University of Manitoba - Obstetrics and Gynecology - Winnipeg
2023 R-1 Main Residency Match - first iteration
CMG Stream for CMG
Last approved on December 05, 2022
Summary of changesAccreditation status : Accredited
Provincial Criteria
Dr. Stephanie Johnston
WN5007 - 665 William Ave
Winnipeg MB
, Manitoba, R3A1R9
Program Contacts
Important Information
The Postgraduate Medical Education Orientation will be held in Thursday, June 29, 2023. All new residents are required to attend this mandatory orientation.
General Instructions
Program application language: English
The Postgraduate program at the University of Manitoba is a five year specialist training program, recognized and fully accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). Training occurs at 2 main academic teaching sites: Saint Boniface Hospital and Health Sciences Centre, as well as community hospitals and northern clinics.The goal is to achieve a balance of general training, subspecialty training, tertiary care, and community care experiences. The residents are a group of highly motivated learners that have a substantial knowledge base, who have chosen Obstetrics and Gynecology as their area of expertise. Teaching occurs in the clinical setting with one-on-one mentorship, in classrooms with didactic and interactive sessions, and in simulation labs and trainers. Evaluation is based on all the CanMEDS competencies: Medical Expert, Communicator, Collaborator, Leader, Health Care Advocate, Scholar, and Professional.
The Obstetrics and Gynecology resident at the University of Manitoba has access to a variety of ample clinical volume with over 12,000 high and low risk deliveries with approximately 4000 gynecologic surgeries and procedures per year. Teaching takes place in the Labour and Delivery units, operating room as well as outpatient clinics. There are also regular ambulatory clinics in general obstetrics and gynecology, as well as specialty clinics in oncology, colposcopy, fetal maternal medicine, urogynecology, pediatric and adolescent gynecology, menopause, early pregnancy assessment, genetics and family planning. In addition to standard teaching venues, there is an annual research day which gives the residents an opportunity to present their research. There are formative oral and written examinations administered periodically throughout the year. Residents are encouraged to develop lifelong learning habits during the five year program. During their residency the residents are also paired with a senior resident mentor and an attending mentor. In the final year of residency, the resident chooses an attending physician as a clinical chief preceptor. The resident functions as a junior consultant under the guidance of this physician, seeing patients in the office setting, performing surgery at a community hospital and providing continuity of care
We invite you to visit the Postgraduate Education page of our Department website for a more detailed description of our Program www.umanitoba.ca/womens_health
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/
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 Citizenship Card (both sides of card)
• Canadian Permanent Resident Card (both sides of card)
• IELTS
• Occupational English Test (OET) - Medicine
• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) - General
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 Quebec or the University of Ottawa where the language of instruction or the primary language of patient care was not English, must fulfill the English Language Proficiency requirements.
Successfully completed English language proficiency tests do not have statute of limitations.
Candidates are exempted from English language proficiency testing if their undergraduate medical education was taken in English in one of the below countries that have English as a first and native language:
List of countries that have English as a first and native language: 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 results will not be accepted by fax or e-mail.
Three letters of reference are required and must be submitted prior to the interview period.
This letter should include the applicant's background, perceived strengths and weaknesses, interests in obstetrics and gynecology, future plans and what you expect to gain from the residency program in obstetrics and gynecology.
Medical School TranscriptYour medical school transcript can be submitted through one of the methods below:
- Obtain your medical transcript from your school and upload it directly to your CaRMS Online account. Follow your school’s policy regarding accessing or requesting your transcript;
- Ask your medical school to upload your medical transcript through their CaRMS Undergraduate Portal account; or
- International (IMGs) and United States (USMGs) medical graduates can transfer their transcript from their physiciansapply.ca account.
For current year Canadian medical graduates (CMGs), there is no action required from you. Your medical school will automatically submit your MSPR to CaRMS on your behalf for you to assign.
If your MSPR is in a language other than the program language of English or French, you are required to have the document translated.
Must be submitted prior to submission deadline
Custom Résumé / CVMust be submitted prior to closure date
CASPer examYour CASPer assessment result is sent directly to CaRMS from Altus approximately one week prior to the application deadline. Please ensure that you give Altus permission to share your results with CaRMS.
The CASPer assessment is only valid for one admissions cycle. If you have taken the assessment in a previous year, you are expected to re-take it. To register for the CASPer assessment visit takealtus.com/casper.
