Program Contacts

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Important Information

Accreditation Status: Accredited
The Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine's General Surgery and Surgical Foundations Residency Program received accreditation from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in October of 2024.

Virtual Information Sessions
The TMU General Surgery and Surgical Foundations Programs invites you to attend one of our upcoming Virtual Information Sessions to learn more about the Program and have any questions that you may have answered by the Program Director, Dr. Fady Saleh!

The info sessions will be approximately 45-60 minutes and will be held on the following dates:

• Tuesday, November 5 at 5pm ET – Click here to register
• Saturday, January 18 at 9am ET – Click here to register

Upon registering, you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Eligibility Criteria
In addition to meeting the CaRMS R-1 Match Basic Eligibility Criteria, all applicants must meet the Ontario Provincial Eligibility Criteria in order to be considered. Applicants are responsible for reviewing this criteria in full before applying.

International Medical Graduates (IMG) must be graduates of an acceptable medical school on the World Directory of Medical Schools list.  

All International Medical Graduates (IMG) need to have their documents verified through physiciansapply.ca. 

Documents that are not in English must be translated into English. Students applying in the last year of medical school will need to submit their most recent marks/transcripts and will need to provide proof of their MD to CPSO prior to the start of residency training. 

Pre-residency Orientation Programs
All International Medical Graduates (IMG) accepted to all residency programs will be required to complete either the Pre-Residency Program (PRP) or the Pre-Residency Program for Family Medicine (PRPFM) prior to entering into a residency program. Matched International Medical Graduates (IMG) will be expected to attend these programs in Toronto, several weeks in advance of the start of their residency program. In some cases, this may result in a delay of the start date of the residency. Additional information on the PRP and PRP FM programs can be found at the following link: Touchstone Institute. 

Assessment Verification Period 
All International Medical Graduates (IMG) accepted to residency training programs will be required to undergo an Assessment Verification Period (AVP). This assessment period is normally 12 weeks in length and is required by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to obtain an educational license to enter a residency program. CPSO – International Medical Graduates (IMGs). 

International Medical Graduates (IMG)  that have failed an AVP and are reapplying through CaRMS are ineligible to apply for training in the same specialty in Ontario but may apply to a different specialty in the first and/or second iteration. International Medical Graduates (IMG) who have withdrawn from a program prior to completion of an AVP must declare so upon application. 

Please note that while every effort is made to accommodate a July 1st start date, there may be some applicants matched in the 2nd iteration who cannot be accommodated for a July 1st start.  This information will be communicated to the matched applicants directly from the matched program. 

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Return of Service

Ontario’s International Medical Graduate (IMG) Return of Service (ROS) program is intended to improve access to physician services across Ontario, particularly in areas with limited physician supply.  The IMG ROS program offers participants a postgraduate medical training position in return for a commitment to practise medicine in an eligible Ontario community. The ROS contract is between the Ministry of Health and the successful applicant, and is the responsibility of the applicant to confirm eligibility with respect to ROS requirements of other provinces. Ontario PGME offices are not involved in this process.    

The Ministry requests all ROS agreements before July 1 of the year they were matched. All agreements should be returned to the Ministry prior to the start of residency training. 

More information for IMG ROS can be found here: Return of Service Program 

If you have further questions, please contact the Ministry of Health at PPUProgramOfficer@ontario.ca  

PLEASE NOTE: APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO FULLFILL A ROS COMMITMENT IN ONTARIO IMMEDIATELY UPON COMPLETION OF YOUR TRAINING. 

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General Instructions

Program application language: English

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Supporting Documentation / Information

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Review Process

Applications submitted after file review has opened on November 29, 2024

Supporting documents (excluding letters of reference) that arrive after file review has opened  on  November 29, 2024

Letters of reference that arrive after the unmasking date on November 29, 2024

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Interviews

Dates:

• January 18, 2025

Selection Criteria

• TMU’s School of Medicine is committed to improving the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities, focusing on the needs of diverse and underserved populations in Peel and surrounding communities. Our mission, in alignment with the Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) office, is to provide community-engaged education, scholarship, and service. We aim to educate residents within safe and supportive environments, fostering the development of compassionate, respectful, and forward-thinking surgeons who will provide outstanding holistic care and lead in health system transformation.
  
  
• We aim to be leaders in surgical education and are dedicated to upholding our commitments to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, Anti-Racism & Reconciliation, Decolonization, and Indigenous Resurgence (EDIAA-RDIR).
  
  
• Our program goals include selecting residents who demonstrate clinical excellence, community engagement, leadership potential, and a commitment to lifelong learning and health equity. We seek residents who are capable of becoming exceptional physicians in their specialties and who share our dedication to improving healthcare access and outcomes in the communities we serve.
  
