRMS second iteration?
Programs can interview, but there is no set interview period. Interviews can happen any time between the start of file review on March 16 and the April 8 rank order list deadline. See CaRMS's interview page.
Which positions are usually left in the second iteration?
Mostly family medicine. In 2026, 365 positions were unfilled after the first iteration and 255 of them were in family medicine, per CaRMS's data snapshot. Psychiatry, pediatrics and internal medicine came next. See CaRMS's 2026 R-1 data snapshot (PDF).