Queen’s University - Adult Respirology - Kingston
2023 Medicine Subspecialty Match - first iteration
Competitive Stream for All
Last approved on August 15, 2022
Summary of changesAccreditation status : Accredited
Provincial Criteria
Division of Respirology and Sleep Medicine
102 Stuart St.
Kingston , Ontario, K7L 2V6
Program Contacts
Important Information
Institution-wide CBME Implementation within PGME at Queen’s University
Queen’s University received approval to adopt a Competency-based Medical Education model in all specialty programs, effective July 1, 2017. Residents attending Queen’s in July 2017 and beyond 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 entrustable professional activities (EPAs) based on required competencies. These EPAs 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.
The changes at Queen’s University align with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons’ broader, national Competence by Design initiative to introduce CBME in all faculties and all disciplines.
Further information on CBD can be found on the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada website at: CBD implementation
COVID-19 vaccination requirements (added October 6, 2021):
Please refer to the 'Restrictions' section of the Ontario eligibility criteria for messaging regarding COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
Return of Service
The Ministry requests all ROS agreements before June 1 of the year they were matched. All agreements should be returned to the Ministry prior to the start of residency training. It is the responsibility of the applicant to confirm eligibility with respect to ROS requirements of other provinces.
More information for IMG ROS can be found here: Return of Service
Information about the Ministry’s ROS programs is available at: Return of Service Program
A letter of release from existing return of service agreements must be submitted as part of application.
General Instructions
Program application language: English
Applicants must be able to communicate in the language of instruction and patient care of the matching school and training hospital.
Our main mode of communication will be email. However, we would like to have your mobile phone numbers to call if we need to reach you with any urgency. This is particularly true for the interview day. Please provide your cell number in an email to the program assistant if you are selected for an interview.
Supporting Documentation / Information
• Canadian Birth Certificate or Act of Birth
• Confirmation of Permanent Residence in Canada
• Passport page showing Canadian Citizenship
• Canadian Permanent Resident Card (both sides of card)
- Notarized/certified photocopy of Birth Certificate issued by an authority in Canada accompanied by photo ID (must be Canadian government issued photo ID)
- Failure to provide proof of citizenship will result in the removal of your application. No other forms of verification are acceptable.
- Documents must be notarized/certified photocopies. Notarized/certified copies must not be older than two years from the date of application submission deadline; otherwise, a new notarized/certified copy is required.
- Confirmation of permanent residence must be accompanied by photo ID (must be a Canadian government issued photo ID).
The letter from your program director may be included in the total of the 3 required letters of reference.
Uploaded directly to your CaRMS Online account as an Extra Document.
Personal LetterDetailing why you are choosing Respirology and why the Queen’s Training Program is a good fit for you.
Medical School Transcript MCCQE Part I - Statement of ResultsReview Process
Applications submitted after file review has opened on August 24, 2022
Supporting documents that arrive after file review has opened on August 24, 2022
Applications submitted after the file review has opened will be considered up to August 31, 2022.
References and other supporting documents which arrive after the file review has opened will be considered up to August 31, 2022.
Interviews
Dates:
- September 19, 2022
Date of interview: Monday September 19, 2022.
Selection Criteria
Queen's Respirology program uses a standardized scoring system to score the file review and interview components. Following the interviews, members of the Selection Committee will meet to discuss the preliminary Rank Order List. Candidates will be ranked based on cumulative scores obtained on file review and during the interview. The selection committee has discretion to add or subtract a small number of points based on the collective discussion. Additionally, the selection committee reserves the right to choose not to rank any particular candiate independant of the scoring system.
Program goals
The goal of the Queen’s University Respirology Training Program is to produce knowledgeable, highly competent respirologists. The program recognizes and respects the need for both academic and community-based respirologists, and is designed to facilitate training in both of these major career pathways. The program aims to achieve this objective through a combination of intense formal education utilizing a variety of teaching strategies and methodologies, abundant practical clinical experience, and curricular flexibility.
