Family Medicine Webinars
NOSM Family Medicine General Information Session
Nov 24 - 7:30pm - 9:00pm
This session will provide a general overview of the program and information on how to find out more about our program. You'll get a general feel for the Northern Ontario communities we support as well as details on future community-specific sessions.
https://nosm.webex.com/nosm/j.php?MTID=m413dc0abac4734a29406f9d509010cbd
NOSM Family Medicine Information Session - Thunder Bay, Sault Ste Marie, Remote First Nations and Rural
Jan 19 - 7:30pm - 9:00pm
This session will provide a general overview of the program and information on how to find out more. It will focus on 4 streams (Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Remote First Nations and Rural) with presentations from those communities.
https://nosm.webex.com/nosm/j.php?MTID=mb5a8e79055a4f6cfe5337aeab833b498
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Please visit our website for more information on the program.
NOSM U-Family Medicine (http://www.nosm.ca/familymedicine)
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Additional Requirement: Situational Judgement Test (FMProC) is a required test for all applicants to NOSM University Family Medicine Program (all streams).
(Please refer to the Supporting Documentation Section)
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You will find:
Given the COVID-19 Pandemic, all promotion, recruitment and selection activities will be conducted virtually, using a variety of web-based tools to help you get to know us, and us you!
COVID-19 vaccination policy
Please be aware the Ministry of Health has mandated all hospital and health care employers establish, implement and ensure compliance with a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. The Ministry directive can be reviewed here. Residents matched to any Ontario residency program must ensure they are able to comply with the Ministry directive in order to start training July 1, 2023.
Program application language: English
NOSM University offers Family Medicine training in seven streams:
Please note: If applying to more than one NOSM U Family Medicine urban stream, the same supporting documents may be used for each application. Rural streams and the Remote First Nation stream require additional documentation.
Rural streams (East, South, West): an additional document (the NOSM U FM Rural Addendum/Questionnaire) with specific questions pertaining to suitability for rural training is required.
Remote First Nation stream: a customized personal letter and additional reference are required.
Applications to additional streams (except RFN) must be completed by 11:59 p.m. E.T. on Sunday, February 4, 2024.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: As per the Ontario Provincial Eligibility Criteria, if you are submitting a Canadian Birth Certificate or Act of Birth, or Confirmation of Permanent Residence in Canada document, you MUST submit a government issued photo I.D. to accompany your citizenship documentation.
Your FMProC assessment result is sent directly to CaRMS. The FMProC assessment is only valid for one admissions cycle. If you have taken the assessment in previous years, you are expected to re-take it.
To register for the FMProC assessment visit www.fmproc.com.
The Letters of Reference must be written by clinical teachers and/or clinical faculty who have a reasonable knowledge of you, either through close association in clinical training situations or as your faculty advisor. References should provide an assessment of your medical knowledge, clinical skills, interpersonal skills, ability to communicate effectively, your attitudes toward learning, and commitment to Family Medicine.
Your medical school transcript can be submitted through one of the methods below:
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.
The personal letter (maximum 250 words) should focus on the following:
We encourage you to outline your letter with bullets/numbers.
If your transcript/MSPR indicates academic difficulty, failure(s), repeat of a year or any gaps in your education or work history, please attach a supplementary statement to the END of your Personal Letter entitled "Transcript/CV Addendum" explaining the above.
Recently, the NOSM U FM program announced that the content of the Personal Letter for this cycle would be different from years past. The change was felt to be an opportunity for candidates to better highlight their experiences and attributes that make them suitable for residency in Family Medicine at NOSM U, while also simplifying their task. We understand that the change occurred after the cycle opened, and that some candidates may have already completed a Personal Letter using the previous requirements or are already in the process of completing their Personal Letter using the previous requirements. Rest assured that for this cycle, we will accept both versions of the Personal Letters and that candidates will not be penalized nor rewarded for using one over the other.
Thank you for your continued interest in NOSM U Family Medicine. We look forward to carefully reviewing your application.
Optional: you may submit abstracts of recent publications.
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
Dates:
In keeping with the CanMEDs roles, please note that throughout the entire application and selection process, your interactions with NOSM U personnel may be taken into consideration by the program in their selection process and ranking decisions.
