University of Manitoba - Neurosurgery - Winnipeg
2026 R-1 Main Residency Match - first iteration
CMG Stream for CMG
Last approved on October 10, 2025
Summary of changesAccreditation status : Accredited
Provincial Criteria
University of Manitoba
GB1 - 820 Sherbrook Street
Winnipeg , Manitoba, R3A 1R9
Program Contacts
Important Information
The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Ininiwak, Anisininewuk, Dakota Oyate and Dene, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.
We respect the Treaties that were made on these territories, we acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past, and we dedicate ourselves to move forward in partnership with Indigenous communities in a spirit of Reconciliation and collaboration.
The Postgraduate Medical Education Orientation for all residents, which is MANDATORY, will be held on Friday June 26, 2026.
General Instructions
Program application language: English
If you have any questions regarding application to the Neurosurgery Postgraduate Training Program at the University of Manitoba, please contact our Program Administrator, neurosurg@umanitoba.ca
You are required to fulfill ALL of the most current Provincial Criteria for Canadian Medical Graduates of Manitoba
The criteria can be found at: https://www.carms.ca/match/r-1-main-residency-match/eligibility-criteria/manitoba/
Supporting Documentation / Information
• Canadian Birth Certificate or Act of Birth
• Certificate of Canadian Citizenship
• Confirmation of Permanent Residence in Canada
• Passport page showing Canadian Citizenship
• Canadian Permanent Resident Card (both sides of card)
• Certificate of Indian Status / Aboriginal Status or Makivik Society Card
• Canadian Citizenship Card (both sides of card)
CaRMS is partnering with third-party organizations to automate the verification of citizenship/legal status required by postgraduate offices for entry into residency. Third-party verification simplifies the process for applicants and programs. All applicants who do not receive third-party citizenship verification will be required to upload and assign an acceptable proof of citizenship document. Please see additional information here.
• 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.
- If you graduated from an English medical school in Canada, French Stream in Ottawa or Quebec, you are exempt from providing proof of language proficiency.
IMG:
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.
3 letters of reference are required. Ideally, letters of reference should be received from a faculty neurosurgeon at a University where the candidate has trained or completed an elective. References from a non-neurosurgical faculty member whom the candidate has worked with extensively are also desirable.
Ideally, the letters of reference will provide a judgement of suitability/reflection of skills for the neurosurgery discipline.
Consistent with the AFMC measures established in response to the Québec physicians’ strike, we will implement the following accommodations for applicants from Québec faculties of medicine and for applicants from other Canadian faculties who had planned visiting electives in Québec during this time.
- We will accept reference documents completed by any physician able to support the applicant’s candidacy.
- We will not require reference letters from physicians practising in the same discipline as the program.
- Applicants are required to submit two (2) reference documents but are permitted to submit up to the maximum of three (3).
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.
For applicants from Québec faculties of medicine, as well as those from other Canadian faculties who had scheduled visiting electives in Québec during this period, we will accept incomplete MSPRs for file review and ranking purposes.
An incomplete MSPR is one that may be missing final assessments from placements expected to be completed by the date of submission but delayed due to the strike. A complete MSPR will not be required as a criterion for file review or ranking for these applicants.
Medical School TranscriptYour medical school transcript can be submitted through one of the methods below:
- 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;
- Ask your medical school to upload your medical transcript through their CaRMS Undergraduate Portal account; or
- International (IMGs) and United States (USMGs) medical graduates can transfer their transcript from their physiciansapply.ca account.
The personal letter is a chance for the applicant to outline why they became interested in neurosurgery and wish to pursue it as a career and to provide information not available in other parts of the application. Outside interests and hobbies can be described.
Review Process
Applications submitted after file review has opened on November 27, 2025
Supporting documents (excluding letters of reference) that arrive after file review has opened on November 27, 2025
Letters of reference that arrive after the unmasking date on November 27, 2025
All applicants will have a comprehensive and structured review of the CaRMS file including the personal letter, MSPR, CV and letters of reference. The review will be conducted by members of the Selection/CaRMS committee which includes the Program Director, neurosurgery faculty, and the current residents. Selection for interview will be determined by the outcome of the file review and based on the evaluation criteria in the table below. Individuals are selected based on a demonstrated interest in Neurosurgery and the Neurosciences, as well as their ability to work with an interprofessional team and a broad range of interest and experience is encouraged. An on-site neurosurgical elective is encouraged. Those who have not been able to arrange an outside elective will also be considered.
Interviews
Dates:
- January 21, 2026
An optional informal event to be confirmed will be hosted by the Neurosurgery program online (virtually) in the evening on January 20, 2026. Presentations by the Neurosurgery Program Director and residents will be given during this session followed by a period of open Questions & Answers. It is an excellent opportunity for applicants to meet and talk in an informal setting with the residents, the program administration and several of our faculty teachers.
