Crest

University of Manitoba - Radiation Oncology - Winnipeg

2023 R-1 Main Residency Match - first iteration
CMG Stream for CMG

Last approved on October 04, 2022

Approximate Quota:

 1 

Accreditation status : Accredited

Provincial Criteria


Dr. Saranya  Kakumanu
Radiation Oncology 
ON3246 - 675 McDermot Avenue 
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 0V9
(204) 787-1356
(204) 786-0194
CancerCare Manitoba

Program Contacts

Dr. Saranya Kakumanu
Director, Radiation Oncology Residency Program
skakumanu@cancercare.mb.ca
204-787-2116

Julianna Van Den Bueken
Program Administrator
jvandenbeuken2@hsc.mb.ca
204-787-1328


Important Information

PGME Mandatory Orientation day for new trainees has been scheduled for Thursday, June 29, 2023.


General Instructions

Program application language: English

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

All applicants to the Radiation Oncology 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.

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 citizenship
CaRMS partners with third-party organizations to verify your citizenship or permanent resident status. If your status is verified by one of these organizations, you will not need to provide citizenship documents in your application. If your citizenship status is not verified, you must provide one of the documents listed below.
Document must be notarized/certified
Required
Submit one of the following documents to verify your Canadian citizenship:
• 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)
Notarized/certified photocopied proof of citizenship must be provided. Photocopies are accepted but citizenship documents other than what is listed above are not accepted


Language proficiency
Required
Submit one of the following documents to verify your language proficiency:
• 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.

Reference documents
Required
Number requested: 3

Letters of reference should be from staff physicians familiar with your clinical and academic performance, career interests, as well as interactions with patients and colleagues.  

Additional documents
Required
Photo 
[Note: Photograph is used as memory aid only]

Medical School Transcript 

Your medical school transcript can be submitted through one of the methods below:

  1. 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;
  2. Ask your medical school to upload your medical transcript through their CaRMS Undergraduate Portal account; or
  3. International (IMGs) and United States (USMGs) medical graduates can transfer their transcript from their physiciansapply.ca account.

Medical Student Performance Record 

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.

Personal Letter 
Word count
Minimum : None
Maximum : None

Candidates should submit a personal letter indicating their interest in Radiation Oncology, their reasons for selecting a career in Radiation Oncology and should direct some attention to their interests outside of medicine.

CASPer exam 

Your 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.


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



Interviews

Dates:

  • February 17, 2023
Interviews are required and are currently scheduled on Friday, February 17, 2023.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, interviews will be conducted virtually via Zoom.

 

Program will notify all applicants through CaRMS Online and will send email invitations directly to applicants selected for an interview.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, interviews will be conducted virtually via Zoom.

The interview is conducted by a panel consisting of members of the Residency Program Committee. There will be a separate one-on-one interview with the program director.  

 


Selection Criteria

The Section of Radiation 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 individuals for our residency training program. The following criteria will be used as a baseline to determine who will be considered for an interview. Not all applicants whose files meet our minimum criteria will be offered interviews; only the top candidates will be offered an interview. A virtual interview is mandatory to be considered for ranking.

General Considerations

- An acceptable academic record

- Maturity and responsibility

- Strong interpersonal skills

- An interest in oncology in general, but demonstrated interest in Radiation Oncology is preferred. 

- Interest or experience in basic or clinical research is viewed positively.

Program goals

The mission of the Radiation Oncology Residency Program in the University of Manitoba and CancerCare Manitoba is to train the next generation of experts and leaders of Radiation Oncology to be skillful in the practice of clinical and academic oncology as well as the use of radiotherapy in the treatment of disease, and to be caring and compassionate in the treatment of patients.

Upon successful completion of training, a resident is expected to have:

  1. Clinical competence in oncology and technical proficiency in therapeutic uses of radiation.
  1. A sound background in the sciences basic to the understanding of malignant disease and its treatment by radiation therapy and other modalities.
  1. Good clinical skills in patient assessment and management, developed by assuming responsibility for the care of both hospitalized and ambulatory patients.
  1. Proficiency in planning and executing radiation treatments utilizing external beam, intracavitary and interstitial radioactive sources, and systemically administered radioisotopes.
  1. Good knowledge, skills, and attitudes for effective patient-centred care and service to a diverse population.
  1. The ability to address issues of age, gender, sexual orientation, culture, ethnicity and ethics in all aspects of practice in a professional manner.
  1. Good awareness of the limitations of their knowledge and experience as new practitioners of the specialty, and understand the need for continuing medical education, and the potential value of future specialist training.
  1. Good appreciation and understanding of the need for continuing basic science and clinical research in radiation oncology. They will be familiar with clinical research methodologies so that they might be in a position to benefit from further training in this area, and make their own contribution to clinical research should they so wish.