The NOSM University Family Medicine Residency Program will review candidate’s applications based on:
NOSM University (NOSM U) is committed to the education of high quality physicians and health professionals, and to international recognition as a leader in distributed, learning-centred, community-engaged education and research.
The NOSM U Family Medicine Program's vision is to educate doctors based on the CanMEDS-FM roles to develop the skills and attitudes necessary to deliver excellent, culturally respectful health care to the communities of northern Ontario, including rural and remote areas.
Through our selection process, our program aims to identify candidates who have a strong academic history with demonstrated competence and interest in family medicine (e.g. FM rotations, electives, scholarly activities, conference involvement and/or other related work or life experiences). We are seeking candidates who possess superior clinical and communication skills, and have the ability to relate to patients, their families, and caregivers with compassion, empathy, sensitivity and humility.
We are looking for candidates who possess the ability and willingness to work collaboratively (within and across professional domains) in a team dynamic to secure optimal patient outcomes, while exemplifying the highest standards of professional behavior -- inclusive of responsibility, respect, and self-awareness.
We are also looking to identify candidates who would be a good fit for our program. As a socially accountable medical school, accountable to the needs and the diversity of the populations of Northern Ontario, candidates best suited to the NOSM U Family Medicine Program are those with a vested interest in rural medicine, who can adapt and thrive in a hands-on, distributed rural residency program that requires flexibility and some travel away from their primary location of residence. At times, you will train in environments with very few learners, which affords excellent first-in-line, hands-on experience.
We also believe that candidates who are resilient, can prioritize their personal well-being and work-life balance, and are also committed to self-reflective learning, continuing professional development, and quality improvement, are well-suited to our residency program. Through our selection process we aim to identify and successfully match candidates who possess these attributes as well.
Review team composition : Each application is reviewed and scored independently by two program faculty members. Members of our file review team are the Program Director, Site Directors, Assistant Site Directors and/or Family Medicine Faculty Members.
Average number of applications received by our program in the last five years : 201 - 400
We average approximately a combined total of 250 applications across all of our program streams.
Average percentage of applicants offered interviews : 76 - 100 %
We typically interview approximately 175-200 candidates.
File component | Criteria |
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CV | Academic & work background/experiences, personal/professional accomplishments, communication skills |
Electives | Diverse range relevant to the discipline, rural and/or northern an asset |
Examinations | Not Applicable |
Extra-curricular | An asset to demonstrate work-life balance and wellness, personal interests. Include in CV. |
Leadership skills | Any leadership roles held throughout training should be outlined in the CV |
MSPRs | Patient interactions, FM rotation competencies, any academic, personal or professionalism concerns |
Personal letters | Practice goals, interest/knowledge in FM and our program, personal and northern/rural suitability |
Reference documents | Commitment to FM, performance, knowledge/clinical skills, character, attitude towards learning, professionalism, engagement in learning. |
Research/Publications | Past achievements/successes and interest in participating in future scholarly activity |
Transcripts | Strength of academic record, any red flags/concerns |
Other file component(s) |
Transcript/CV Addendum: If any part of your application indicates academic difficulty, failure(s), repeat of a year or any gaps in your education or work history, a supplementary statement at the END of your Personal Letter is required. Please title your statement as "Transcript/CV Addendum", explaining the above. |
We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted candidates’ opportunities to arrange and complete electives and would like to reassure you that a lack of elective activity this year will not negatively impact your application to our program.
Interview format :
We routinely accommodate requests to re-schedule interviews for applicants.
Interview components | Criteria |
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Collaboration skills | Demonstrated ability to work well in a team setting/multidisciplinary environment |
Collegiality | Personable, respectful towards others, values the importance of a supportive/collegial atmosphere |
Communication skills | Able to reflect and communicate responses clearly and concisely, can communicate well with others |
Health advocacy | Advocacy for patients, including geographically isolated or marginalized populations |
Interest in the discipline | Genuine passion for Family Medicine and future practice goals |
Interest in the program | Knowledgeable about our program, training sites, northern Ontario patient populations and challenges |
Leadership skills | Qualities such as: proactive/takes initiative, accountable, innovative, motivated and goal-oriented |
Professionalism | Conducts themselves in a professional manner, self-aware, unbiased, morally/ethically responsible |
Scholarly activities | We do not formally evaluate this component during the interview |
Other interview component(s) | Problem-Solving Skills: Conflict resolution, ability to assess, plan, and take appropriate action. |
Our program spans the geography of northern Ontario and experiences exist across all our regions. At times, residents will travel for some rotations, away from their home site, to experience the breadth of the discipline. Support is available for housing and travel costs.