  
• To align with our selection process goals, we emphasize the importance of recruiting a diverse population of residents reflecting the demographics of Peel and surrounding communities and are committed to advancing the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion, decolonization and Reconciliation. Our process incorporates comprehensive evaluations, including academic performance, clinical evaluations, leadership experiences, and community involvement, ensuring that our residents not only meet our high standards of clinical competence but also embody the values and mission of the TMU School of Medicine.
  
  

Program goals

In July of 2025, the TMU School of Medicine General Surgery Residency Program will welcome our first cohort of residents to the program. Training follows a Competence by Design curriculum to meet the current accreditation and educational requirements of postgraduate medical education as outlined by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. 

The TMU General Surgery Program’s goals are to:

• Graduate competent, knowledgeable and technically adept surgical consultants prepared to serve in both community and academic centres.
  
  
• Equip residents with the necessary knowledge and skills in order to successfully obtain certification from the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada.
  
  
• Provide residents with early and diverse exposure to all clinical areas of general surgery, from fundamentals and principles of surgery to advanced surgical practice and operative skills.
  
  
• Offer a solid foundation for continuing medical education for the entire surgical career and for subspecialty surgery training, if so desired.
  

Selection process goals

The TMU School of Medicine Postgraduate Medical Education Unit and the General Surgery Program are committed to selecting a diverse population of residents who will be exceptional physicians in their specialty, and who are committed to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, Anti-Racism & Reconciliation, Decolonization, and Indigenous Resurgence (EDIAA-RDIR).

In addition, the program is committed to selecting residents with:

• Demonstrated competence and interest in General Surgery.
  
  
• An interest in improving General Surgery healthcare access and outcomes in Peel and surrounding communities.
    
• A connection to Peel and surrounding communities and/or an interest in practicing in culturally diverse communities.
  
  
• An interest in building the TMU School of Medicine and being an integral part of the success of a brand-new residency program.
  
  
• Lived experiences that have contributed to their personal growth and desire to become a General Surgeon.
  
  
• A broad range of personal, professional, and educational experiences that reflect a passion and commitment to community engagement, advocacy, and leadership, especially in the context of marginalized communities.

Successful applicants will be those with strong academic records and evidence of interest in general surgery (electives, performance in previous surgery rotations, scholarly activities, past experiences).  

We aim to select candidates who can meet and achieve the program goals, and individuals with ability for self-motivation, self-directed learning,  and commitment to life-long professional development.  We also look for candidates with resiliency and capability to maintain a balanced work life of a demanding surgical career. 

We also look for candidates that can contribute to the development and growth of the TMU SoM during and after the residency 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 will accept two residents per academic year.

Our program is based at William Osler Health System three sites (Brampton Civic, Etobicoke, and Peel Memorial) serving a diverse multicultural population of over a million Ontarians and one of the busiest Emergency Department in Canada. There are also rotations through our affiliate sites - Trillium Health Partners ( Mississauga and Credit Valley), Headwaters Health Care Center. The program has a wide breadth of clinical experience from Acute Care Surgery, surgical oncology, breast, advanced abdominal wall reconstruction, hepatobiliary, advanced laparoscopic surgery, colorectal, critical care and subspecialty surgery (vascular, thoracic, head and neck) and optional rotation in Obstetrics and Urology. We have affiliation with the Department of General Surgery at  McMaster University for academic half day, trauma and pediatric surgery rotations.

Operative exposure will begin early with close collaboration with staff surgeons and consistently due to our small number of residents and the large volume of patients. The operations and clinical duties will be supervised directly by experienced surgeons. 

Formal teaching will take precedence over clinical duties and research participation is encouraged.

Participation in indigenous/ community outreach and global volunteer programs is highly encouraged for residents in good standings.

The program will help to facilitate access to elective rotations abroad during the residency and fellowship positions for graduating residents in good standings.

 

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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.

The residency is designed to be completed in 5 years with a focus on providing the experiences required by General Surgery training programs following the Royal College’s Competence By Design program of competency-based medical education.

The academic program will include academic half days. Academic half days will feature a didactic lecture series as well as regular morbidity and mortality rounds, journal clubs and simulation labs. Residents are expected to attend local, national and/or international surgical conferences and participate in surgical societies. In-training written exams occur twice a year along with formal mock written exams.

Sample Rotation Schedule
A sample rotation schedule is provided below. Each resident will receive a personalized rotation schedule.