Selection process goals

Identify applicants interested in Radiation Oncology, and those who will develop into exceptional Radiation Oncology physicians.

Identify applicants who have demonstrated ability to interact appropriately with patients and colleagues.

Identify applicants who have demostrated ability and enthusiasm to learn and are able to adapt to the various demands of Radiation Oncology

Identify applicants who have demonstrated attributes highlighted in the CanMEDS 2015 roles.

File review process

Review team composition : Our review team is composed of the Program Director, Chief Resident, Senior Resident, Program Administrator, and selected Faculty members.

Average number of applications received by our program in the last five years : 0 - 50

Average percentage of applicants offered interviews : 76 - 100 %

Evaluation criteria :
File component Criteria
CV We evaluate the content, including research, publications, electives
Electives Clinical evaluations (in particular those from Radiation Oncology or other Oncology related rotation
Examinations Academic performance
Extra-curricular Volunteer and mentoring activities (medical and non-medical)
Leadership skills Holding office in student government, club, or organization
MSPRs Performance in clinical rotations; demonstrated interpersonal skills
Personal letters Interest in discipline and local program; explanation for gaps in application
Reference documents Knowledge and interest in discipline; positive interaction with colleagues and patients
Research/Publications Interest and aptitude for research
Transcripts Academic performance
Other file component(s) CASPer scores are used a prescreening tool to help decide who will be invited to the interview process.

Elective criteria

We encourage applicants to have completed at least one elective in our discipline.
We do not require applicants to have done onsite electives.

Interview process

Interview format :



We may accommodate requests to re-schedule interviews for applicants due to weather, technology failure, or unforeseen circumstances.

Interview evaluation criteria :
Interview components Criteria
Collaboration skills Promotion of high quality patient care through working in a team environment
Collegiality Behaviour, attitude, ability to work well with others
Communication skills Ability to speak and write in English
Health advocacy Involvement in health promotion activities (e.g. smoking cessation, screening programs)
Interest in the discipline Demonstrated ability to play the role of a Rad Oncologist: clinical, technical, compassionate care
Interest in the program Demonstrated interest in living in Winnipeg
Leadership skills Involvement in the continuous development and improvement of medical care
Professionalism Interaction with staff, residents, and program administrator
Scholarly activities Demonstrated ability to discuss research work and demonstrated ability to identify limitations and overcome them.

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

About our program

We have an excellent group of residents who interact well and excel in their clinical and research endeavors. As a relatively small program, we can provide residents with close supervision and are responsive to their needs.

Our catchment area includes all of Manitoba and much of Northwestern Ontario. Most, if not all, oncologic patients within the catchment area go through Cancer Care Manitoba thus seen by the residents.

One of the few Gamma Knife Radiosurgery units in Canada provides for an unique experience in stereotactic radiosurgery. Winnipeg hosts world-class research facilities that welcome collaborative endeavors. Our residents can participate at the level of principal investigator on sophisticated, leading edge projects with collaboration of the RIOH

Our graduates have a very high success rate at the Royal College Certification Examination and have successfully acquired fellowships throughout Canada and the United States.  All have also successfully obtained permanent employment in Radiation Oncology both in an academic and community settings.

 

About Winnipeg

Winnipeg is a vibrant city of approximately 740,000 at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers in southern Manitoba. Cottage Country is within a one hour drive either at Lake Winnipeg or at Lake of the Woods in Northwestern Ontario. There are several award winning beaches which make our summers extremely enjoyable. Recreational opportunities abound including: cycling, golfing, hiking, snowmobiling and skiing. Winnipeg is a very multicultural city with several festivals both during the summer and winter seasons.

Recognized as the 2010 Cultural Capital of Canada, Winnipeg has numerous opportunities for cultural pursuits including: the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Manitoba Opera, Manitoba Theatre Centre, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Manitoba Children's Museum and the Manitoba Museum. Professional sport teams include the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Canadian Football league), the Winnipeg Gold Eyes (minor league baseball), and Winnipeg Jets (NHL).