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 NOSM University (NOSM U) Family Medicine program is an accredited program of the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC). We follow the Triple C competency-based curriculum in all of our training streams. Utilizing the CanMEDS-FM competencies, along with the CFPC's Priority Topics and Skills Dimensions, our curriculum is built with community Family Medicine in mind. All of our rotations are largely community based, with several opportunities within our hospitals. The vast majority of teaching is provided by family physicians. Comprehensiveness of practice, along with continuity of care and education are central to our work. Depending on the stream, the approach to the scheduling of clinical experiences will vary. All Family Medicine residents will receive ongoing coaching and feedback, both informally and formally through our workplace-based assessment methods. Regularly scheduled periodic reviews provide an opportunity for self-reflection and coaching from a Competency Coach. Candidates who are self-directed and engage in reflective practice are particularly suited to our residency program.
The NOSM U Family Medicine Clinical Curriculum incorporates a diversity of experience and proficiency in areas integral to community-based Family practice. Each resident will spend significant time in the community practice of Family Medicine preceptors. Residents participate in all aspects of the practice, including provision of continuous care to their own patients within the practice and participation in the care of all in-hospital patients within the practice whenever possible. Participation in the care of the practice’s patients in multiple environments including the hospital, patients' homes and other scenarios is encouraged.
Domains of Care | Curriculum Objectives |
Across the Life Cycle
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Care of Underserved Patients |
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Procedural Skills |
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Throughout the program, elective rotations provide additional flexibility and enable residents to tailor their training to achieve competence in the domains of care and their individual learning objectives not met by immersions in the regular core rotations. Diversity of experience during elective rotations is encouraged and recognized as being extremely valuable.
Below is the typical NOSM Family Medicine Program Clinical Curriculum, represented in weeks. Due to the needs of the communities, some of the program streams will demonstrate slight differences in curriculum.
Note: Family physicians (preceptors) who do not do hospital rounds – residents are required to do three (3) additional weeks of Internal Medicine.
PGY1 | NBAY | RUR-EAST | RUR-WEST | RUR-SOUTH | SSM | SUD | TBAY | TIMM | RFN |
Family Medicine | 16 | - | - | - | 16 | 16 | 12 | 15 | - |
Family Medicine - Inpatient | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | - |
Family Medicine Rural | 8 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
Internal Medicine | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
Emergency Medicine | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Obstetrics/Women's Health | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
Mental Health | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
Pediatrics | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Addictions Medicine | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - |
Electives | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
PGY2 |
NBAY |
RUR-EAST |
RUR-WEST |
RUR-SOUTH |
SSM |
SUD |
TBAY |
TIMM |
RFN |
Family Medicine | 16 | - | 16 | 16 | 12 or 16 | 15 | 24 | ||
Family Medicine - Inpatient | - | - | - | - | 4 or 8 | - | - | ||
Family Medicine Rural | 8 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | - |
Internal Medicine | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | - |
Emergency Medicine | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Addictions/Pain Management | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
Psychiatry | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 8 |
Obstetrics/Women’s Health | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
Surgical Selective | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | - | - |
Urology | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
General Surgery | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - |
Otorhinolaryngology | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
Pediatrics | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Geriatrics | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - |
Electives | 8 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 8 |
The Family Medicine academic program consists of academic sessions, courses, and a transition to residency block. Residents regularly have protected time for virtual teaching, separate from clinical duties. Additionally, there are in person sessions at the end of blocks periodically through the year. These sessions will cover the vast majority of CFPC's Priority Topics, along with some hands-on skills including simulations, procedural skills and other small group learning. In the first year of residency, all residents will participate in the Core Curriculum offered to all NOSM U residents, across all specialties, which will cover key topics such as the Resident as Teacher, Indigenous health, medical errors and patient safety, etc. In addition, specific sessions in second year will be tailored to preparation for CFPC examination.