Selection Criteria
The Department of Surgery and the division of Neurosurgery at the University of Manitoba is committed to fair, equitable, and transparent selection process. All applicants will have a comprehensive and structured review of their CaRMS file including the personal letter, MSPR, CV and letters of reference. The review will be conducted by members of the Selection/CaRMS committee which includes the Program Director, Competency Director, neurosurgery faculty, and current residents. Selection for interview will be determined by the outcome of the file review and based on the evaluation criteria in the table below.
Individuals are selected based on a demonstrated interest in Neurosurgery and the Neurosciences, as well as their ability to work with an interprofessional team and a broad range of interest and experience is encouraged. An on-site neurosurgical elective is encouraged.
Applicants who are invited for interview will participate in a series of structures interviews. Each interview will have at least one standarized question with the purpose of evaluating the various criteria listed in the table of interivew components below. Following the interviews of all applicants, the Selection/CaRMS committee members meet to review all available information (CaRMS application, interviews and information gathered outside of CaRMS application as listed below). A standard approach is used during the discussion to establish the final ranking list and to determine if any applicant will not be ranked. A consensus must be reached for any decisioin to not rank an applicant.
Program goals
The University of Manitoba is committed to the social justice principles of equity, access & participation and to promoting the opportunities for systemically marginalized groups who have been excluded from full participation at the University and the larger community including Indigenous, Black, racially marginalized Peoples, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, tans, questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse sexual identies) and women.
The Neurosurgery Resident Training Program at the University of Manitoba seeks to provide the highest quality neurosurgical care to patients while supporting the educational, research, health and wellness needs of our residents. The aim of the program is to provide the best possible environment, technology, facilities and human resources in order to facilitate comprehensive neuroscience-based education and neurosurgical training of residents, along with medical students and clinical fellows.
The Neurosurgery Residency Program Committee has identified this main goal: To provide the tools and opportunities for trainees to achieve the neurosurgery training requirements and competencies determined by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. For trainees to become neurosurgeons capable of: (1) applying medical knowledge, clinical skills and professional values in their provision of high-quality and safe patient-centered neurosurgical care (Medical Expert); (2) forming relationships with patients and their families that facilitates effective health care (Communicator); (3) working effectively in collaboration with other health care professionals (Collaborator); (4) contributing to a vision of high-quality health care and take responsibility of their clinical and professional duties (Leader); (5) contributing their expertise and influence in collaboration with communities and patient populations to improve neurosurgical health (Health Advocate); demonstrating lifelong commitment to excellence in neurosurgery through continuous learning, teaching and scholarly activities (Scholar); and, (5) committing to the health and well-being
Selection process goals
- Identify applicants that interact professionally with patient and colleagues.
- Identify applicants with excellent basic clinical skills, particularly in the realm of communication, and excellent basic surgical skills.
- Identify applicants with a clear interest in Neurosurgery through documented exposure(s) in a Neurosurgery unit.
- Identify applicants who demonstrates an ability and enthusiasm to learn and are able to adapt to the various demands of Neurosurgery residency training.
An inclusive, open and diverse community is essential to excellence and fosters voices that have been ignored or discouraged. To address the Rady Faculty of health Sciences committment to equity, access and participation, and in recognition of the underrepresentation of members of historically and currenltly excluded groups, our program has taken the following proactive measures as part of the selection process: implicit bias training for the selection committee members (through the University of Manitoba), diverse representation of selection committee members, use of a standardized question for each individual interview, offering necessary accommodations during the interview process (that are possible for online virtual interviews), second pass/review of applicants below interview and rank order list cut off to review for possible bias in scoring, orientation to the assessors to scoring rubrics, and file review completed by a diverse selection committee.
We strive for diverse perspectives and cultural safety throughout the hiring process. We encourage all applicants to include an EDIA statement in their personal letter with evidence demonstrating their own commitment to EDIA in their work and training thus far.
File review process
Review team composition : The review team is comprised of the Program Director, faculty/resident members of the Residency Program Committee (RPC) and members of the selection/CaRMS committee.
Average number of applications received by our program in the last five years : 51 - 200
Average percentage of applicants offered interviews : 76 - 100 %
| File component | Criteria |
|---|---|
| CV | Ability to work with teams; Leadership potential; Research experience; Extra-curricular; Interests. |
| Electives | At least one formal elective in Neurosurgery; on-site electives are encouraged. |
| Examinations | No additional assessment required |
| Extra-curricular | Interests relating to, and also outside of, medicine. |
| Leadership skills | Leadership potential. |
| MSPRs | Applicant should be in good standing at their respective medical school. |
| Personal letters | No specific format is requested here. |
| Reference documents | Three (3) letters of reference are required, although more will be accepted if available. |
| Research/Publications | Publications, chapters, posters, etc (to assess for interest/potential for research). |
| Transcripts | Applicant should be in good standing at their respective medical school. |
Elective criteria
At least one elective in Neurosurgery is encouraged with a broad range of interest and experience.