- The University of Manitoba, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences promotes and supports a community that embraces equity, diversity and inclusion, provides for equality of opportunity and recognizes the dignity of all people. These are key values to create an inclusive community for all. The University encourages applications from Indigenous persons, persons with a disability, racialized persons, women, persons of a minority sexual orientation and/or gender identity, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community.
- We invite candidates who have completed the voluntary CaRMS Self-Identification questionnaire as part of their application to submit their responses to our program. This is a voluntary option for anyone who wishes to confidentially share their responses with us. All information received will be maintained as part of the application, which is handled with complete confidentiality. We are in the data collection phase currently. Candidates are not required to submit the CaRMS Self-identification questionnaire, but for those that do feel comfortable doing so, the information received would only be used for program selection improvement in future years. It will not be used for selection purposes this year. Any self-identification questionnaires received will NOT be reviewed as part of our file review process or used as an aid for file reviewers for the 2023 match.
Review Process
Applications submitted after file review has opened on January 10, 2023
Supporting documents (excluding letters of reference) that arrive after file review has opened on January 10, 2023
Letters of reference that arrive after the unmasking date on January 10, 2023
All applications that are submitted on time will be reviewed. The files are examined by a number of individuals on the CaRMS committee and scored based on reference letter, research experience, personal letter, CaSPER score, electives and extracurricular activities. Consideration is also taken for applicants that are from, have trained in, or have done electives in Manitoba. Discrepancies in the application should be clarified in the personal letter. Interviews are chosen based on the overall score, and number of available interview spots.
Interviews
Dates:
- February 12, 2023
- February 13, 2023
Selection Criteria
- Graduate from an accredited medical school
- Must either be a Canadian citizen or have permanent resident status
- Must be fluent in spoken and written English. Fluency in French and other languages is an asset.
- Has never had disciplinary action from a medical regulatory authority or educational institution.
- Maturity, empathy and sensitivity to women's issues
- Excellent academic record
Program goals
The Postgraduate program at the University of Manitoba is a five year specialist training program, recognized and fully accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). Training occurs at 2 main academic teaching sites: Saint Boniface Hospital and Health Sciences Centre, as well as community hospitals in Brandon, Dauphin and Boundry trails, as well as northern clinics. The goal is to achieve a balance of general training, subspecialty training, tertiary care, and community care experiences. The residents are a group of highly motivated learners that have a substantial knowledge base, who have chosen Obstetrics and Gynecology as their area of expertise. Teaching occurs in the clinical setting with one-on-one mentorship, in classrooms with didactic and interactive sessions, and in simulation labs and trainers. Evaluation is based on all the CanMEDS competencies: Medical Expert, Communicator, Collaborator, Leader, Health Care Advocate, Scholar, and Professional.
The training program in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Manitoba strives to train exceptional obstetricians and gynecologists, that excel in all aspects of clinical and academic work, including research, education and administrative opportunities. We aim to allow all trainees have the future opportunities that they desire including applications to fellowships and further training programs.
Selection process goals
Applicant should demonstrate an interest in Obstetrics and Gynecology based on their electives, research, and/or extracurricular activities. The successful applicant must have strong collaborative abilities and display professionalism, excellent character and communications skills. Residents in our program are expected to excel in research and teaching, with responsibilities in education for undergraduate students and off service interns.
File review process
Review team composition : The applications are reviewed by a committee including the program director and assistant program director. Each application is scored, and interviews are offered to the top scoring applications.
Average number of applications received by our program in the last five years : 51 - 200
Average percentage of applicants offered interviews : 26 - 50 %
| File component | Criteria |
|---|---|
| CV | Summary of experiences (mandatory starting in 2020) |
| Electives | Appropriate electives in O&G. Consideration is given to Manitoba electives. |
| Examinations | MCCQE1 for visa applicants |
| Extra-curricular | Looking for evidence of success outside of medicine. |
| Leadership skills | See extracurricular |
| MSPRs | Looking for successful completion |
| Personal letters | Looking for all questions to be answered and discrepancies addressed |
| Reference documents | Examined for obvious concerns. |
| Research/Publications | Looking for evidence of research involvement and success (i.e. publications, presentation, etc.) |
| Transcripts | Looking for successful completion |
| Other file component(s) | CaSPER examined and scored Self-Identification Questionnaire |
Elective criteria
Demonstrated personal and professional connection with Manitoba will increase competitiveness
Interview process
Interview format :
We routinely accommodate requests to re-schedule interviews for applicants.
