Program Contacts

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Important Information

All programs at Western commence on July 1st, 2022 with a one-day orientation in London, Ontario - date TBD

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General Instructions

Program application language: English

Friday, February 18, 2022 (noon) - Login Information
Candidates will receive information by email on February 18 regarding credentialing information for access to the on-line interview scheduling system

Tuesday, February 22, 2022 (noon) - Interview Notification
Candidates will be notified to log into the interview system. Once logged in, candidates can view the list of universities where an interview has been offered and schedule interviews.

Tuesday, February 22 - Interview Selection

Candidates can book interviews 

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Supporting Documentation

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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

All application files are reviewed and ranked, according to our selection criteria, by the Postgraduate Selection Committee. Candidates will be contacted by email regarding interviews on February 18th, 2022.  Due to the large number of applications, we will not be able to offer interviews to all candidates.

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Interviews

Dates:

• March 8, 2022
• March 9, 2022
• March 10, 2022

Selection Criteria

We are seeking enthusiastic, self-directed, and collegial learners with a passion for Internal Medicine. As a candidate, your application will be graded according to academic achievement, commitment to the field of Internal medicine, involvement in research, and evidence of dedication to their community and to others.

 

Program goals

The Internal Medicine Residency Training Program's overall goal is to train residents to become competent specialists in Internal Medicine, capable of assuming a consultant's role in the specialty. An internist is a specialist trained in the diagnosis and treatment of a broad range of diseases involving all organ systems, and is especially skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes. An internist cares for hospitalized and ambulatory patients and may play a major role in teaching and research of medical students and residents.

Our Program provides a supportive and collaborative environment that includes mentorship and curriculum opportunities to ensure that each resident will have access to the educational experiences to successfully complete the program objectives and succeed in the certification exam of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Our Program is known for its collegial and friendly environment, where residents support and collaborate with each other.  An example of this is our well-functioning Resident Wellness Committee which organizes many social activities, debriefing sessions, and provides ongoing support for our residents throughout the year.  The activities of the Resident Wellness Committee are supported financially by the Department of Medicine.

We believe that residents should have a very active voice in the Program. Residents are asked to be part of many committees and working groups focused on continuous quality improvement for all aspects of the training program.

 

 

Selection process goals

The Program seeks motivated, collaborative and enthusiastic candidates who are passionate about Internal Medicine. We welcome candidates with a growth mind-set who seek feedback and are committed to continuous development. 

File Review: All files are reviewed and scored according to our selection criteria.  This allows us to differentiate between candidates on the basis of academic performance, scholarly pursuits, leadership, letters of reference, etc., to determine eligibility for an interview.

Interview: The interview is done independently from the file scoring process.  Candidates invited for an interview will meet online with a team of a faculty member and a resident from our Program.  Interviewers do not have access to the candidate’s file. The interview process is intended to focus exclusively on assessing the attributes that cannot be easily obtained by a review of the candidate’s file, such as ability to communicate effectively, problem-solving, stress management, professionalism, conflict resolution, and attitudes regarding growth and feedback.

The interview is 30 minutes in duration and it follows a standard set of questions and it includes a short case scenario.  The interview questions and the case have been developed by a committee that includes residents who were asked what personal attributes they felt a good resident in Internal Medicine should have.  

Interview Day: The Program offers a comprehensive presentation regarding all aspects of the program.  This recorded presentation will be available on the Program's website.

 

File review process

Evaluation criteria :

Elective criteria

Interview process

Interview evaluation criteria :

Information gathered outside of CaRMS application

We do not consider any information gathered outside of the CaRMS application and local interview processes.

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

The program has a supportive and well-functioning Residency Training Committee that has very strong Resident participation. The Department of Medicine at Western University offers a collegial and supportive learning environment for residents.


1) Strong Clinical Training
The program provides a wide experience in Internal Medicine and all Subspecialties. Rotations in each sub-specialty are organized to provide exposure in both out-patient and in-patient environments. In addition, training at Western allows for rotations in Community Medicine - Stratford, St. Thomas, Woodstock, Chatham, Goderich, Sarnia and Windsor, Ontario. Through core training, every resident is exposed to a wide spectrum of practice milieus, which is very important in career development.
 

2) Daily High-Quality, Dedicated Teaching
Each day, residents have protected time for didactic teaching. Morning report and lunch time teaching occurs daily. Weekly academic half-day includes relevant clinical case studies, didactic material and literature review. Weekly grand rounds are also part of our mapped academic curriculum. Simulation program and POCUS training is also a strong focus of our program.
 

3) Career Development
The ability to have 3 out of 4 electives out of town, semi-annual meetings with the Program Director, ample research opportunity, rotations in a variety of community settings, and mentorship allow residents to explore both specialty choices and type of practice.

4) Responsiveness to Royal College Curriculum Changes
With the input of residents, we have changed the curriculum in order to optimize the preparation of PGY3 cohort for the Royal College Certification exams. Together, with the Department of Medicine and the Postgraduate Medical Education Office, our program has been able to successfully transition to the Competency by Design curriculum. For further information on Competency by Design, please refer to: https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/deptmedicine/education/postgraduate/cbme/index.html
 

5) Coaching and Mentorship
The program offers a coaching program where Residents may work with a faculty coach to enhance clinical skills. In addition, we offer a mentorship program with faculty members to assist resident in their professional growth.
 