Interview process
Interview format :
We may accommodate requests to re-schedule interviews for applicants due to weather, technology failure, or unforeseen circumstances.
| Interview components | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Collaboration skills | Capacity for dedicated team-work; Participation in an interdisciplinary team. |
| Collegiality | Reliability; Honesty; Integrity. |
| Communication skills | Effective; Compassionate. Speak and write in English, ability to convey complex topics to a lay person. |
| Health advocacy | Prior volunteer work (not mandatory) |
| Interest in the discipline | Interest in Neurosurgery and/or the Neurosciences. Demonstration of realistic expectations and knowledge of the neurosurgery discipline. |
| Interest in the program | On-site neurosurgical elective is encouraged; Knowledge and interest specific to our program. |
| Leadership skills | Involvement in student government, interest groups, mentorship, and coaching or other non-medical exposures |
| Professionalism | Ethical decision-making; Honesty; Capacity for self-directed learning. Interaction with program administrator, current residents, interview staff, and other faculty. |
| Scholarly activities | Academic performance in medical school; Interest/potential for research/scholarly pursuits. |
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
Residency Training Program
The Health Sciences Centre and Winnipeg Children's Hospital are the main sites associated with the Neurosurgery Residency Training Program at the University of Manitoba. These are equipped with modem diagnostic equipment including 1.5 and 3T MR imaging (including an intra operative MRI Suite, i.e. IMRIS), high-resolution CT scanning and angiographic capabilities.
Health Sciences Centre is also home to Canada's first Gamma Knife unit.
During their training, residents are exposed to the full range of neurosurgical subspecialties, including epilepsy, neuro-oncology, vascular, spinal, pediatric, trauma and functional neurosurgery. The Section of Neurosurgery is composed of expert fellowship-trained neurosurgeons, each with an area of expertise, providing engaged teaching and mentorship. In addition to clinical neurosurgery, residents rotate through neurology and neuropathology, along with surgical and medical subspecialties. Throughout their six years in training, residents are given increasing responsibility, culminating in oversight of the functioning of the neurosurgery unit during their final lead resident year.
The University of Manitoba offers diverse interdisciplinary research training experiences to those neurosurgical residents that are interested, facilitating the generation of novel and leading research skillsets and creation of the next generation of cross-disciplinary clinician-scientists. Such experiences take the form of informal research blocks and formal graduate/post-doctoral research training programs, including co-registration through the Clinician-Investigator Program. This facilitates flexibility and experiences tailored to the individual resident’s needs and prior academic experiences.
Within the Section of Neurosurgery, several established translational and clinical research lines exist, with groups led by attending neurosurgeons within the group. Such research lines include: degenerative spine disease, acute traumatic spinal cord injury, pediatrics, neuro-ethics, skull base and stereotactic radiosurgery, advanced cerebral physiology and neurotrauma/neurocritical care. All such areas have national/international collaborative research lines and projects. These core areas within the Section support undergraduate, MSc, PhD and post-doctoral fellow (PDF) training experiences through various graduate degree programs at the University of Manitoba (including but not limited to: Human Anatomy and Cell Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Statistics, Community Health Sciences, Surgery). In the past 6 years alone, labs here have been supported by over 16M in research funding (including NSERC, CIHR, CFI, NIH), generated ~500 peer-reviewed manuscripts/abstract/textbook chapters, and secured over 1M in graduate trainee scholarships (including Research Manitoba MSc, PhD and PDF studentships, CIHR Fellowship and NSERC CGS-M, CGS-D and PGS-D awards) with national/international awards (including the Governor General’s Gold Medal for PhD Thesis, CNS and AANS Natus Awards for Neurocritical Care). Individuals who successfully complete training within the Section’s research groups have gone on to future tri-council funded coveted PDF positions abroad, industry roles within research institutes, and clinician-scientist positions at centers across North America.
Within the wider Department of Surgery, trainees have access to broader scope basic science, clinical epidemiology and trials research groups. These tri-council supported research streams encompass general systems trauma and psychology, pediatric surgery and congenital pulmonary sciences, orthopedic trials and registry work (including spine), and translational surgical oncology (across GI, Breast, Thoracic). Finally, outside of the Department of Surgery, the larger University of Manitoba houses cutting edge infrastructure within Western Canada to facilitate basic, translational and clinical trials research. This includes the Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine (KIAM) and Dept of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, which house a large neuroscience research cluster focused on cellular/molecular science and advanced neuroimaging approaches in neurooncology, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, demyelinating conditions, and both cranial and spinal neurotrauma, supported by several CIHR and NSERC Canada Research Chairs.