The NOSM U Family Medicine Residency program also provides financial support for residents to obtain certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP). Residents are also provided with some financial support through the Resident Reimbursement Fund (RRF) to attend other courses or conferences such as Family Medicine Forum (FMF) and Society of Rural Physicians Rural and Remote Medicine Conference (SRPC).
Other learning sessions, virtual or in-person, are scattered throughout the year to address learning needs.
We value the importance of wellness and encourage protected time for residents to gather and dialogue with each other on a regular basis.
The mission of the Wellness Program is to assist our residents in achieving the knowledge and skills to develop healthy and productive professional identities during this important transitional time. The framework of the program includes occupational/academic health, physical health, emotional health and social health.
Our highest priority is providing and coordinating supports for residents who have specific health needs, whether pre-existing or arising during residency. Wellness Program personnel will assist residents with finding and coordinating health resources, as well as working with residency programs to accommodate the learning and training environment if needed. The program also includes proactive components for all residents such as: a wellness curriculum, promoting safe housing and transportation, ensuring your duty hour and leave protections are respected, cultural supports, and guidance with developing a healthy and productive professional identity.
While the role of scholar will evolve throughout the two-year program, a number of activities are planned in the program:
These activities contribute to the development of effective teaching practices, formulating and investigating scholarly questions, and disseminating and communicating knowledge to professional audiences. Residents also contribute to the quality improvement of the Family medicine program by providing feedback on the clinical experiences and academic curriculum; this data is collected and utilized by the program to augment the overall program curriculum.
Thunder Bay
NOSM University (NOSM U) Family Medicine Residency in Thunder Bay is truly superior. The city of Thunder Bay is situated on the traditional territory of Fort William First Nation, signatory to the Robinson Superior Treaty of 1850. The Thunder Bay site is a closely-knit medical community where you will receive diverse, competency-based family medicine training. You will have exposure to many different family practice styles including solo, group, and interprofessional team-based practices. Inpatient care, walk-in clinics, palliative care, and maternal/newborn care are part of many local family practices.
As a resident based at the Thunder Bay site, you will be part of the layered learning experience for medical student training, further developing your skillset as a teacher and collaborator. Residents from General Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Internal Medicine and Pediatric NOSM Postgraduate Residency programs are also based in Thunder Bay, which supports the learning experience while on specialty placement and promotes professional networking. Unique to our site is the Intensive Care Unit rotation. Located in the heart if Northwestern Ontario, there are numerous placements based in rural and remote locations which learners are encouraged to experience.
Our Family Medicine program is structured around the Triple C Competency-based Curriculum which allows for residents to shape their learning experience with support from clinical preceptors and competency coaches. The small program size allows for flexibility in scheduling. To enhance your training as a scholar, there are a multitude of research opportunities available in Thunder Bay with library support on site.
Thunder Bay is a regional referral centre for Northwestern Ontario. Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) is a 375-bed tertiary care academic centre offering a comprehensive range of services in a state-of-the-art healthcare facility, including a fully integrated Regional Cancer Centre Program. The program offers residents exposure to hospital care through one rotation per year on the newly established Family Medicine Inpatient Unit. Other medical facilities in the city include St. Joseph’s Care Group, which offers complex care, physical rehabilitation, long-term care, mental health and addictions; Norwest Community Health Centre; Dilico Family Health Team Clinic; Anishnawbe Mushkiki Aboriginal Health Access Centre; and Thunder Bay District Health Unit.
The city of Thunder Bay is growing and developing on multiple fronts and offers a big-city experience in terms of dining, culture, and recreation. There is amazing access to the great outdoors within city limits or a short distance out of town. The city remains one of the most affordable places to live in Canada and your daily commute promises to be a short one.
At NOSM U’s Thunder Bay site, on the shores of Lake Superior, under the watch of the Sleeping Giant, you will find a Family Medicine training experience which is unparalleled in the country. We look forward to welcoming you to our Thunder Bay NOSM U family.
To learn more about northern Ontario, please visit the "Wider Campus of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine" webpage.
To learn more about our Program - visit us at http://www.nosm.ca/familymedicine
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