Selection process goals
The selection goals of the Queen's Respirology training program are to select excellent people to be excellent respiratory medicine physicians. We are looking for intelligent individuals with strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills who have high ethical and professional standards. Candidates must have demonstrated a comittment and success in all CanMEDS roles in prior training. Candidates should have a strong knowledge of medicine and the ability to apply that knowledge clinically. Candidates should have a history of seeking and responding to feedback in a productive manner and a committment to doing so in the future.
File review process
Review team composition : File review: At least one attending physician and one current resident in the program.
Interview: Two interviews each with two members of the Respirology Division or Training Program Committee.
Note that the Program Director may additionally review and score any application or attend any interview.
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 | Demonstration of an interest in pulmonary medicine or work in the area of pulmonary medicine. Demonstration of a commitment to education, medicine, and community. |
| Electives | Completion of at least one or more electives in pulmonary medicine is encouraged. Electives at Queen's University are noted. |
| Examinations | Satisfactory scores on standardized examinations. (For example: MCCQE I) |
| Extra-curricular | Demonstration of a commitment to personal and community wellness. |
| Leadership skills | Demonstration of leadership roles, preferably within healthcare or education. |
| MSPRs | Demonstration of a strong academic record. |
| Personal letters | Demonstration of an interest in, and commitment to, pulmonary medicine and clear statement of career goals. |
| Reference documents | Opine on knowledge, clinical skills, maturity, interpersonal skills, and suitability for pulmonary medicine. |
| Research/Publications | Demonstration of an interest in pulmonary medicine or work in the area of pulmonary medicine preferred. |
| Transcripts | Demonstration of a strong academic record. |
| Other file component(s) | We will consider your performance on the MCCQE I. Please note we do not evaluate or consider attached publications, research abstracts, or miscellaneous certificates/course participation unless explicitly listed in the application requirements above. Such items should be noted on your CV and in your CaRMS application. |
Interview process
Interview format :
We routinely accommodate requests to re-schedule interviews for applicants.
| Interview components | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Collaboration skills | Commitment to promotion of high quality care through working in a team environment. |
| Collegiality | Demonstrate appropriate behaviour, attitude and ability to work well with others. |
| Communication skills | Ability to communicate clearly in English. Ability to convey empathy and compassion. |
| Health advocacy | Commitment to promotion of health advocacy. |
| Interest in the discipline | Demonstrated enthusiasm for Pulmonary Medicine and an appreciation of what the practice entails. |
| Interest in the program | Demonstrated knowledge of and interest in Queen's Respiratory Medicine Training Program. |
| Leadership skills | Involvement in continued development and improvement of medical care. |
| Professionalism | Interactions with the public, staff, and residents during interview. |
| Scholarly activities | Interest in pursuits of scholarly work in Pulmonary Medicine. |
| Other interview component(s) | Interviewers will observe for the ability to participate in conversation and normal human interaction. |
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
Above all, our Program provides a high-quality and flexible educational experience that fully and successfully prepares our trainees for a career in either academic or community respirology.
By virtue of a highly flexible Core of Discipline Phase that is tailored to the needs of the individual trainee, trainees are able to choose from a variety of elective/selective experiences that serve to achieve individual career goals. Our faculty are dedicated to ensuring that our trainees are exposed to all aspects of general and subspecialty respirology. Subspecialty experience, supervised by experts in the field, is gained from regular attendance at clinics in cystic fibrosis, COPD, ILD, TB, pleural space management, sleep, asthma, pulmonary rehabilitation, and the lung diagnostic program. Queen's Respiratory Medicine Program has a rich exposure to pulmonary procedures with an EBUS program, pleural space clinic with indwelling pleural catheter management, and an active inpatient service that routinely manages complex pleural spaces and infections. Our program has two ultrasounds for procedural activities. The center has state-of-the-art simulation facilities with a bronchoscopy simulator.
Trainees interested in academia have opportunities to take part in research projects in collaboration with our faculty, many of whom are internationally renown. Trainees are supported to attend scientific meetings and symposia to present original research. On an individual basis, residents wishing to pursue concurrent part-time master's programs of study relevant to the field of Respiratory Medicine, Medical Administration, or Medical Education will be considered.
Queen’s University, located on the shores of Lake Ontario in picturesque Kingston, Ontario, is one of Canada’s leading academic institutions. As a city, Kingston offers larger-city amenities with a smaller-city feel. In addition to world-class water sports, Kingston and the surrounding area allows easy access to camping, biking and nature trails. Located in the heart of the Thousand Islands, Kingston is also within easy driving distance to the major urban centres of Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Syracuse.
