Queen’s University - Urology - Kingston
2022 R-1 Main Residency Match - first iteration
CMG Stream for CMG
Last approved on January 19, 2022
Summary of changesAccreditation status : Accredited
Provincial Criteria
Victory 4, KGH
76 Stuart Street
Kingston, Ontario, K7L 2V7
Program Contacts
Important Information
Institution-wide CBME Implementation within PGME at Queen’s University
Queen’s University received approval to adopt a Competency-based Medical Education model in all specialty programs, effective July 1, 2017.
Residents attending Queen’s as of July 2017 and beyond will use time as a framework rather than the basis for progression. It is not anticipated that the duration of training will change for the majority of trainees. Residency programs will be broken down into stages, and each stage will have a series of entrustable professional activities (EPAs) based on required competencies. These EPAs will create more targeted learning outcomes and involve more frequent, formative assessments within the clinical workplace to ensure residents are developing and receiving feedback on the skills they need.
The changes at Queen’s University are intended to align with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons’ broader, national Competence by Design initiative to introduce CBME in all faculties and all disciplines. This program at Queen’s University simply adopts CBME on an advanced timeline. However, as each specialty and subspecialty adopts CBD nationally, Queen’s will make any necessary adjustments in order to fully align and comply with CBD.
Further information on CBD can be found on the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada website at: CBD implementation.
As of July 2018, all Royal College Urology programs have begun the competency by design (CBD) implementation under the Royal College.
Electives
We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted candidates’ opportunities to arrange and complete electives and would like to reassure you that a lack of elective activity this year will not negatively impact your application to our program.
COVID-19 vaccination requirements:
Please refer to the 'Restrictions' section of the Ontario eligibility criteria for messaging regarding COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
General Instructions
Program application language: English
Supporting Documentation
• Canadian Birth Certificate or Act of Birth
• Certificate of Canadian Citizenship
• Confirmation of Permanent Residence in Canada
• Passport page showing Canadian Citizenship
• Canadian Permanent Resident Card (both sides of card)
• Canadian Citizenship Card (both sides of card)
Proof of valid current citizenship or permanent resident status must be provided by submitting one of the following verifications to CaRMS by the File Review Opening deadline. Failure to provide valid proof will result in your application being removed. No other forms of verification are acceptable:
- Notarized/certified photocopy of Birth Certificate/Act of Birth issued by an authority in Canada accompanied by photo ID (must be Canadian government issued photo ID).
- Documents must be notarized/certified photocopies. Notarized/certified copies must not be older than two years from the application submission deadline; otherwise, a new notarized/certified copy is required.
- Confirmation of permanent residence must be accompanied by photo ID (must be a Canadian government issued photo ID).
CaRMS is partnering with third-party organizations to automate the verification of citizenship/legal status required by postgraduate offices for entry into residency. Third-party verification simplifies the process for applicants and programs. All applicants who do not receive third-party citizenship verification will be required to upload and assign an acceptable proof of citizenship document. Please see additional information here.
If possible, one or more reference letters from a faculty member from Urology is helpful, but not required. We realize that this may not be possible this year with the restrictions on electives and reassure you that this will not be detrimental to your application. Letters should attest to the interest and proficiency of the candidate in the specialty. Senior resident letters may be considered in addition.
Transcripts from the applicant’s graduating university (ideally sent directly by the university to CaRMS however if there are administrative barriers to doing this transcripts may be directly uploaded by the candidate)
Medical Student Performance RecordOrder from your Dean's Office
Personal LetterA personal letter is required. Topics to be covered include: career goals (if known), personal strengths and weaknesses, and the reason for interest in the Queen's program in Urology. Maximum word count: 1000 words.
Custom Résumé / CVYour CV should be as complete and comprehensive as possible.
Documents that are not in English must be accompanied by a notarized translation. Students applying in the last year of medical school will need to submit their most recent marks/transcripts, and will need to provide proof of their MD to CPSO prior to the start of residency training.
