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 and our current cohort of residents.
The info sessions will be approximately 45-60 minutes and will be held on the following dates:
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.
U.S. Allopathic Medical Graduates (USMG)
Medical students or graduates who have obtained or are in the process of obtaining a medical degree from an allopathic medical school in the U.S can either be considered Canadian Medical Graduates (CMGs) or International Medical Graduates (IMGs) within the residency application process, depending on their graduation date. This differentiation is due to changes made in the joint accreditation process of medical schools in the U.S and Canada.
Program application language: English
NOTE: The following MUST be accompanied by a Canadian Government Issued Photo ID:
Certificate of Indian Status / Aboriginal Status or Makivik Society Card:
All applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or protected persons under the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act at the time of application (with the exception of Citizens of Indigenous nations as outlined above).
All applicants must have their citizenship pre-verified or provide a document as proof of Canadian Citizenship Status.
Applications submitted without one of the acceptable forms of verification will be considered incomplete and will not be considered further in the selection process. No other forms of verification are accepted.
A total of three letters of reference are required. Letters in excess of 3 will not be reviewed.
Your referees should be in a position to comment on your clinical and/or research skills, knowledge, suitability, and interpersonal skills. They should be able to compare your performance/abilities to the standard/level of competency expected of a medical student, or other medical students that they have observed/evaluated.
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.
If you've experienced any academic failures or gaps in training throughout your medical education journey that you would like to explain, this should be addressed in your personal statement and titled as “Addendum”. This information will not be included in the above word count, but should not exceed 250 words.
Medical School TranscriptYou can submit your medical transcript in one of two ways:
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.
PhotoWe understand that a number of applicants to our residency programs will have a connection to the Brampton/Peel Region and surrounding communities region, and that many applicants will also have an interest in serving culturally diverse and medically underserved communities.
Building upon our strong foundation of social accountability, we have implemented a Regional Connection Attestation to help identify candidates who may have a connection to the region.
All applicants are asked to complete this attestation. The information provided in the attestation will be considered in our selection process and candidates will be awarded a Regional Connection Score.
Please note that a connection to the Brampton/Peel Region and surrounding communities is not required in order to apply. We look forward to welcoming a diverse cohort of students committed to serving communities such as these, both from the region and beyond.
Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are fundamental values at TMU and the School of Medicine. As the first medical school in Canada founded and intentionally built upon the foundations of social accountability, EDI, decolonization and Reconciliation. These principles have been intentionally infused throughout all facets of the TMU School of Medicine, including admissions.
We recognize that many groups face barriers not only in applying and being admitted to medical school, but also in matching into residency programs. With this in mind, and in keeping with TMU’s mission, vision and values, our PGME Office and residency programs are asking applicants to optionally complete the CaRMS Self-Identification Questionnaire and to assign the document with their application to our program.
This information will be used to support our goal of selecting a diverse group of candidates to interview and subsequently rank. Your information will also be used to produce aggregate data. Following the CaRMS Match, anonymized aggregate data from the CSIQ will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of our selection process in removing barriers and promoting inclusion, and to help us set EDI goals for future matches.
All members of the TMU PGME Office, program faculty and staff, file reviewers, interviewers, and program selection committees undergo mandatory unconscious bias and anti-racism training specifically geared to admissions and selection and must also sign a Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest Agreement. Additionally, to help ensure an equitable and accessible admissions and selection process, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates who may require them in the interview process.
Information on how this information will be accessed and protected by TMU:
Your information will remain confidential, but not anonymous. Only a few authorized individuals in PGME, including the Program Director and Program Administrator, will have access to individual responses from individual candidates. All personal information that is collected will be used, stored, and destroyed in accordance with TMU's Notice of Collection.
Your self-identification information will be stored and maintained by the individuals mentioned from the Postgraduate Medical Education Office and destroyed in alignment with TMU's records retention schedule and the Ontario Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). No information that identifies an individual and their diversity self-identification data will be released or shared, except with the aforementioned who are required to have confidential access to the information to fulfill their responsibilities, or with the consent of the person from whom the information is collected.
If you have any questions about the collection and use of this information, please contact pgme@torontomu.ca.
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
Dates:
The TMU General Surgery Program’s goals are to:
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, inclusion, and fostering a welcoming environment within the healthcare setting. The program particularly values participation in education and leadership roles during training as well as a desire to be a future leader in medical education and community medicine. In addition, the program is committed to selecting residents with:
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.
Review team composition : Each applicant file will be reviewed by two independent file reviewers using a standardized rubric. Reviewers will include the Program Director and Clinical Faculty.
All file reviewers will complete a Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest Agreement and will undergo unconscious bias and anti-racism training.
If a file reviewer recognizes a conflict of interest, they will flag this with the program administrator and the file will be reassigned.
