Program Contacts

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Important Information

The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation.  The Department of Family Medicine additionally participates in clinical programs in Inuit communities.  We respect the Treaties and Agreements that were made on these territories, we acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past, and we dedicate ourselves to move forward in partnership with Indigenous communities in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.

 

The CASPer Test - Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics 

All applicants to the Family Medicine Residency Program, at the University of Manitoba are required to complete an online assessment (CASPer), to assist with our selection process. Successful completion of CASPer is mandatory in order to maintain admission eligibility.

CASPer is an online test which assesses for non-cognitive skills and interpersonal characteristics that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program, and will complement the other tools that we use for applicant screening. In implementing CASPer, we are trying to further enhance fairness and objectivity in our selection process. 

In order to take CASPer, you will be responsible for securing access to a computer with audio capabilities, a webcam, and a reliable internet connection on your selected test date. CASPer can be taken practically anywhere that you can satisfy the aforementioned requirements. No exceptions will be provided for applicants unable to take CASPer online due to being located at sites where internet is not dependable due to technical or political factors.

Please go to www.takeCASPer.com to sign up and reserve a test using your student identifier and a piece of government-issued photo ID. You will be provided with a limited number of testing dates and times. Please note that these are the only testing dates available for your CASPer test. There will be no additional tests scheduled. Please use an email address that you check regularly; there may be updates to the test schedule.

Please direct any inquiries on the test to support@takecasper.com. Alternatively, you may use the chat bubble in the bottom right hand corner of your screen on the takecasper.com website.

The CASPer test is comprised of 12 sections of video and written scenarios. Following each scenario, you will be required to answer a set of probing questions under a time contract. Each response is graded by a different rater, giving a very robust and reliable view of personal and professional characteristics important to our program. No studying is required for CASPer, although you may want to familiarize yourself with the test structure at takeCASPer.com, and ensure you have a quiet environment to take the test.

CASPer test results are valid for one admissions cycle. Applicants who have already taken the test in previous years will therefore be expected to re-take it.

 

ZOOM INFORMATION SESSIONS: 

CaRMS General Overview session:  Thursday, January 13, 2022 from 7:00-8:30pm CST via Zoom. 

• Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lc-ivqjssGNFmplBvyjCRgDJl1mGSKg2V

 

CaRMS Information Deeper Dive – Rural: Tuesday, January 18, 2022 from 7:00-8:30pm CST via Zoom

• Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEpc-yorjMiH9bFgbgjnVtK7rRwwlibRm8q

 

CaRMS Information - Resident Sessions (hosted by our Chief Residents): 7:00-8:00pm CST via Zoom

• Tuesday, February 8, 2022
• Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEpde-sqzwiG9zYapGMdaF7UEOBIDUU6XHm

 

 MANDATORY ORIENTATION SESSIONS:

The mandatory full day Postgraduate Medical Education Orientation for all residents will be held on Wednesday, June 29, 2022.

The mandatory full day Family Medicine Residency Orientation will be held on Thursday, June 30, 2022.

 

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

Prior to the commencement of training, matched applicants must provide proof of ACLS certification that is current as of July 1, 2022. The ACLS Provider course must be certified by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada or the American Heart Association. ACLS training that is not certified by one of these two organizations and/or is completed entirely through an online course will not be accepted. Applicants are responsible for all costs associated with obtaining ACLS certification. We provide a re-certification course in your second year of residency prior to graduation.

Resident Home Location and Travel Requirements

As a resident in the Portage la Prairie stream, you will be expected to maintain a residence in Portage or surrounding area.

Vacation Allowance

Vacation in PGY1 can be taken for two weeks in each of two blocks in conjunction with an approved elective or Family Medicine Block Time in the remaining two weeks of the same blocks, or alternatively as one 4 week vacation block. Vacation is not allowed in Block 1 in PGY1.  Though the program tries to accommodate residents’ specific vacation period requests, constraints of scheduling often requires flexibility and not all requests will be approved.

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Return of Service

The following applicants will be required to sign a Return of Service “ROS” contract with the Province of Manitoba. The ROS commitment is commensurate with the length of the training program

• All IMGs entering all training programs

IMGs already holding a return of service obligation must disclose these obligations at the time of application. IMGs who have undischarged return of service obligations may not be eligible to begin training in a position funded by Manitoba Health.

Such individuals may wish to contact Shared Health at pmao-residents@sharedhealthmb.ca for more information.

