University of Manitoba - Medical Oncology - Winnipeg
2022 Medicine Subspecialty Match - first iteration
Competitive Stream for All
Last approved on July 20, 2021
Summary of changesAccreditation status : Accredited
Provincial Criteria
Health Sciences Centre
GF338-820 Sherbrook St.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3A 1R9
Program Contacts
Important Information
Orientation for all incoming residents
Please be advised that the 2022 PGME New Resident Orientation Day is scheduled for Wednesday, June 29, 2022.
This Orientation is mandatory for all incoming residents.
Important Websites of Interest:
https://wiki.umintmed.ca/index.php?title=Oncology_Subspecialty_Education_Program
Return of Service
Please provide your Return of Service Contract at the time of application.
General Instructions
Program application language: English
Supporting Documentation / Information
• 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)
• IELTS
Language Proficiency
English is the language of study at the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba. All applicants whose first language is not English must submit proof of English language proficiency to CaRMS by the file review opening date.
CMG/USMG
- If you graduated from an English medical school in Canada or the US, you are exempt from providing proof of language proficiency.
Candidates who attended medical school in Canada or the United States where the language of instruction or the primary language of patient care was not English, must fulfill the English Language Proficiency requirements.
IMG’s
- IMG applicants must fulfill the English Language Proficiency requirements.
Candidates are exempted from English language proficiency testing under the following circumstances:
- the language of instruction and patient care throughout the entire undergraduate medical education curriculum or prior Postgraduate training was in English. A letter of attestation mailed directly from the Dean of the candidate’s medical school confirming that the majority of the language of instruction and patient care was conducted in English is required.
- their undergraduate medical education was taken in English in one of the countries that have English as a first and native language (see list below)
All other candidates must have taken the Academic Version of International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum score of 7 in each component with an overall band score of no less than 7in the same sitting. IELTS scores will be considered valid for 2 years from the date taken.:
List of countries that have English as a first and native language - Countries: Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States of America, US Virgin Islands - Caribbean Islands: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Grenadines, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago
Please note the following:
- Photocopies are acceptable.
- Language Proficiency Attestations will not be accepted from the candidate or a third party.
- Language Proficiency results will not be accepted by fax or e-mail.
Note:
This means a total of 3 Reference Letters: one from Current PD, and 2 others.
Note:
If the applicant has done an elective within the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Manitoba, the local supervisor must provide a letter of reference.
Medical School Transcript is required.
Personal LetterThis should clearly indicate the applicant's reasons for applying, what he / she feels they can bring to the program, as well as program and career expectations. Activities, skills and characteristics that may relate to “Selection Process Goals” are evaluated. If there have been gaps in training, the applicant should explain them. At least one reference letter must be from the core IM Program Director. If the applicant has engaged in remediation for any rotations in Core IM, he/she must indicate this. If there are gaps in training, the applicant is expected to indicate this. 500 words maximum.
Custom Résumé / CVCV – Aside from what is written within the body of the CaRMS document, the applicant must include a formal Curriculum Vitae (CV) at the end of the CaRMS package. It is very important that you fill out your CV carefully and completely, because part of our evaluation process involves a "semi-blinded" assessment of your CV. There will be overlap of information recorded in the CV and in the body of the larger CARMS document. Both the CV and the main CaRMS document should include all professional and personal activities that reflect the qualities outlined in “Selection Process Goals”. The CV and the main CaRMS document should indicate which activities were/are voluntary versus reimbursed/salaried. If the activity contributed to the applicant’s growth as a physician and as a person, he/she should indicate in what way. The CV should describe any activities in academic areas including research, education, administration, advocacy and leadership. Please refer to the section on this website called "Additional Information" which provides guidance regarding how the publications within the CV should be described.
PhotoA photo is required with your application.
MCCQE Part I - Statement of Results USMLE TranscriptApplicants who have graduated from a medical school outside of Canada or the USA (including VISA applicants) must have passed one of the following
- USMLE Step 1 and Step 2
Review Process
Applications submitted after file review has opened on August 25, 2021
Supporting documents that arrive after file review has opened on August 25, 2021
Interviews
Dates:
- September 15, 2021
Interviews will take place on Wednesday September 15, 2021.
Details regarding Interview:
The interview process will take place virtually. The candidates will meet with the Program Director at the beginning and end of the interview day. Interviews will be scheduled with members of the Medical Oncology Residency Program Committee. Interviews will also be arranged with one or more interviewers from outside of Medical Oncology. When meeting with the members of the Medical Oncology Training Program Committee, the candidate will be given an opportunity to ask specific questions about our program.