Program Curriculum
This residency program is for 6 years.
Program length of training does not exceed the Royal College or College of Family Physicians of Canada standard.
Curriculum - PGY 1 to 6
PGY1 and 2 (Transition to Discipline and Foundations of Neurosurgery)
The PGY-1 and PGY2 years are designed to fulfill the Neurosurgery and Surgical Foundations training requirements as set out by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. This includes a maximum of 18 blocks to be undertaken in Neurosurgery, and includes additional core rotations in Critical care, General Surgery, Plastics Surgery, and/or other disciplines required to achieve competency in the Surgical Foundations Program and in the neurosurgery Transition to Discipline and Foundations of Discipline competency-based phases.
PGY3 to 6 (Core of Discipline and Transition to Practice)
A formal 52 months of Neurosurgical training is incorporated in the PGY-3 to 6 years, focusing on an incrementally-graded increase in clinical responsibility and duties. During this time, there are expectations for regular participation on ward rounds, the operating room and in clinics. By the completion of residency, the resident will be proficient in the surgical and non-surgical management of all general types of neurosurgical conditions, in both adult and pediatric patients. Given the breadth of expertise across the 10 clinical faculty members, additional sub specialty exposure to all facets of Neurosurgery is also provided. During these years of training,
the residents will achieve competency in the Core of Discipline and Transition to Practice phases of the Neurosurgery competency-based training pro
During the PGY3 to PGY6 years of Neurosurgery tr opportunity to rotate on Neurology and Neuropathology
PGY4 Research/Elective Year
There is an opportunity in PGY4 to pursue up to 13 periods (1 year) of clinical or basic research training. Former trainees have used this time to pursue a M.Sc. or Ph.D. program, as supported by the Clinician Investigator Program, or to pursue a focused elective year in a subspecialty of choice.
This experience is typically planned well in advance, together with recommendations from the Program Director and Residency Program Committee, and must satisfy one of the following Royal College specifications as it relates to:
- Neurosurgery
- Related clinical or basic neuroscience disciplines
- Clinical or basic research
- Other scholarly activities
For those interested in research, further time may be spent obtaining an advanced degree. The Department of Surgery offers a Master’s of Science in Surgery program that residents are encouraged to consider.
Competency-Based Medical Education
As of July 2019, residents entering Neurosurgery will participate in competency-based training through the Competence by Design (CBD) educational initiative of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
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. The duration of training will not change for the 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 CBD 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.
Seminars
The typical resident curriculum consists of weekly Wednesday morning rounds, and formal academic half-day on Fridays. Didactic teaching with formal curriculum spanning the breadth of Neurosurgery occurs on a regularly basis, with exams at the end of each block. Cadaver dissection neuroanatomy teaching is offered at multiple times throughout the academic year.
Additional case-based seminars are routinely held in the following forums:
- Epilepsy Surgery Conference
- Pediatric Neurosurgery Rounds
- Winnipeg Spine Program Rounds
- Radiosurgery Rounds
- Vascular Rounds
- Neuropathology Rounds
- Adult and Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Rounds
- Pituitary Tumor Rounds
A Journal Club is also held on a regular scheduled basis during the academic year.
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Training Sites
Resources
The neurosurgical unit of the Health Sciences Centre and Children's Hospital represents the only referral centre for the province of Manitoba, as well as Northwestern Ontario and Nunavut. This single site for all neurosurgery makes it possible to develop uniform protocols for the treatment and long term follow-up of patients with various neurosurgical disorders.
The Health Sciences Centre and Winnipeg Children's Hospital have modern-day diagnostic equipment including 1.5 and 3T MR scanning, CT scanning and angiographic units. The first Gamma Knife unit in Canada was instituted in 2003, and continues to be used in the treatment of benign and metastatic tumors, vascular malformations and other conditions.
The recent purchase of a robotic guidance system (ROSA) and the recent expansion of the epilepsy monitoring unit will continue to the epilepsy surgery program, for adult and pediatric patients.
There is a full complement of full-time adult and pediatric neuroradiologists, and three full-time neuropathologists. A very close link is maintained with Adult and Pediatric Neurology, offering excellent collaboration across all disciplines.
There is a strong core of neuroscience teaching and research at the University of Manitoba and its affiliated Medical School, the Kleysen Centre for Advanced Medicine, and the Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba. Moreover, there is strong foundation backing provided by the Health Sciences Centre Foundation, Children's Foundation and St. Boniface General Hospital Research Foundation.
FAQ
We do not accept late applications.
Summary of changes
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