Review Process
Applications submitted after file review has opened on January 31, 2022
Supporting documents (excluding letters of reference) that arrive after file review has opened on January 31, 2022
Letters of reference that arrive after the unmasking date on January 31, 2022
Interviews
Dates:
- March 5, 2022
- March 6, 2022
The interview with Queen's Urology is an unstructured discussion, intended to familiarize ourselves with the candidate. Both faculty and residents participate in the interviews.
Selection Criteria
Your application should include an acceptable academic record which demonstrates proficiency in those subjects related to urology as well as proficiency in clinical skills and communication skills.
A proven interest in urology or related fields is helpful. We realize that electives are not possible right now due to the COV-ID pandemic. Completing electives/selectives in Urology is not critical (or useful) for your medical education and subsequent matching to Urology.
Our primary goal in the process is to identify candidates with the highest potential "fit" at Queen's. We value clinical competence and teachability, and the desire to learn to care for patients both medically and surgically. Interpersonal skills are vital to this, and key in the close-knit nature of our Department.
References from academic urologists, attesting to the interest and proficiency of the candidate in the specialty.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills as demonstrated in evaluations provided by the Medical Student Performance Record, personal letter and at the interview.
Program goals
The primary goal of the Urological Residency Training Program is to ensure that the trainee is competent in all aspects, both clinical and academic, with respect to the care of patients with Urological Disease. The specific objectives will align with the Royal College Objectives of Training in Urology and Specialty Training Requirements in Urology.
Urology competencies will align to those elaborated by the Specialty Committee for Urology at the Royal College. In alignment with the CanMEDS 2015 Framework and a competency-based curriculum design. We strive to promote and participate in continuing medical education activities and to make our mark in urological research through the work done at the Centre for Applied Urological Research at Queen's.
Selection process goals
Applications will be assessed for academic achievements (grades, scholarships, awards), previous employment, research endeavours, extracurricular activities (community, committees, athletics, arts, unique qualities), personal letter (specific for Queen's), reference letters, elective experience in Urology or related Urology specialties and Queen's elective experience. It is not mandatory for applicants to complete an elective at Queen's however.
Successful applicants will have an excellent academic record and have demonstrated expressed interest in Urology. Applicants should possess expressed and fulfilled research interests (not necessary to have been related to Urology). It is important to the applicant's success in our residency program that they possess a high level of motivation, aptitude and maturity. We will be looking to identify applicants with excellent inter-personal skills and ethical behaviour.
File review process
Review team composition : The Residency Program Committee makes up the review team. This includes: Program Director, Department Head, all other faculty members and all residents.
Average number of applications received by our program in the last five years : 0 - 50
Average percentage of applicants offered interviews : 26 - 50 %
| File component | Criteria |
|---|---|
| CV | previous education, work experience, volunteer experience, scholarships |
| Electives | Urology, urology related electives, location, supervisor, duration |
| Examinations | We do not evaluate this file component. |
| Extra-curricular | variety, type, role of applicant, well-roundedness |
| Leadership skills | previous leadership experiences |
| MSPRs | overall medical student performance |
| Personal letters | interest in Urology, interest in Queen's Urology Program |
| Reference documents | knowledge, skills, professionalism, maturity |
| Research/Publications | quality of project, role of the applicant, authorship |
| Transcripts | transcript marks |
Elective criteria
We encourage applicants to have completed at least one elective in our discipline.
On-site electtive: We do not require applicants to have done onsite electives.
Other information regarding elective requirement: We recognize that students have a limited time to complete electives. It is not mandatory for students to complete an elective at our centre to be granted an interview.
Interview process
Interview format :
We may accommodate requests to re-schedule interviews for applicants due to weather, technology failure, or unforeseen circumstances.
| Interview components | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Collaboration skills | ability to work well in a team environment in a productive manner |
| Collegiality | ability to function well with peers and colleagues |
| Communication skills | clarity and concision,listening, confidence, friendliness, open-mindedness, nonverbal communication |
| Health advocacy | examples of previous experiences and actions to promote advocacy |
| Interest in the discipline | previous experiences, knowledge, research |
| Interest in the program | knowledge of our program, experience at our centre |
| Leadership skills | previous experiences, ability to make decisions, ability to deal with difficult situations |
| Professionalism | previous experiences, ability to act in a professional manner, appropriate attire |
| Scholarly activities | previous awards, scholarships, academic endeavours |
Information gathered outside of CaRMS application
Specifically, we may consider:Ranking process
The behavior(s) exhibited below during the interview process may prevent an applicant from being ranked by our program :Program Highlights
We are a small program with a collegial and nuturing atmosphere. At Queen's we pride ourselves on the quality of the teaching program, and have an excellent record of success at the Royal College exams for the last 20+ years.