 

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General Instructions

Program application language: English

You are required to fulfill ALL of the most current Provincial Criteria for Canadian Medical Graduates for Manitoba.

The criteria can be found at:  https://www.carms.ca/match/r-1-main-residency-match/eligibility-criteria/manitoba/

 

 

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Supporting Documentation / Information

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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

Applicants must apply to, and rank each of the University of Manitoba Family Medicine programs individually. There is one central review process.

The same personal letter should be used for all University of Manitoba Family Medicine applications as only one letter will be reviewed per applicant.

There will be only one interview irrespective of the number of programs to which you apply; there may be specific additional questions based on your program interests.

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Interviews

Dates:

• March 8, 2022
• March 10, 2022
• March 11, 2022

Selection Criteria

The Department of Family Medicine at the University of Manitoba is committed to a fair, equitable, and transparent selection process.

All CMG applicants will have a comprehensive and structured review of their CaRMS file including the personal letter, MSPR, CV and letters of reference.  The review will be conducted by faculty, clinic staff and current residents from any site, regardless of the sites to which you have applied.  Selection for interview will be determined by the outcome of the file review in conjunction with your CASPer™ score.

Applicants who are invited for interview will participate in one structured interview, regardless of the number of sites to which you have applied.  The structured interview may have questions specific to the sites to which you have applied. 

The rank order list is generated specific to each site based upon your file review, your interview, and your CASPer™ score.

Program goals

Selection process goals

We are looking for applicants with a broad range of life experiences, interpersonal skills and a firm foundation of academic achievement that will collectively contribute to the capacity to practise the breadth of Family Medicine.  We are seeking individuals with an appropriate balance between personal and family life, engagement with community, and commitment to our profession.

On completion of their program, family physicians trained by our residency program will demonstrate the abilities to: 

• Respond to the needs of their communities by providing comprehensive, high quality, continuous health care to their patients and families across the life cycle (including prevention, acute and chronic illness management), in a variety of care settings, and to a broad base of patients, including those from underserved and marginalized populations.
• Recognize that the patient-physician relationship is central to their practice and strive to communicate effectively with patients.  
• Collaborate with other physicians, health professionals, patients, and their families to optimize patient care.  
• Mobilize the resources of the community to improve the health care delivery system.  
• Take an active role in improving the safety and quality of health care.
• Engage in lifelong learning.  
• Demonstrate professional behaviours in all aspects of practice.

File review process

Evaluation criteria :

Elective criteria

Interview process

Interview evaluation criteria :

Information gathered outside of CaRMS application

Specifically, we may consider:
Social interaction during program related events
Communication with program administration
Social media
Unsolicited reference letters
Unsolicited email references
Unsolicited verbal information on a candidate's prior performance
Unsolicited feedback from colleagues and co-workers

Ranking process

The behavior(s) exhibited below during the interview process may prevent an applicant from being ranked by our program :
Unprofessional or inappropriate behavior   
Did not attend interview   
Interview performance was not competitive   

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Program Highlights

Overview of Department

https://umanitoba.ca/medicine/department-family-medicine

For more than 40 years, the University of Manitoba’s Department of Family Medicine has been positively influencing the health of individuals, families and communities across Manitoba. Through clinical work, teaching and innovative research, family medicine is making a difference.

Courses Offered for Residents in Family Medicine

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

Matched applicants will be required to provide proof of valid Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Provider certification before they can commence residency. The ACLS Provider course must be certified by the Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation or by the American Heart Association. ACLS certification that has expired or that is not endorsed by the Canadian Heart and Stroke or by the American Heart Association and/or is completed entirely through an on-line course will not be accepted.  We provide a re-certification course in your second year of residency prior to graduation.

Advances in Labour and Risk Management (ALARM)

We mandate ALARM training during the residency and provide reimbursement upon successful completion.

Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)

We mandate ATLS training during the residency and provide reimbursement upon successful completion for all non-urban residents.

Indigenous Cultures Awareness Workshop (ICAW) or Manitoba Indigenous Cultural Safety Training (MICST)

We mandate ICAW or MICST training during residency.

Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)

We mandate NRP during residency and provide reimbursement upon successful completion.

Ultrasound Curriculum

The curriculum will be delivered via an ultrasound educational platform known as SonoSim.