6) Research and Scholarly Activity
Residents are able to take advantage of the many research opportunities available at Western University. Trainees participate in research either ongoing and/or as a dedicated research elective block during second year. The department holds an annual Resident Research Day where Residents have the opportunity to present their work and be recognized by Faculty and peers.

7) Conference / Educational
Residents in our Program receive an annual allowance to attend a conference of their choosing. This allowance may also be directed to cover membership or tuition fees in other educational courses or events.

8) Scholarly Resources
The Program provides a membership to the NEJM Knowledge+ Adaptive Online Learning Platform to all residents.
 

9) Journal Club
The program runs a Resident-driven Journal Club which is organized for each PGY group to assist Residents in developing critical appraisal skills. Residents are given an annual budget to run these events.
 

10) Simulation Program
The Internal Medicine Program at Western offers two ultrasound courses during the PGY1 year. One is a five-hour course offered in the fall focusing on ultrasound guided procedures (Thoracentesis, Paracentesis and Lumbar Puncture). The second course is offered in the spring and it is again a five-hour course focusing on vascular access (internal jugular line, femoral line, superficial veins and arteries) using ultrasound. 

11) Windsor
Residents in the Internal Medicine Program at Western University are mandated to do 1 rotation in in-patient medicine (CTU) during PGY1 and another during PGY3 year in Windsor. There is opportunity to spend additional time in Windsor for Residents who are interested. Travel allowance and housing is provided for Residents. Family accommodations are available but are not guaranteed.

 

 

 

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Program Curriculum

This residency program is for 3 years.

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

PGY1 Schedule

Rotation	Duration	Location
London CTU	4 blocks	CTU is offered at the London Health Sciences Centre – University and Victoria Hospitals
Windsor CTU	1 block	CTU is offered at the Windsor campus
ICU	1 block	London Health Sciences Centre - University Hospital
Subspecialties	7 blocks	Subspecialty rotations are offered at the London Health Sciences Centre – University and Victoria hospitals as well as St. Joseph’s Health Care

 

PGY2 Schedule

Rotation	Duration	Location
London CTU	2-3 blocks	CTU is offered at the London Health Sciences Centre – University and Victoria Hospitals
Windsor CTU	1 block x 18 Residents	CTU is offered at the Windsor campus
EDC	1 block x 22 Residents	Emergency Department Consults (EDC) is offered at the London Health Sciences Centre – University and Victoria Hospitals
CCU	2 blocks	CCU is offered at the London Health Sciences Centre – University and Victoria Hospitals
ICU	2 blocks	ICU is offered at the London Health Sciences Centre – University Hospital
Subspecialties	3 or 4 blocks	Subspecialty rotations are offered at the London Health Sciences Centre – University and Victoria hospitals as well as St. Joseph’s Health Care
Electives	2 blocks	Elective options may include clinical elective outside of London (including International  health) or research

 

 

PGY-3 Schedule

Rotation	Duration	Location
London CTU	2 block (during first 6 months)	CTU is offered at the London Health Sciences Centre – University and Victoria Hospitals
Windsor CTU	1 block (during the first 6 months for 21 residents)	CTU is offered at the Windsor campus
EDC	2 blocks	Emergency Department Consults (EDC) is offered at the London Health Sciences Centre – University and Victoria Hospitals
Ambulatory GIM	2 blocks	GIM is offered at the London Health Sciences Centre – University and Victoria Hospitals
Subspecialties	4 blocks	Subspecialty rotations are offered at the London Health Sciences Centre – University and Victoria hospitals as well as St. Joseph’s Health Care
Electives	2 blocks	Elective options may include clinical elective outside of London (including International health) or research
Community Medicine*	1 block	Community rotations are available in a number of communities in Southwestern Ontario.
* Note: the mandatory community rotation can be completed at any time during the three year training period

 

 

Subspecialty Training

After completing Internal Medicine training, we offer subspecialty positions in the following programs:

- Cardiology

- Clinical Immunology/Allergy

- Clinical Pharmacology

- Critical Care

- Endocrinology and Metabolism

- Gastroenterology

- General Internal Medicine

- Geriatrics

- Hematology

- Infectious Disease

- Medical Oncology

- Nephrology

- Respirology

- Rheumatology

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Training Sites

Western University Teaching Hospitals:

- London Health Sciences Centre: University Hospital and Victoria Hospital
- St. Joseph's Health Care London (incorporating Parkwood Institute)
- Windsor Regional Hospital - Ouellette Campus

 

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Additional Information

 

 

 

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FAQ

Residents in our program are available to answer questions about the program to prospective CaRMS applicants.  Please contact domeducation@lhsc.on.ca for a list of Residents and their contact information.

Our Residents can answer questions about their level of satisfaction in the program; program strengths and weakness; lifestyle in London and other important questions about the program.