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.
Longitudinal Experiences:
Throughout the training program, our trainees receive longitudinal experiences in bronchoscopy and other thoracic procedures such as tube thoracostomy. The program maintains an urgent referral clinic/fellow's clinic that sees the majority of the urgent referrals for the Division and provides a venue for Fellows to follow these patients longitudinally. This clinic is supervised at arm’s length by faculty, provides graded responsibility, and allows the development of the managerial skills required for transition into clinical practice. PFT interpretation also occurs on a recurring fashion throughout training.
The formal academic program consists of a weekly academic half day that covers all aspects of core respirology. In addition, there are weekly Grand Rounds (attended by all members of the Division of Respirology), weekly tumour board, monthly Journal Clubs, and biweekly ILD Rounds (held in conjunction with Respirology, Radiology, Pathology, and Thoracic Surgery). There are routine teaching sessions dedicated to radiology, lead by our Chest Radiologist that coincides with academic half day, as well as a dedicated block of radiology. Principles in pulmonary physiology are taught using a core group of lectures offered at the beginning of each academic year, with concepts further reinforced and applied to the clinical setting during academic half days.
Trainees with an interest in medical education will have the opportunity to contribute to a variety of teaching formats provided to students in both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. Formal or virtual instruction, modules, mentorship and in-person programs occurring in Kingston and regionally are accessible through the University. To review these programs and opportunities, please refer to their website -https://healthsci.queensu.ca/opdes/faculty-development
Transition to Discipline / Foundations of Discipline (Approximately First Year - PGY 4):
The first year of training is designed to provide a broad exposure to general respirology, through both inpatient and ambulatory patient encounters. Depending on career path, 1-2 months of ICU and an elective month round out the first year. The PGY 4 trainees are responsible for interpreting PFTs throughout the year, and are assigned to at least one half-day of bronchoscopies per week. Procedural training, including the use of ultrasound-guided thoracentesis and tube thoracostomy, is provided throughout the year.
Core of Discipline / Transition to Practice (Approximately Second Year - PGY 5):
The second year of training builds on the foundations of general respirology that were developed in the first year. In the second year, trainees receive more focused exposure to subspecialty respirology by taking part in weekly subspecialty clinics. Additional rotations in chest radiology, lung cancer, thoracic surgery, and lung transplantation are also included, as is a block spent as a senior resident in the Intensive Care Unit. A minimum of 2 blocks will be spent in sleep medicine. Skills in bronchoscopy are further developed with the use of more advanced techniques such as transbronchial fine-needle aspiration and EBUS. Our ILD program has a cryobiopsy probe that residents may see employed. Final year trainees also spend a block as Junior Attending Staff on the busy inpatient respiratory consultation service, which allows further refinement of consultancy skills. During this year, the Core of Discipline trainees are responsible for the interpretation of all cardiopulmonary exercise tests and spend time in the PFT lab to learn aspects of quality control and assurance related to pulmonary function testing. Up to 5 elective/selective blocks are available during the PGY 5 year, allowing the trainee the flexibility to pursue a career path that is tailored to individual career goals.
Optional Additional Training (PGY 6+)
For trainees who have completed the core training program, and contingent on the receipt of ongoing funding, we are able to offer ongoing Fellowship opportunities in Research, ILD, and Sleep Medicine. Additional experiences may be organized on an individual basis. Please note that the Royal College of Canada no longer allows for concurrent training in Respirology and Critical Care Medicine; thus, ongoing training in Critical Care requires a separate application to the Critical Care Medicine Program at Queen’s University.
Training Sites
The majority of clinical training is completed at the Kingston General Hospital Site of the Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), a 450-bed acute care facility that serves a catchment area of close to a million people. Ambulatory clinics in respirology are held primarily at Hotel Dieu Hospital Site of KHSC with some clinics at Providence Care Hospital, Kingston. Outreach clinics in respirology are held at Napanee and Picton, Ontario. Mandatory rotations in lung transplantation are completed in Toronto, Ontario.
Summary of changes
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