Transition to Discipline (4 Blocks) 

• 4 Blocks (16 weeks): General Surgery

Foundations of Discipline (18 Blocks)

• 7 Blocks (28 weeks): General Surgery 
• 2 Blocks (8 weeks): Endoscopy
• 2 Blocks (8 weeks): Intensive Care Unit
• 1 Block (4 weeks): Pediatric Surgery
• 2 Blocks (8 weeks): Plastic Surgery
• 1 Block (4 weeks): Urology
• 1 Block (4 weeks): Vascular Surgery
• 1 Block (4 weeks): Research

Core of Discipline (37 Blocks)

• 5 Blocks (20 weeks): General Surgery (Acute Care Surgery Focus)
• 3 Blocks (12 weeks): General Surgery (Gastrointestinal Focus)
• 3 Blocks (12 weeks): General Surgery (Hepatobiliary Focus)
• 3 Blocks (12 weeks): General Surgery (Oncology Focus)
• 6 Blocks (24 weeks): Community General Surgery
• 2 Blocks (8 weeks): Endoscopy
• 2 Blocks (8 weeks): Thoracic Surgery
• 1 Block (4 weeks): Vascular Surgery
• 1 Block (4 weeks): Head and Neck Surgery
• 1 Block (4 weeks): Trauma
• 1 Block (4 weeks): Research
• 6 Blocks (24 weeks): Elective

Transition to Practice (6 Blocks)

• 5 Blocks (20 weeks): General Surgery
• 1 Block (4 weeks): Community General Surgery

PGME Foundational Curriculum

The PGME Foundational Curriculum has been designed to address competencies that are not always fostered within the clinical learning environment with a consistent approach across PGME programs. 

Foundations Course

• Introduction Module 
• Professionalism and Code of Conduct Module 
• Foundational Module 

Communication Course 

• Team Based Care Module
• Conflict Resolution/Critical Conversations Module
• Patient and Family Centred Care Module

Leadership Course 

• Introduction Module
• Wellness and Resiliency Module 
• Ethics/Choosing Wisely Module 
• Fatigue Risk Management Module

Continuous Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Course 

• Introduction Module 
• Continuous Quality Improvement Module 
• Patient Safety Module

Research and Critical Appraisal Course

• Research Basics Module 
• Health Literacy Module 
• Critical Appraisal Module 
• Elective module on Proposed Research Methodology

Teaching Course 

• Resident as Teacher Module 
• Presentations Module 
• Large/Small Group Facilitation Module 
• Bedside Teaching Module
• Virtual Delivery of Education Module

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility, & Reconciliation/Decolonization/Indigenous Resurgence (EDIA-RDIR) and Anti-Racism Course

• Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Module 
• Black Health Module 
• Indigenous Health Module 
• Accessibility Module 
• Sexual and Gender Minorities Module 
• Poverty Health Module

LEARN Time

A novel program called LEARN Time (Leadership, Education, Advocacy, Research, and Non-clinical Time) will allow residents who are meeting or exceeding the standards of their program to access protected time that they may direct toward opportunities for experiential learning activities.

• It is anticipated that many residents will leverage this time to participate in work worthy of publication and scholarly work. While this program will be overseen by the Program’s Competence Subcommittees, central support for some elements of the LEARN Time program will also be provided. In particular, annual LEARN Time events will connect residents with individuals working in other areas of TMU, Peel, and surrounding committees. This will allow for some ‘scholarly matchmaking’ to happen outside of the Program to connect residents with a broader array of scholarly opportunities.
   
• Residents may also use LEARN time to engage in other leadership and advocacy work, such as with the Ontario Medical Association, Professional Association of Residents of Ontario, College of Family Physicians of Canada, Ontario College of Family Physicians, etc.), allowing residents to engage with formal leadership and other opportunities early on in their careers. Residents may also choose to engage in formal teaching and mentorship of TMU School of Medicine undergraduate medical students. They will be provided a formal curriculum as well as informal mentorship opportunities for developing teaching skills.

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Training Sites

The TMU School of Medicine currently has clinical partnerships with four major training sites: 

• William Osler Health System
• Trillium Health Partners
• Headwaters Health Care Centre
• Halton Healthcare 

TMU Clinical Affiliate Map

As the School of Medicine announces additional partnerships, the sites for core program rotations may change. Residency training will leverage a distributed model which may include training at any of these sites for learning in environments, which include community and clinical settings, urban and rural environments, and inpatient and outpatient settings. While the majority of resident training will be focused in Peel and surrounding communities, additional learning experiences may take place at other training sites within Canada through Inter-University Affiliation Agreements. These agreements are subject to change and result in training at sites other than those that are listed above.

Travel to various locations will be required. Access to a personal vehicle will be beneficial, though anyone with access to a reliable means of transportation is encouraged to consider this program.