| Interview components | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Collaboration skills | Considered |
| Collegiality | Considered |
| Communication skills | Considered |
| Health advocacy | Considered |
| Interest in the discipline | Considered |
| Interest in the program | Considered |
| Leadership skills | Considered |
| Professionalism | Considered |
| Scholarly activities | Considered |
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
- New Women's hospital in 2020
- Northern clinical exposure in isolated communities
- Strong collaborative program
- Multiple teaching and administrative opportunities for residents
- Support for resident travel, conferences, research and national/international representation
- Chief clinic in PGY5 year
- Ongoing mentorship programs with faculty and senior residents
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.
PGY-1
Foundation Year
PGY-1 is designed to lay a strong foundation in the principles of medicine and surgery that are critical to excellence in our specialty. The resident rotates through gynecologic oncology, internal medicine, intensive care, general surgery and emergency medicine as well as obstetrics and gynecology. The elective month may be used to develop an area of personal interest such as anesthesia, pediatrics, psychiatry, urology, research, etc. Foundations of Surgery spans PGY-1 and PGY-2 and is designed to broaden the residents' understanding of essential surgical principles.
PGY-2
Formative Year
The second year of the program represents the steepest learning curve in core obstetrics and gynecology. During this intense year the resident masters the essential surgical skills of cesarean section, operative vaginal delivery, hysterectomy, laparoscopy and hysteroscopy. The resident develops the confidence to assess and manage obstetrical emergencies such as obstructed labour, shoulder dystocia, cord prolapse, obstetrical hemorrhage, and malpresentation. There are two tertiary care hospitals in Winnipeg providing a rich variety of clinical experience with over 12,500 deliveries per year. At least one attending physician is present on-site at all times to ensure that the resident is able to hone his/her skills under the guidance of experienced clinicians. Our residency program boasts a strong teaching commitment on the part our clinical faculty. Both community physicians and geographic full-time faculty have demonstrated that they recognize the resident as a valued part of the team. Opportunities for skill development are frequent and early. By working together on the frontline, a strong reciprocal relationship is forged between the resident and the attending physician.
Many of our patients come from Northern communities. In order to better understand the issues of remote and under-resourced populations, our PGY-2 residents accompany one of our attending physcians on a rural/Northern trip to assist in seeing consultations in one of these communities. This experience is scheduled during a flexible month in which the resident is also expected to initiate his/her resident research project.
PGY-3
Development Year
In PGY-3 the resident expands and builds on the basic skills mastered in the previous year and, at the same time, initiates career plans for the future. The 3-month Maternal Fetal Medicine rotation provides the resident with opportunities to manage high risk antenatal patients and master ultrasound scanning. The blended rotation in Pediatric/Adolescent Gynecology and Family Planning promotes clinical skill development in the ambulatory care setting. Residents are also encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to attend gynecological surgeries at community hospitals and attend the Early Pregnancy Assessment Clinic. Skills in Reproductive Endocrinology and Minimal Invasive Surgery are developed. Research time is built into the curriculum with the expectation that the resident will have made significant progress on his/her research projects before entering PGY-4.
PGY-4
Mastery Year
The fourth year of the Program is designed to promote mastery of complex surgical skills including laparoscopic surgery, vaginal surgery and surgery for malignancy. During the three-month rotations in Gynecological Oncology, the resident is exposed to a wide variety of challenging clinical problems in this subspecialty area. Two months of Urogynecology provides the resident with experience in vaginal surgery and treatment of incontinence and prolapse. The one-month Family Planning rotation allows the resident to acquire skills in pregnancy termination and first trimester ultrasound scanning. Elective time helps the resident round-out career planning and skill development. The PGY-4 resident assumes the role of Senior Administrative Resident in order develop managerial and leadership skills.
