Program Contacts

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Important Information

Adult Neurology programs transitioned to CBD in July 2020. See below for further information.

 

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada: Applying competency-based practices to residency education

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 uses a 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 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.

The Royal College anticipates that all specialty and subspecialty programs in Canada will adopt CBD in gradual phases. All disciplines have been divided into seven cohort groups, each of which will adopt CBD at different times. It is anticipated that national implementation of CBD within certain, individual programs could begin as early as July 2017 - with more disciplines to following in subsequent years.

• Please visit the Proposed CBD Rollout Schedule to find out when residents entering into the Adult Neurology Program could potentially experience CBD.

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 (documented within an electronic portfolio) and the Royal College examination must be successfully completed to achieve certification.

For more information, please contact cbd@royalcollege.ca.

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General Instructions

Program application language: Either English or French

Applicants can apply in English or in French.

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Supporting Documentation / Information

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Review Process

Applications submitted after file review has opened on December 2, 2023

Supporting documents (excluding letters of reference) that arrive after file review has opened  on  December 2, 2023

Letters of reference that arrive after the unmasking date on December 2, 2023

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Interviews

Dates:

• January 24, 2024
• January 25, 2024

Selection Criteria

Applications are reviewed and ranked by the program director and the resident members of the Residency Training Program Committee.

We select, on average, 30-35 candidates for interviews.

Interviews are conducted by a team composed of the program director as well as both staff and resident members of the Residency Training Program Committee. 

Final selection and ranking of candidates is done immediately following the final interview, and is based on both file review and the interview. All members of the interview team are involved in this process.

 

 

Program goals

The overall goal of the McGill Adult Neurology residency training program is to produce neurologists with the competence to effectively diagnose and manage the care of patients with neurological diseases.  Residents who graduate from our program will have the ability to pursue the career that they choose, whether it is to enter directly into general Neurology practice or to pursue further training in a subspecialty.  We expect our residents to have strong interpersonal skills, to have a strong interest in Neurology, to be enthusiastic about learning more about all aspects of Neurology, and to be willing to teach others.  By the time they graduate they should excel at taking a neurological history, localizing problems, and developing strategies to improve the lives of their patients.

Selection process goals

Strong interpersonal skills, work ethic, reception to feedback, and ability to work well with the other residents and staff in our program are the attributes we place the highest premium on in our program.

Successful applicants will also have a strong interest in Neurology. This can be demonstrated in many ways including electives, research, reading, personal letters, or interviews. We do not require a minimum number of electives or a minimum amount of research experience provided that candidates can demonstrate their passion for taking care of patients with neurological disorders.

Finally, we are looking for candidates who are motivated to learn about Neurology and improve their abilities and skills. They should excel at independent study, taking initiative in both their own learning and patient care, and assuming leadership roles in neurological education and training.

File review process

Evaluation criteria :

Elective criteria

Interview process

Interview evaluation criteria :

Information gathered outside of CaRMS application

Specifically, we may consider:
Social interaction during program related events
Communication with program administration
Social media
Unsolicited reference letters
Unsolicited email references
Unsolicited verbal information on a candidate's prior performance
Unsolicited feedback from colleagues and co-workers

Ranking process

The behavior(s) exhibited below during the interview process may prevent an applicant from being ranked by our program :
Unprofessional or inappropriate behavior   
Did not attend interview   
Interview performance was not competitive   

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Program Highlights

The program's strengths are:

1. A smaller number of residents. On average we have 4-5 residents per year, which allows residents to have the support of their peers while not feeling overwhelmed as part of a larger program.

2. The interaction between clinical neurology and neuroscience. All residents complete 6 months of research. This can be in diverse areas including but not limited to basic neuroscience, clinical Neurology, neuroimaging, electrophysiology, or epidemiology. At McGill we are fortunate to have a large number of researchers in diverse fields who can become supervisors and mentors to residents.

3. The opportunity to learn at multiple different training sites. This is described in greater detail in another section. It allows residents to work in different practice settings and learn from Neurologists with different experiences.

4. A diverse faculty with expertise in general neurology and many sub-specialties.

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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.

 

Introduction

As of 2020, we follow a Competency By Design (CBD) curriculum that divides training into 4 stages (see below): Transition to Discipline, Foundations of Discipline, Core of Discipline, and Transition to Practice. There are no mandatory rural rotations at this time. A  template is given below. Residents rotate at the Montreal Neurological Hospital (MNH), Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH), Montreal General Hospital (MGH), Jewish General Hospital (JGH), and Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH).