Winnipeg is home to the Canadian Museum of Human Rights which is the first museum solely dedicated to the evolution, celebration, and future of human rights.

Winnipeg is centrally located and offers excellent air connections throughout Canada and to the United States. Our summers are second to none and our winters are world famous.


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.

Applying competency-based practices to residency education

Residents entering the University of Manitoba Radiation Oncology Residency program 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.

 Research

The residents are strongly encouraged to participate in clinical and/or basic research during their training. It is expected that at least two research projects and one publication will be completed during their training. It is also expected that residents will gain experience by presenting their work both at the annual Cancer Care Manitoba Resident's Research Day and at national or international conferences. Opportunities for research exist within the Department of Radiation Oncology, Department of Medical Physics as well as through the Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology and through the National Research Council Institute for Bio diagnostics. Other opportunities exist through the Health Sciences Centre or St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centres. 

Teaching


There is a well-established didactic teaching program. Residents have protected time every Wednesday afternoon for lectures in treatment planning, Medical Physics, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Radiation Biology, Pathology, Radiology, and Clinical Radiation Oncology. There are regular Molecular Biology didactic and interactive session with Medical Oncology and Hematology Oncology residents.  Residents are expected to attend the monthly Journal Club and the weekly Oncology Grand Rounds.


Training Sites

Training Sites

Resources

- Cancer Care Manitoba

- Western Manitoba Cancer Centre (Brandon)

- Health Sciences Centre

- St. Boniface General Hospital

- Victoria General Hospital 

Cancer Care Manitoba (CCMB) is the provincially mandated cancer agency tasked with providing comprehensive cancer services to the people of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario. The catchment population is approximately 1.3 million people. Over 3,200 new consultations are seen in Radiation Oncology annually.

CCMB has two tertiary locations in Winnipeg. The main site, McDermott site, is located adjacent to the Health Sciences Center (HSC) complex. The second site is at St. Boniface General Hospital. All radiation treatments are provided at the McDermott site in Winnipeg. In partnership with the Brandon Regional Health Authority, the Western Manitoba Cancer Center offers residents of Brandon and Western Manitoba access to a state-of-the-art facility that provides Radiation Therapy as well as chemotherapy and support services. This provides a great opportunity for a senior resident to get rural training experience in a facility two hours away from Winnipeg. 

The Department of Radiation Oncology at CCMB consists of 18 radiation oncologists. There are presently 8 residents in the Residency Program. There are eight linear accelerators, one orthovoltage unit, one conventional simulator, and two CT simulators. The department is well-equipped to deliver conformal radiotherapy, RapidArc intensity modulated radiotherapy, sterotactic body radiotherapy and both low and high dose rate brachytherapy. Gamma Knife SRS is delivered in partnership with Neurosurgery in HSC. The department also has access to a dedicated PET/CT scanner at HSC. Radiation Oncology has a six-bed inpatient unit at the Rehab Hospital. 

HSC is an 800 bed facility that includes an adult centre, Children's Hospital, Women's Centre, Rehabilitation, and Psych Health Centre. The University of Manitoba Medical Campus is adjacent to the Health Sciences Centre providing basic medical science, research, clinical, and administrative support for the Faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy. 

 

The Residency Program in Radiation Oncology at Cancer Care Manitoba / University of Manitoba is fully accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Over 8 residents and 2 fellows participate in accredited training programs including: Radiation Oncology, Medical Oncology, Hematology, Pediatric Oncology and Gynecology Oncology. Cancer Care Manitoba has an active Medical Physics Department including an accredited Graduate and Medical Physics Resident Training Program. Other clinical resources include an Epidemiology and Cancer Registry Department, and a Clinical Investigations Office. Cancer Care Manitoba actively participates in cooperative clinical trials including RTOG, NCIC, COG, and NSABP. 

 


Additional Information

About Manitoba

Manitoba boasts a mix of landscapes, in-depth history, diverse communities and four distinct seasons. Add those altogether and Canada’s central province promises a range of exciting experiences, activities, and things to do.

Why move to Manitoba?

  • Outdoor adventures – think world-class fishing, snowmobiling, wildlife viewing and so much more.
  • Arts, culture and history – stories of Manitoba’s past and our creativity come to life.
  • Shoppinggaming and sports – top reasons to make Winnipeg your next destination.
  • Itineraries – get inspired with these amazing road trips and start exploring.
  • And so much more – discover why Manitoba is where Canada’s heart…beats!