 

Scholarly Curriculum

Scholarly activities in our program include:

- participation in monthly Journal Clubs

- presentations at patient case rounds and regular guideline appraisals 

- didactic teaching  

- formal Quality Improvement curriculum

- Critical Appraisal assignments

- PEARLS exercises as offered through the College of Family Physicians of Canada

- Academic Days throughout the year

- additional core curriculum as mandated by PGME for all postgraduate program residents

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Program Curriculum

This residency program is for 2 years.

Program length of training does not exceed the Royal College or College of Family Physicians of Canada standard.

Family Medicine Training for Portage la Prairie residents is done in the context of the rural community.  Residents will care for their patients both at Portage Clinic and Portage District General Hospital.  Portage Clinic is the home unit where residents will do both first- and second-year Family Medicine block time.  They will care for admitted patients at Portage District General Hospital.  Residents will have an identifiable patient population that they will manage in the clinic and hospital setting 

Portage Clinic is a fee-for-service private clinic which provides full service family practice to residents of the city of Portage la Prairie and its surrounding region (regional population approximately 45,000)

For Family Medicine training, you will be paired with a primary preceptor.  The team at Portage Clinic consists of 28 family practice physicians.

Family physicians in this clinic have specialty training in areas such as:

- Obstetrics

- Emergency medicine

- Women’s health

- Anesthesia

- Chemotherapy

 -Otolaryngology

-Aesthetics

Portage District General Hospital:

- 88 acute care beds

- 2 general surgeons

- 2 otolaryngologists

- 1 psychiatrist

- visiting specialists who provide services in gynecology, ophthalmology and orthopedics.

Family medicine experiences include outpatient clinics, caring for your patients admitted to the hospital, and home visits. Protected time is provided for horizontal experiences in the areas of obstetrics, emergency medicine, palliative care, pediatrics and surgery.

Portage is a Community Cancer Care Manitoba site with two family physicians working in the area of cancer care.  Residents will be given the opportunity to experience the delivery of cancer care in the outpatient delivery of chemo medications by spending time with the cancer care doctor.

PEDIATRICS

Pediatric rotations are completed in the Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg.

ICU / CCU

This rotation is based in a Winnipeg community hospital with a focus on both coronary care and intensive care medicine.  There are a wide range of clinical experiences including consultation within the hospital and in the Emergency Department.  Residents will spend time with GP anesthesia learning the skills of airway management, IV sedation and rapid sequence intubation.  There will be ample opportunity through the very active ICU to have teaching in advanced intravenous line access 

PALLIATIVE MEDICINE

Winnipeg has one of the longest-standing traditions in Canada in providing hospital and community palliative care to its citizens. The Palliative Care rotation has been evaluated by residents as one of the most rewarding and unique to their Family Medicine training. Skills taught by palliative care family physician specialists enable residents to gain skills essential to providing symptom-based care to both patients struggling with chronic illness and during end-of-life care.  

BEHAVIOURAL MEDICINE

An integrated approach to behavioral medicine is utilized during your Family Medicine experiences.

Key areas include:

- Mental health concerns (curriculum in consultation with Department of Psychiatry)

-Helping patients develop coping skills

-Knowledge of community resources

-Communication skills

Psychiatric rounds via Telehealth provide some of the didactic portion of this experience.  

Portage Clinic has an on-site psychiatrist from Eden Mental Health Centre.  The residents will work with this psychiatrist to provide consultative services to patients from Portage and area within both the clinic setting as well as the hospital setting. 

NUTRITION EDUCATION & CARE

The family medicine block time provides experience in office management of nutritional concerns that are common to family practice such as:

Diabetes

Cardiovascular Illness

Weight Management

Opportunities for enhancing health promotion skills through education to community groups

In addition, there are opportunities for enhancement of health promotion skills through education to community groups. There is also opportunity to spend time with a community dietician.

We have the My Health Team working within the clinic that provide the services of a prenatal nurse, chronic disease education nurse, wound care nurse & a child & adolescent shared care mental health team member.

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Training Sites

Portage la Prairie site video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G14y25mCck&list=PLCNj2OCRLILF6vOq6gtxYSY3_M-wuE57r&index=9

Major Strength of the Rural Portage la Prairie Stream

- Experienced teachers, with low preceptor to trainee ratios and the opportunity to work with medical students in a clinical teaching unit model of hospital practice.

- Large clinical volumes with excellent variety of patients.

- Frequent opportunities to perfect your procedural skills through clinical encounters and procedural labs.