Preliminary Template for post-CBD Adult Neurology

5-year program

Transition to Discipline 3 periods in R1

Neurology CTU 1 period (MNH)

Neurology consultation service 1 period (RVH,JGH,MGH)

Medicine CTU 1 period

Foundations of Discipline 23 periods in R1-R2

Neurology CTU  2 periods (MNH)

Neurology consultation service 3 periods (RVH,JGH,MGH)

Stroke Unit 2 periods (MNH)

Neurology out-patient clinics 2 periods

Medical ICU 1 period

Medicine CTU 1 period

Emergency Medicine 1 period

Psychiatry 1 period

Neuro-ICU 1 period

Internal Medicine consult service 1 period

Cardiology consults/Coronary Care Unit 1 period

Endocrinology 1 period

Rheumatology 1 period

EEG 1 period

Neuroradiology 1 period

Jr. EMG 1 period (JGH)

Electives 2 periods

Core of Discipline 31 periods in R3-R5

Neurology CTU  3 periods (MNH)

Neurology consultation service 5 periods (RVH,JGH,MGH)

Stroke Unit 2 periods (MNH)

Neurology out-patient clinics 2 periods

Epilepsy monitoring unit 2 periods (MNH)

Neuroscience research 6 periods

EMG 2 periods (MNH,JGH)

Pediatric Neurology 3 periods (MCH)

Palliative Care 1 period

Internal Medicine sub-specialty selective 1 period

Neuro-ophthalmology 1 period

Physiatry 1 period

Electives 2 periods

Transition to Practice 8 periods in R5

Neurology CTU  1 period (MNH)

Neurology consultation service 1 period (RVH,JGH,MGH)

Stroke Unit 1 period (MNH)

Neurology out-patient clinics 1 period

Electives 4 periods

 

• Longitudinal, community Neurology clinics are scheduled a minimum of 4 times per year at the Montreal Neuro clinic (located near the RVH) during Foundations, Core, and Transition to Practice

 

Summary Template for Adult Neurology

5-year program

 

 

Rotations	# periods
Neurology CTU	7
Neurology Consults	10
Stroke Unit	5
Neurology Clinics	5
Pediatric Neurology	3
Epilepsy-EEG	3
Electives	8
EMG	3
Neuroscience research	6
Neuro-ICU	1
Neuroradiology	1
Neuro-ophthalmology	1
Other	12
TOTAL	65

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Training Sites

Introduction

Neurology at McGill is a university-wide program, with five participating hospitals: the Montreal Neurological Hospital (MNH); the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) - Montreal General Hospital site (MGH); the MUHC - Royal Victoria Hospital/Glen site (RVH); the Jewish General Hospital (JGH); and the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH). We aim to produce excellent clinical neurologists with a good grounding in the basic neurosciences. Trainees come from diverse backgrounds, educationally and culturally, including English and French Canada, and elsewhere in the world. 

Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute (MNH)

The MNH in-patient Neurology services consist of the CTU of 10-15 General Neurology beds, a 15-25 bed Stroke CTU, and the Epilepsy Monitoring unit (6 beds, 2-3 designated for monitoring). Residents are assigned to these three units. The MNH is a tertiary stroke centre and acts as the referral site for patients requiring interventional radiology/thrombectomy. There is a neuro ICU in which residents do a required 1 month rotation. There are many specialty clinics, e.g. movement disorders, MS, ALS , neuropathy, neuromuscular, post-polio. Residents have opportunities to rotate through these. A full range of investigative facilities is available at the MNH including MRI , CT, PET, EEG, EMG. Residents spend time in neuroradiology, EMG, and EEG. Exposure to the many neuroscientists of the MNH is an important part of the training experience in this institution.

 

McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) Montreal General Hospital Site (MGH)

The MGH has a neurology consultation service. There are approximately six hundred emergency and in-patient consultations per year. Specialty out-patient clinics include stroke, movement disorders, neuropathy, and myasthenia gravis. There is a large and active neuroscience research unit.

 

McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) Royal Victoria Hospital/Glen Site (RVH)

The new RVH at the Glen site opened in the spring of 2015 and replaced the old Royal Victoria Hospital. There is an active neurology ER and in-patient consultation service. The RVH has large Oncology and transplantation services that provide Neurology residents exposure to patients with unusual disorders such as paraneoplastic syndromes and complications from immune checkpoint inhibitors.

 

Jewish General Hospital (JGH)

The JGH has an extremely active neurology consultation service. There are approximately 2000 emergency and in-patient neurology consultations per year.  A new emergency room opened in 2014 and a new combined stroke and neurosurgery in-patient floor (along with new ICU, OR's, and medical floors) opened in January, 2016. Residents spend the majority of their time on the consultation service and may spend a maximum of one week per period on the Stroke service. Specialty out-patient clinics include stroke, movements disorders, MS, autonomic nervous system, dementia/cognitive neurology, and neurology/internal medicine. There is a busy EMG lab that sees 70 patients per week, as well as EEG and autonomic labs. There is also an active Neuroscience Research Unit.

 

Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH)

The MCH is located at the same site as the Glen. The hospital has two in-patient video EEG monitoring beds and two portable video EEG monitoring units for the ICU's. The MCH has an active in-patient consultation service and sees 5000 out-patient visits in neurology per year. This hospital offers a broad spectrum of clinical pediatric neurology.