Selection Criteria
The Section of Medical Oncology at the University of Manitoba is committed to a fair, equitable, and transparent application process. We maintain the right to choose the applicants we feel are the best candidates for our residency training program.
We expect applicants to have familiarized themselves with Medical Oncology by having done at least one elective in the field during their Internal Medicine training. A reference from that experience would be highly valued.
Our selection processes are outlined below.
Program goals
Mission: We educate the next generation of MEDICAL Oncologists who will sustain and promote the health of those we serve through the provision of the highest quality of clinical care, research, innovation and communication.
Goals (not necessarily in order of priority):
- To train physicians who will practice in academic and non-academic settings.
- To train physicians who practice holistic care and who embody excellence in all the CANMEDS roles.
- To meet the needs of the people we serve, and the academic needs of those we choose to admit to our programs.
- To maintain and nurture excellence within our training program.
Objectives (not necessarily in order of priority):
- To develop Medical Oncologists who excel as scholars, communicators, leaders, health advocates, collaborators and professionals.
- To support and mentor our trainees.
- To foster lifelong learning.
Selection process goals
Our program values the following candidate attributes:
- Excellence in the performance of all the CANMEDS roles in all the areas of practice in Internal Medicine, including General Internal Medicine.
- Evidence of activities, whether in one’s personal and/or professional life, that contribute to the well-being of others, and that reflect drive/motivation; skills in leadership, administration, education and communication; innovation; problem-solving and resiliency.
File review process
Review team composition : At various stages of the ranking process, the file may be reviewed by the following: the Program Director, Section Members, members of the Department PGME Committee, administrative personnel and selected physicians appointed by the PGME Chair.
Average number of applications received by our program in the last five years : 0 - 50
Average percentage of applicants offered interviews : 51 - 75 %
| File component | Criteria |
|---|---|
| CV | Professional/personal activities that reflect qualities outlined in "Selection Process Goals" |
| Electives | Electives are evaluated in terms of how they relate to the above described "Selection Process Goals" |
| Examinations | We require MCCQE I scores. We also require information regarding whether the MCCQE II has ever been written, and if so, what the scores were for any time the exam was written. If the candidate is from a US institution, we require their USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 scores. |
| Extra-curricular | Activities, skills and characteristics that may relate to “Selection Process Goals" |
| Leadership skills | Activities, skills and characteristics that may relate to “Selection Process Goals” are evaluated. |
| MSPRs | We do not evaluate this file component. |
| Personal letters | Activities, skills and characteristics that may relate to “Selection Process Goals” are evaluated. |
| Reference documents | Activities, skills and characteristics that may relate to “Selection Process Goals". |
| Research/Publications | Peer reviewed publications, presentations, monographs, studies, awards, current work are evaluated. |
| Transcripts | Academic excellence, range of interest and study, duration and continuity/gaps are evaluated. |
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 | Demonstrates understanding of and engagement in successful teamwork. |
| Collegiality | Evidence of respect for others within and between teams/groups. |
| Communication skills | Ability to speak fluently and clearly in English.Ability to express complex ideas clearly/succinctly |
| Health advocacy | Demonstrated skills in health advocacy. |
| Interest in the discipline | Interest in sub-specialty and Internal Medicine holistic care. |
| Interest in the program | Demonstrated interest in and knowledge of the Manitoba training program. |
| Leadership skills | Experience, success, and learning from failure, through leadership in professional / personal life. |
| Professionalism | Demonstration of professional behaviors and ethics. |
| Scholarly activities | Demonstrated depth of understanding of his/her academic & clinical work. |
| Other interview component(s) |
Evidence of compassion in the provision of care. If the candidate has ever been the subject of a complaint from a patient, another health care worker, or other source in their professional life, the candidate should be prepared to discuss the circumstances in the interview. This includes complaints submitted to undergraduate or postgraduate offices or departments, through evaluations and mechanisms such as "Speak Up" which is available at the University of Manitoba. |
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
The University of Manitoba Medical Oncology subspecialty program offers comprehensive training within the discipline of Medical Oncology, in a highly personalized setting. As a relatively small program we have the luxury of responding to the individual needs of our trainees. We do not rely on our residents to provide continuous call coverage. We provide the necessary clinical, basic science and multidisciplinary exposure that will ensure that residents receive excellent training. Manitoba has a centralized Cancer Care model. As a result, we see all patients diagnosed with cancer in the province, and receive consultations from Nunavut, Eastern Saskatchewan and Northwestern Ontario. Trainees are exposed to a large volume of patients with a wide variety of both common and rare cancers.
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.