- Ultrasound trained emergency doctors.

- Exposure to Aboriginal health through clinic both in Portage and in First Nations communities.

- Longitudinal experiences in Obstetrics, E.R., Psychiatry & Surgery.

- Residents have their own patients that they follow throughout their 2 years in Portage.

- Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine Clinic

- Monthly academic days in small group learning environments, rural Continuing Medical Education (CME), and an active resident-led journal club. We have a formal simulation medicine curriculum integrated into our academic days. 

 

The Portage Clinic also offers patient services such as a prenatal nurse, chronic disease nurse, wound care nurse, kinesiology and a child and adolescent shared care mental health team member.  We have visiting specialists as well including a gynecologist, orthopedist, dermatologist, rheumatologist and ophthalmologist 

Our building offers office space to the Southern RHA, the Portage Hearing Center, a TMJ & sleep apnea specialist and a psychiatrist.  We offer UVB light therapy services as well as a seven day a week Walk-In Clinic.

Portage Clinic physicians offer their services to both Cartier Health Centre and the MacGregor Health Centre, all working through an accessible and shared EMR system. 

We also have contracts for services within the Portage & District General Hospital for the ER, OR, ICU, obstetrics, dialysis, chemotherapy, psychiatry and anesthesia departments.  We also provide services to the residents of the Manitoba Developmental Centre, personal care homes, Agassiz Youth Centre, KF Aerospace Flight Training School, Sandy Bay Health Centre, Gladstone, AFM and the Teen Clinic (located at the local high school). 

We have a well-equipped procedure room in the clinic which allows the doctors as well as the residents the opportunity to perform minor surgeries.

There is also an aesthetics clinic run weekly which the residents participate in.

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Additional Information

TRANSPORTATION

As you will need to move frequently about the city and province between training sites, you will need to secure a means of transportation.  You may find it easiest to maintain a personal vehicle.

Additional Points to Consider:

• Cost of living, especially rent and automobile insurance, is one of the most affordable in Canada.
• Full access to University of Manitoba library and its electronic resources, including UpToDate.
• Competitive resident salaries with a solid resident contract including a well-supported maternity/paternity leave policy.  http://www.parim.org
• Membership and registration fees are covered for University of Manitoba, College of Family Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba, Canadian Medical Protective Association, and the initial membership in the College of Family Physicians of Canada for PGY1 year.
• Annual two day resident retreat held in a community outside of Winnipeg.
• All mandatory course fees are reimbursed upon successful completion.  Examples of mandatory courses include:  NRP, ALARM, ATLS, PALS, BLS and ACLS recertification. Mandatory courses vary between programs.
• Travel costs and accommodation are provided for mandatory offsite rotations.

WHAT ABOUT FUN IN PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE?

Portage la Prairie and area is a progressive community with an area population of approximately 20,000 inhabitants.  It is the fourth largest city in southern Manitoba.  It is located a 1-hour drive from Winnipeg. 

Portage la Prairie offers a variety of recreational activities all year round for all ages. 

 The Stride Place features two NHL-size indoor arenas, an indoor walking track, 4,000 sq. ft. fitness center, Manitoba’s largest wave pool, on-site concession services, meeting and special event facilities.

Southport Recreation Centre includes a gymnasium and weight/cardio rooms. 

There are several softball diamonds throughout Portage, a soccer field, & a 400 meter track.

Island Park is home to Splash Island, our outdoor water park, a playground area, band shell, arboretum, deer & waterfowl sanctuary, tennis courts, picnic sites, strawberry farm, and an 18-hole golf course.

Crescent lake has a beautiful community walking path with many historical signs that give reference to sites of the past & current heritage properties along the lake.

Curling, hockey & skating are some of the winter activities to enjoy both indoors as well as outdoors on a community maintained area on the lake complete with changing shelters and a bonfire area.

The Fort la Reine Museum is made up of 25 buildings and it covers 300 years of prairie history. It was the winner of two Central Manitoba Tourism Awards in 2020, the “Event of the Year “and the “Aspiring Youth “awards.

Prairie Fusion Arts & Entertainment is the artistic hub for Portage & the surrounding community. They provide an inclusive environment where all people can experience,

learn, create & celebrate the arts.

Websites of Interest:

http://www.city.portage-la-prairie.mb.ca/index.html

http://www.strideplace.ca/ 

http://www.travelmanitoba.com/

https://islandontheprairies.ca/