Average number of applications received by our program in the last five years : 51 - 200
Average percentage of applicants offered interviews : 26 - 50 %
| File component | Criteria |
|---|---|
| CV | A custom CV is not required. The relevant information in your CaRMS Application outlining your personal, professional, educational and extracurricular experiences will be evaluated. |
| Electives | A broad range of electives, including the discipline. |
| Examinations | We do not evaluate this file component. |
| Extra-curricular | Will be evaluated, including interests both relevant and irrelevant to medicine. |
| Leadership skills | We value leadership qualities and will evaluate community engagement, advocacy and leadership roles and experiences, especially in the context of marginalized communities. |
| MSPRs | Will be evaluated to assess for competency, professionalism, or any areas of concern. |
| Personal letters | Will be evaluated to understand lived experiences, experiences with diversity, inequity, and/or marginalization, and to gauge interest in, and suitability for, the program. |
| Reference documents | A total of 3 reference documents are required and will be evaluated to assess competency, suitability, professionalism, and any areas of concern. |
| Research/Publications | Assessed within extra-curricular experience. |
| Transcripts | Will be reviewed. If your transcript shows any academic failures or gaps in training, this should be addressed in your personal statement and titled as “Addendum”. |
| Other file component(s) |
Communication Skills Applicants must be able to communicate proficiently in the English language. Written communication skills will be assessed in any written submissions (e.g. personal letter), and any comments/feedback in reference documents pertaining to the candidate’s ability to communicate effectively will also be taken into consideration. Regional Connection Attestation Applicants are asked to complete the TMU Regional Connection Attestation to detail any connections that they may have to Peel and surrounding communities. The information provided in the attestation will be considered in our selection process. CaRMS Self-Identification Questionnaire (optional) Applicants are asked to complete the CaRMS Self-Identification Questionnaire. This information will be used to support our goal of selecting a diverse group of candidates. More information provided in the document section. |
Candidates should have completed at least one elective in General Surgery. Electives in other disciplines relevant to the practice of general surgery will be taken into consideration. There is no requirement for onsite electives.
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 | Values teamwork and demonstrates excellent interpersonal and collaborative skills, especially within interdisciplinary team settings. |
| Collegiality | Self-aware/intentional, inclusive, respectful and collegial. Values the contributions of others, and the importance of the different roles of team members. |
| Communication skills | Demonstrates excellent verbal communication skills in the interview and can clearly and concisely articulate one’s thoughts. |
| Health advocacy | Ability to reflect on the importance of patient health advocacy and draw from experiences |
| Interest in the discipline | Demonstrates a genuine passion for General Surgery and has well-developed goals. |
| Interest in the program | Knowledgeable about the program and TMU School of Medicine, connects with our mission, vision, and values, and is interested in being a part of a brand-new residency program. |
| Leadership skills | Ability to reflect on leadership skills and draw from relevant experiences in leadership roles. |
| Professionalism | Conducts oneself in a professional manner in all interactions with those involved in the admissions/selection process. |
| Scholarly activities | Demonstrates critical thinking and analytical skills and shows commitment to lifelong learning and professional development. |
| Other interview component(s) | Experiences with diversity, inequity, and/or marginalization. Joins the interview on-time/as scheduled and is prepared to start |
The program will accept two residents per academic year. As a smaller program, TMU offers residents more individualized support and mentorship from supervising surgeons and more hands-on learning opportunities. A small community of residents also fosters close relationships and a sense of belonging.
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, and Halton Healthcare (Oakville, Georgetown, and Milton sites).
The program provides a wide breadth of clinical experience from Acute Care Surgery, surgical oncology, breast, advanced abdominal wall reconstruction, hepatobiliary, advanced laparoscopic surgery, colorectal, endoscopy, critical care and subspecialty surgery (vascular, thoracic, head and neck). We have an affiliation with the Department of General Surgery at McMaster University to provide trauma and pediatric surgery rotations.
Operative exposure will begin early, allowing for close collaboration with staff surgeons and consistency allowing for optimal skill development. With supervision, coaching and guidance provided by our experienced surgical faculty, residents will be provided a safe learning environment to optimal surgical skill attainment.
Formal teaching will take precedence over clinical duties and research participation is required.
Participation in indigenous/ community outreach and global volunteer programs is encouraged.
The program will help to facilitate access to elective rotations during the residency and fellowship positions for graduating residents in good standing.
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 on-hands simulation and lab experience. Additional educational activities include regular morbidity and mortality rounds, journal clubs, formal and informal educational rounds. Residents are expected to attend local, national and/or international surgical conferences and participate in surgical societies. In-training written exams occur oncea year along with formal mock oralexams.
Sample Rotation Schedule
A sample rotation schedule is provided below. Each resident will receive a personalized rotation schedule.
Transition to Discipline (4 Blocks)
Foundations of Discipline (18 Blocks)
Core of Discipline (37 Blocks)
Transition to Practice (6 Blocks)
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
Communication Course
Leadership Course
Continuous Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Course
Research and Critical Appraisal Course
Teaching Course
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility, & Reconciliation/Decolonization/Indigenous Resurgence (EDIA-RDIR) and Anti-Racism Course
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.
The TMU School of Medicine currently has clinical partnerships with multiple major training sites:
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.
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