The training program is comprised of mandatory rotations including: two months in Malignant Hematology, one month in Palliative Care, thirteen months in Medical Oncology (which includes rotations in Gynecologic Oncology, Mentorship, and 'Fundamentals of Oncology"), and six months of electives. Radiation Oncology training is integrated into all of the Medical Oncology rotations.
Residents enter into a competency-based training program, with an expected length of training of two years in Medical Oncology that meets the requirements of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
To contribute to the success of Canadian physicians and the delivery of high-quality patient care, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada embarked upon an initiative to introduce competency-based medical education (CBME) in Canadian postgraduate specialty training and in professional practice in Canada beginning in July of 2018. This initiative, called Competence By Design (CBD), aims to enhance patient care by aligning medical education and lifelong learning with evolving patient needs and empowering learners to more fully engage in their education process.
CBD uses 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 are broken down into stages, and each stage will have a series of milestones based on required competencies. These milestones 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 to be promoted through the stages of training.
All programs that have implemented CBD continue to undergo the same rigorous accreditation processes as traditional programs. All CBD programs lead to Royal College approved certification. Certification for trainees in CBD will include the completion of a Royal College examination; however, residents will also be assessed against program milestones throughout their training. Within a CBD program, all milestones and the Royal College examination must be successfully completed to achieve certification. For more information, please contact cbd@royalcollege.ca.
The trainee will start their first year with a four week transition block, followed by an eight week rotation called 'Fundamentals of Oncology.' During these rotations, the trainee will meet with key members of the cancer multidisciplinary team; learn core concepts in oncology and pharmacology; and receive clinical exposure and dedicated teaching in the most common cancer disease sites. The remainder of the first year is a combination of off-service rotations and Medical Oncology specialized training opportunities to meet training requirements. Although most elective time is scheduled during the second year of training, this is flexible and any requests for specific electives will be considered. All Medical Oncology rotations are based on multi-disease-site specific teams. We encourage our residents to consider doing a one month elective in Community Oncology. However, this is only available as an out-of- province elective and is not a requirement. Residents with strong academic standing and defined research interests can request that the entire six months be used as a research block within their second year of training, providing all program specific stages are completed prior to the elective period.
There is no in-house call. During Medical Oncology rotations, call never exceeds an average of one in four. Since medical oncology patients requiring admission are generally admitted under the Internal Medicine teaching service, call usually entails answering phone calls from patients and primary care, hospitalists or emergency physicians seeking advice across our catchment area, and in-patient oncology consultations. There is always a medical oncologist supervising on-call duties.
Early in the first year, the trainee is assigned a longitudinal clinic, supervised by an attending staff medical oncologist. Whenever possible, this clinic is chosen to reflect the trainee’s stated interests. Participation in this clinic enables the trainee to appreciate the importance of continuity in cancer care and allows the trainee to hone patient interaction and communication skills. There is graded responsibility in the second year of training with the development of a 'senior' longitudinal clinic that is run by the resident with a gradually decreasing level of supervision, designed to assist the resident in transition into independent Medical Oncology practice.
Toward the end of the second year, there is a mandatory two month “Mentorship” Rotation in which the resident is paired with one staff oncologist (generally of the trainee’s choice) for each month of the two month rotation to facilitate transition to practice. The resident is expected to attend all or most of the oncologist’s clinics, and to fulfill many of the clinical responsibilities of the staff physician, under the supervision of the staff physician. This rotation is intended to allow the resident to get a true sense of the clinical activities required of a staff Medical Oncologist and to function as a junior consultant. Graded responsibility for the care of both inpatients and outpatients is provided throughout the trainee’s rotations.
The program is closely linked with CancerCare Manitoba (CCMB), the organization overseeing cancer care in our province. CCMB is charged by an Act of the Legislature of Manitoba with responsibility for cancer prevention, detection, care, research and education for the people of Manitoba. CCMB is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for those living with cancer and blood disorders, and to improving control of cancer for all Manitobans.
Our program is enhanced by close ties to a lively research environment. CCMB is extensively involved in clinical trials, with affiliations with the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG), and is actively involved in a number of industry-sponsored trials. Many staff members are associated with, or have close ties to, the CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute (CCMR). Research interests are wide and range from lab-based to translational and clinical research. CCMB has a well established Cancer Registry which leads to many effective research collaborations. CCMB Medical Oncologists are also heavily involved in the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review (pCODR) process. Our residents are required to be involved in at least one research project, which should be completed to the point at which it can be submitted for presentation and/or publication before the end of their two years of training. Residents are also expected to participate in the quality improvement committee and are encouraged to complete a clinical quality improvement project. We provide guidance and mentorship in grant-writing, research methodology, statistical analysis, and manuscript preparation. To date, most of our trainees have been successful in carrying their research project(s) through to publication, and many have gone on to research-based fellowship training. There is also opportunity to participate in a nationally acknowledged dedicated Trials Clinic during the program in the second year of training.