There are three weekly scheduled teaching sessions: Academic Half Day for three hours on Friday morning, Professor Rounds on Wednesday morning for an hour and GU Oncology Rounds for an hour on Thursday aftenoon. The excellent teacher-to-student ratio means that each resident is heavily involved in the learning process.
Research participation is expected during residency, and the outstanding research programs and publication record of our faculty facilitates this. There is a broad range and breadth of opportunity to learn and participate with national and global leaders. Residents are encouraged and motivated to present their research at several meetings taking place nationally and internationally. Transportation and accommodation are usually paid for by the Program.
Queen's University is located in beautiful and historic Kingston, Ontario, a scenic waterfront city in south-eastern Ontario at the junction of the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. Its population is approximately 160,000 and is positioned just hours from Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto allowing for easy weekend getaways for theatre, hockey games or trendy shopping. The Rideau lakes and beautiful Prince Edward County are a short drive away.
Kingston is a highly walkable city with a beautiful downtown steps from the Kingston Health Sciences Centre hospitals. It has an excellent demographic mix from its combined roots in government, industry and academia. Entertainment and the variety of restaurants in Kingston are far above expectations for a city of its population. Live music is available on any given night, and there is surprising access to major acts in intimate settings. Living downtown makes it easy to get to work, shop or go out for the evening, all within a short walk. Commutes are short for those outside of the downtown.
Program Curriculum
This residency program is for 5 years.
Program length of training does not exceed the Royal College or College of Family Physicians of Canada standard.
The Department of Urology at Queen's is a smaller, academically oriented department noted for a close working relationship with residents. There are 8 faculty members for 6 residents. Although applicants at the end of their residency training in urology will be fully capable of carrying on independent urological practice, the academic interests stimulated throughout the program have equally often resulted in trainees deciding to pursue further training at the fellowship level. Approximately half have entered academic positions in faculties of medicine across Canada and half have pursued private practice opportunities in Canada and the U.S. We enjoy close relationships with our alumni. The strengths of the program include the close personal supervision of trainees to monitor progress and the success of trainees in finding rewarding careers in urology.
PGY-1
This first post-graduate year is geared to the introduction of basic surgical skills and the necessary ancillary skills for pre- and post-operative management of surgical patients. This PGY-1 program is part of the Surgical Foundations program at Queen's University (see description of Queen's core surgery, CaRMS code 1923). Urology residents on core surgery rotations participate fully in the core surgery academic program. Rotations are organized by the Program Director in Urology.
Under the CBD program (http://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/cbd/competence-by-design-cbd-e), residents complete the requirements of the Transition to Discipline stage of training in both Urology and Surgical Foundations. Frequent assessment of milestones under the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) is assured.
Urology: 16 - 26 weeks
General surgery: 8 weeks at Kingston General Hospital
Plastic surgery: 8 weeks
Emergency Medicine: 4 weeks
Electives: 4-8 weeks
Vacation: 4 weeks throughout the year plus the Holiday Break
PGY-2
The requirements for Surgical Foundations are completed in the second year. The resident is eligible for the Surgical Foundations examination of the Royal College in the Fall of their PGY2 year. This is an obligatory component of the certification requirements in urology and must be completed prior to being eligible for the urology examinations in the PGY5 year. Residents are encouraged to complete elective rotations in a community setting and rotations can be organized in several communities in Ontario or in other parts of Canada in general surgery and urology. For many community rotations housing is provided. Rotations include:
Under the CBD program (http://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/cbd/competence-by-design-cbd-e), residents complete the requirements of the Foundations to Discipline stage of training in both Urology and Surgical Foundations. Frequent assessment of milestones under the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) is assured.