PGY-5
Leadership Year
The PGY-5 year consolidates the clinical competencies required of a skilled consultant and supports resident independence in high-level clinical problem-solving. Successful transition to practice is the overarching goal. A cornerstone of this process is the Senior Resident Mentorship Program. The resident chooses an attending physician under whose guidance he/she will function as a junior consultant throughout the PGY-5 year. The resident is expected to develop a “practice within a practice” at the mentor’s office. New patients are seen in consultation and investigations are arranged. Medical and surgical treatment options are negotiated. The resident is responsible for communicating with the referring physician and for the longitudinal care of his/her patients including surgery and postoperative care over the course of the PGY-5 year. The PGY-5 residents are also expected to fill leadership roles on the in-patient services at the two teaching hospitals where they function as clinical experts, role models and teachers for the junior housestaff. A popular addition to the PGY-5 curriculum is the Community Hospital Junior Consultant rotation. This one-month experience places the resident at a community hospital in Winnipeg. The resident is expected to participate in gynecological surgery, attend clinic, see consultations in the Emergency Department and contribute to the teaching of the other health professionals on-site. The two rotations before the Royal College examinations are reserved for examination preparation. These weeks are devoted to practice examinations, consultation clinics, teaching rounds, seminars and independent study.
Assessment
In-training assessment reports (ITAR's) are based on clinical work are the basis for the assessment process. Competency-based assessment tracks milestones. Each resident meets twice a year with the Program Director to review these reports and plan interventions as appropriate. Residents are expected to develop Professional Portfolios to record their scholarly activities and surgical procedures. These are reviewed semi-annually with the Program Director. Our residents participate in the annual CREOG and APOG examinations on a yearly basis.
LCME Part I and II must be successfully completed before the end of PGY-4. The Surgical Foundations Program and examination must be completed before advancement to PGY-4.
Research
Each trainee is required to complete one major research project during his or her five years of training. In addition, a case report is required. The Residency Research Director will guide the resident in developing and preparing these projects for presentation or publication. The research must be presented during Grand Rounds, department research day, a scientific meeting, and written into manuscript format in order to satisfy the research requirement of our Program.
Financial support will be provided for each trainee to attend one national or international meeting in each academic training year from PGY-1 to PGY-5.
Seminars
Weekly Academic Half-day (AHD) consists of three hours of protected time on Friday afternoons. Interactive small group learning, Journal Club, simulation, case studies, small group lectures and other teaching modalities are employed to broaden the educational exposure of our residents and support the RCPSC Objectives of Training.
Grand Rounds are telelinked between the two hospitals weekly.
Teaching Rounds in obstetrics and gynecology are held independently in both hospitals on a weekly basis.
The weekend resident retreat is held off-site. Team-building activities and thought-provoking presentations are important components of this popular annual event.
CBME program
Residents entering Obstetrics and Gynecology in July 2019 and beyond will experience competency-based training.
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 has embarked upon an initiative to introduce competency-based medical education (CBME) in Canadian postgraduate specialty training and in professional practice in Canada. 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 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 milestones based on required competencies. These milestones 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.
All programs implementing CBD will continue to undergo the same rigorous accreditation processes as traditional programs. All CBD programs (and traditional programs) will continue to lead to Royal College approved certification. Certification for trainees in both CBD and traditional programs will include the completion of a Royal College examination; however, residents in CBD programs 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.
Training Sites
Resources
The postgraduate program in Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Manitoba is centered at two sites. Women's Hospital and St. Boniface General Hospital are tertiary obstetrical care centres in the City of Winnipeg.
Approximately 12,500 primary care and tertiary care obstetrical patients are delivered in the two hospitals. There are approximately 4,000 gynecologic surgeries - major and minor, laparoscopic and hysteroscopic. In addition, there is ample exposure to ambulatory clinics in general obstetrics and gynecology, as well as specialty clinics in oncology, colposcopy, adolescent gynecology, reproductive endocrinology, etc.
Computers are provided within the call rooms with full access to the internet, Medline searches, Library resources.
Community hospitals are used to access additional surgical experience and sub-specialty clinics in menopause, hysterectomy alternatives, infertility, and office gynecology.
Multimedia is used to enhance our Program through the Department website and the resident curriculum management system.
We have an active simulation program in both Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Additional Information
The CASPer Test - Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics
All applicants to the Obstetrics and Gynecology 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.
Test dates for 1st Iteration: A limited number of test dates and times will be available in October. Please note these are the only testing dates available and no additional tests will be scheduled.
Test date for 2nd Iteration: The test date will be scheduled for the first week of March. Please note this is the only test date available and no additional tests will be scheduled. Please refer to the following website to confirm the test dates. https://takecasper.com/test-dates/
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.comwebsite.
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
Please visit our website for additional information. www.umanitoba.ca/womens_health
Summary of changes
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