Support for trainees in our Medical Oncology program is provided through an assigned Mentor with opportunity to select 'better fit' mentors as desired, as well as Academic Advisors to ensure trainees are progressing sufficiently to achieve promotion and ongoing feedback is given.
Training Sites
Our program is based out of three CancerCare Manitoba facilities in Winnipeg: the MacCharles Site at Health Sciences Centre, the Tache Site at St. Boniface Hospital, and The Buhler Cancer Centre at the Victoria General Hospital. These sites are within easy driving distance for ease of transit between, or a short bicycle ride with bike lanes between. Each disease-site specific rotation includes clinics in the three hospitals, providing access to a wide spectrum of clinicians and patients. Currently we have 21 Medical Oncologists between the facilities seeing approximately 2000 new patients per year. Our site directors are accessible for trainees for site specific concerns to be raised.
The two main host hospitals (MacCharles and Tache sites) are full-service tertiary care teaching facilities, and the CancerCare Manitoba clinics are integrated into the full scope of these facilities. The Buhler Cancer Centre is not a tertiary care site, but nonetheless provides an excellent learning experience for rotating trainees through clinics. We have a sophisticated video-link system between our three sites to ensure easy access to meetings and rounds. This system also allows us the opportunity of conducting Tele-Health assessments with our patients in remote areas of Manitoba.
We are affiliated with a Palliative Care Program, with an opportunity to spend time in the community with palliative care patients, or at one of two dedicated Palliative Care Units, at St. Boniface Hospital and Riverview Hospital in Winnipeg. We also have a unique opportunity for training in our dedicated Urgent Cancer Care clinic at the MacCharles site.
Radiation Oncology clinics take place at the MacCharles Site of CancerCare Manitoba.
Lifestyle
Winnipeg is a friendly, multi-cultural city of approximately 700,000, situated in the centre of Canada. It is fairly laid back as a city with a friendly atmosphere, and an unexpectedly rich cultural milieu.
Winnipeg is home to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Manitoba Opera, and many theatre companies, including Rainbow Stage and Manitoba Theatre Centre. We also boast several museums and art galleries, including the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. We are known for our variety of excellent restaurants, serving food from all parts of the world. The Forks is a popular and historic meeting place. The Winnipeg Jets, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Valour Soccer Club are ever popular for the sports fan.
Summers in Winnipeg are filled with festivals, including the Folk Festival, Jazz Festival, Fringe Festival, and Folklorama.
As Winnipeg is close to numerous lakes, parks and beaches, there is no shortage of places to camp, fish and hike. Summer days are sunny and hot providing ideal weather for many summer activities and sports.
Winnipeg is also known for its cold winter months. During this time, you can walk, skate and cross-country ski along the city's beautiful rivers including one of the longest naturally frozen skating trails in the world. Ample snow and sunlight also allow for a variety of other winter sports and provides an idyllic setting for the Festival du Voyageur.
Travel Manitoba (http://www.travelmanitoba.com/)
Additional Information
Research/Publications
The applicants must indicate which publications are in peer reviewed versus non-peer reviewed journals/publications. If the applicant has submitted an article for publication at the time of CaRMS application, the applicant must provide evidence of journal notification of submission. The applicants must indicate all presentations at local resident research day as well as national and international conferences, and any prizes awarded. If a presentation (oral or abstract) has been submitted to a conference, the applicant should include any letter of acceptance by conference organizers.
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
A current curriculum vitae (CV) including all relevant information required for assessment of education, leadership, administrative and research experience is mandatory. Where applicable, please document whether activities are voluntary or reimbursed. Your CV should be downloaded to the document section. For research papers that have been submitted but not yet published, please include acknowledgement of submission from the journal. See comments above under Research/Publications for information regarding how to document your work.
Other Document - Evaluation of Training - for International or US Medical Graduates Only
International or US Medical Graduates Only - you must provide a RCPSC assessment of training form from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada: website: www.rcpsc.medical.org
Interviews
For the CaRMS Match which will take place in the Fall of 2021, all interviews will be conducted electronically. The applicant may meet electronically with a panel of interviewers, or with interviewers individually, or a combination of both.
Orientation for all incoming residents
Please be advised that the 2022 PGME New Resident Orientation Day is scheduled for Wednesday, June 29 2022. This Orientation is mandatory for all incoming residents.
Summary of changes
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