 

Montreal Neuro Clinic at 5100 De Maisonneuve Ouest

This is a spacious out-patient Neurology facility located close to the RVH. Beginning in the PGY-2 year residents spend one half day per month here when on a service rotation and one full day per month when on an off-service rotation. The site hosts General Neurology clinics, specialty Neurology clinics, and EMG. Residents are strongly encouraged to follow patients longitudinally. 

 

Other

Residents have full access to McGill Health Sciences Library and Services. In addition, at each site there is a dedicated residents' computer with access to internet, hospital laboratory data, and medical imaging, plus a variety of software resources.

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Additional Information

1. There are opportunities for rural, interprovincial and international electives with the approval of the residency training committee (RTC).

2. The ratio of residents to faculty is 20 residents to 60 staff.

3. There is an academic half day held every Wednesday morning from 08:30-12:30. The AHD consists of three parts:

The first hour is McGill Neurology Grand Rounds with local or invited speakers. Topics range from clinical Neurology to basic neurosciences. The Neurology residency program arranges one session per month. 

The second and third hours consist of interactive lectures given by faculty. There is a two year repeating curriculum that emphasizes topics seen less frequently on the clinical services.

The fourth half-hour is arranged by the residents or fellows. It may include clinical pearls, review of continuum articles, EEG/EMG cases, neuroanatomy sessions, or other topics of interest to the residents.

4. There are at least three resident representatives on the RTC

5. PGY-5 residents have the opportunity to serve as the Chief Neurology resident(s).

6. Residents have the opportunity to serve as the McGill Neurology Wellness representative. This role involves organizing social activities, being a resource for fellow Neurology residents, and coordinating with the McGill Well office.

7. Residents also chair the CAP (Curriculum Action Plan) Committee, whose mandate is to continually review and revise the educational and training activities of the program through formal quality improvement processes.

8. In August 2019 we held our first annual weekend resident retreat at a resort in the Laurentians. The retreat emphasized collegiality and team-building activities. We have continued to hold this event in from 2021 onwards with the PGY-2s organizing the weekend yearly!!

9. McGill has an Institute for Health Sciences Education (IHSE). Members of our department are IHSE members and conduct research in Health Sciences education. It is possible for residents to complete a one-month elective in Health Sciences education or to complete their six months of research in Education. There are numerous opportunities for residents to be involved with formal teaching of medical students. This can include lectures, small groups, and the anatomy lab.

10. Residents receive $1750 annually to attend conferences if they are presenting a talk or poster and $1000 if they are not. Exceptionally during the COVID-19 pandemic residents are allowed to use these funds for other purposes such as purchasing textbooks. 

11. Residents are matched to mentors. PGY-1 residents are assigned a PGY-2 residents mentor. PGY-2 residents are assigned a faculty mentor from the RPC. Residents are free to continue with this mentor in subsequent years or choose another mentor from our diverse faculty.

12. The majority of our residents pursue fellowship training after graduation. We can offer strong support for fellowship applications. They have the opportunity to do electives in virtually all sub-specialty areas at McGill. When necessary we are very supportive of residents doing electives elsewhere to support their fellowship applications. We also allow residents the time to attend fellowship interviews. In recent years our graduates have been accepted for fellowships at UCSF, Stanford, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Harvard, and University College London.

 13. We have a strong group of General Neurologists at McGill. We fully support residents who choose to enter practice immediately following their residency. 

14. Residents are offered 6 protected periods of dedicated neuroscience research time that they can use to complete a project in the area of their choice. Under the guidance of a supervisor, residents in our program undertake clinical, basic science, educational, and epidemiological research, according to their interests. They are expected to present their work at our annual Neurology Day, and are also encouraged to present their results at organized conferences. If a resident completes their research early, they may use some of these months as elective time at the discretion of the program director. 

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FAQ

We do not require applicants to have prior research experience. Research can be a way to demonstrate interest in Neurology/neuroscience, motivation/work ethic, critical thinking, and the ability to work in teams.  However, all of these can be demonstrated in other ways. Applicants should NOT feel reluctant to apply because they have no research experience.

We do not require a minimum number of Neurology electives. In the past the vast majority of applicants to our program have completed Neurology electives. Applicants who were invited for interviews from 2018 to 2019 had completed (or were scheduled to complete) on average 9 weeks of Neurology electives. Our program supports the new policy whereby Canadian medical students can complete a maximum of 8 weeks of electives in one discipline. We will consider applications from applicants who have not completed any electives in Neurology, provided that they can justify their interest in the specialty and in our program. We recognize that students may only become interested in a specialty late in medical school.

We do not require applicants to complete a Neurology elective at McGill. Since 2021 no candidates have been able to complete visiting electives. Even in prior years we recognized that applicants were not able to complete electives at every program. We have always made every effort to grant interviews to applicants who have completed an elective at McGill, but we also interviewed candidates who have never completed an elective at McGill. In the past we have highly ranked strong applicants who have not done an elective at McGill. From 2017 to 2020 only 50% of applicants whom we ranked in the top 10 had completed Adult Neurology electives at McGill.

We give no preference to province or country of origin and strongly encourage applications from outside of Quebec.