General surgery: 8-12 weeks (8 weeks may be done at community hospital)
Critical care: 8 weeks
Transplantation: 4 weeks
Vascular surgery: 8 weeks
Urology: 12 - 26 weeks
Electives: 8 weeks (pathology, community urology)
Vacation: 4 weeks throughout the year plus Holiday Break
PGY-3
The PGY-3 year is spent in the Department of Urology. Specific objectives include the pre-operative and post-operative management of urological patients with an emphasis on ambulatory urology. Operative skills in endoscopic and basic open surgical urology are acquired, and emergency urology consultation experience is broad.
Under the CBD program (http://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/cbd/competence-by-design-cbd-e), residents enter the Core of Discipline stage of training in Urology. This forms the bulk of surgical and urological clinical management skills. Frequent assessment of milestones under the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) is assured.
PGY-4
The PGY-4 year continues with the acquisition of operative and management skills required for urological patients. The senior resident (PGY-4) is in charge of inpatient management on the urology ward as well as delegation of house staff to clinical duties. There is a 2 month obligatory rotation at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario or Sick Kids Hospital for pediatric urology. Housing is provided. Although there is a pediatric experience throughout the residency program, an intensive 2 month rotation is provided to ensure the acquisition of the necessary knowledge and skills for competent urological practice.
Under the CBD program (http://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/cbd/competence-by-design-cbd-e), residents continue the requirements of the Core of Discipline stage of training in Urology. Frequent assessment of milestones under the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) is assured.
PGY-5
The chief residency is devoted to surgical skills development including intra-operative decision making so that by the end of the program the resident is able to function as an independent consultant and perform all major urological procedures. The chief resident gains practice autonomy in the resident urgent urology clinic supervised by the attending on call staff person. There are administrative duties related to call schedule and some teaching responsibilities for junior residents and rotating residents from other programs. Beginning in 2022, as of the summer of the PGY-5 year, residents will be eligible for the examinations leading to certification of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Under the CBD program (http://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/cbd/competence-by-design-cbd-e), residents complete the requirements of the Core of Discipline stage of training in Urology, and move to complete the Transition to Practice stage. Frequent assessment of milestones under the Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) is assured.
Research
Research projects are encouraged at all levels of training in the urology program at Queen's. Residents participate in the annual Upstate New York Resident Research Competition held in April, as well as the CUA and AUA if accepted. There is no provision for a dedicated research rotation in the 5 year urology program within the requirements of the Royal College but many residents continue in research fellowships following the residency program. Research programs take many shapes, from participation in the clinical aspects of basic science, patient cohort analysis, large administrative databases and many others.
Resources
The urological clinics associated with the Department of Urology have well over 15,000 visits per year providing a wealth of clinical material for instructional purposes. All patients are considered as teaching patients. There is sufficient variety of cases - both secondary and tertiary referrals - to provide opportunities for learning in the breadth of urological practice. There is a resident library equipped with a selection of current textbooks and journals and computer for literature searches, presentation preparation, and research activities.
Didactic Education Program
Surgical Foundations residents are expected to attend the SF seminar series. Attendance at Department of Urology academic activities is voluntary during off-service rotations but is compulsory during the urology (PGY-3 to PGY-5) years. There is a weekly Academic Half Day (Friday mornings) which provided protected time for resident didactic instruction. The academic activities include Departmental Grand Rounds, lectures, and seminars as well as examination preparation sessions. There is a weekly Uro-Oncology Rounds which features discussion around complex multidisciplinary cancer cases. There is a weekly one hour Professor Rounds (Wednesday morning) which provide didactic instruction in a number of domains of urology as well as ethics, management skills, etc. There is a monthly Journal Club where critical appraisal skills are developed.
Training Sites
Resources
Kingston Health Sciences Centre (Kingston General Hospital) - for adult urology and most core surgery rotations
Kingston Health Sciences Centre (Hotel Dieu Hospital) - for most outpatient activities on core surgery rotations
Lennox & Addington County General Hospital - for additional ambulatory outpatient clinic and O.R. experience
Pediatric Urology Rotation (2 months) - Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa or Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
Weenybayko General Hospital (Moose Factory ON) - for outreach clinics in a James Bay indigenous centre
Summary of changes
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