Memorial University of Newfoundland - General Surgery - St. John's
2026 R-1 Main Residency Match - second iteration
Competitive Stream for CMG
Last approved on March 05, 2026
Summary of changesApproximate Quota:
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Accreditation status : Accredited
Provincial Criteria
Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University
Health Sciences Centre, 300 Prince Philip Drive
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3V6
Program Contacts
Important Information
All General Surgery residents are automatically enrolled in Surgical Foundations, which is a CBD-styled program.
Please review Memorial University's Provincial Criteria and admission requirements for postgraduate medical education.
Orientation
Applicants who match to Memorial University must attend orientation during the last week of June. Details will be provided in April 2026.
Post Match
Please note that Memorial University does not participate in the post-match.
Return of Service
No return of service is required.
General Instructions
Program application language: English
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)
• Canadian Citizenship Card (both sides of card)
• IELTS
• Occupational English Test (OET) - Medicine
• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) - General
Applicants who graduated from a medical school in Canada, or from an allopathic medical school in the United States prior to July 1, 2025, where English is the language of instruction, are exempt from providing proof of language proficiency.
Canadian medical graduates from the Universities of Montreal, Sherbrooke and Laval, the University of Ottawa's French stream, and U.S. graduates from schools where English is not the language of instruction, are required to meet English language proficiency requirements.
It is important to note that this requirement extends to all such applicants, regardless of whether other secondary/post-secondary education took place in English and regardless of citizenship.
The accepted English language proficiency exams, and the required scores, are as follows:
- International English Language Testing System - Academic (IELTS-Academic), with a minimum score of 7 in each category in no more than two combined sittings of the same language test;
- Occupational English Test - Medicine (OET-Medicine), with a minimum grade of B in each category in no more than two combined sittings of the same language test;
- Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program Test - General (CELPIP-General), with a minimum score of 9 in each area in no more than two combined sittings of the same language test.
Exams must be completed within 24 months of the residency start date (July 1) and results must be available by the CaRMS document review deadline.
If applicable.
The three reference letters should be from referees who have had direct clinical contact with the applicant in a supervisory role within two years of application.
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).
Ideally, the personal letter should give an idea of why you wish to be a surgeon, explain why you are interested in our program, and provide some indication that you have the necessary qualities including the ability to work hard, resilience, and good inter-personal skills.
Memorial Declaration for InterruptionsALL applicants must submit the Declaration of Interruptions form with their application.
Consent for disclosureALL applicants must submit the Consent to Disclose form with their application.
Medical Student Performance RecordFor 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.
(if available)
Review Process
Applications submitted after file review has opened on March 17, 2026
Supporting documents (excluding letters of reference) that arrive after file review has opened on March 17, 2026
Letters of reference that arrive after the unmasking date on March 17, 2026
Applications are read by members of the program committee, and interviews are granted based upon the quality of the application. Following interviews, the applicants are ranked at a meeting of the program committee. This ranked list is submitted to CaRMS.
Interviews
Dates:
- March 28, 2026
Selection Criteria
Candidates should have a demonstrated interest in surgery. The main selection criteria are evidence of personal attributes derived from the Medical Student Performance Record and from references which give an honest appraisal of stronger and weaker points. Personal interviews are also important.
Program goals
The goal of the General Surgery Residency program at Memorial University is to produce broadly-trained surgeons prepared to go to the community to practice. The rotations are designed to cover many different areas, and allow for extensive community training.
Upon completion of training, a resident is expected to be a competent specialist in General Surgery capable of assuming a consultants role in General Surgery. The resident must acquire a thorough knowledge of the theoretical basis of General Surgery, including its foundations in the basic medical sciences and research.
Selection process goals
Successful applicants should be able to achieve the following by the end of their program:
- Knowledge and expertise in clinical and operative management of diseases of the alimentary tract, breast and endocrine systems, trauma and critical care, General Surgical Oncology and ambulatory patient care for General Surgery.
- Mastery of surgical skills of open abdominal surgery, endoscopy, minimal access surgery, endocrine surgery, breast surgery, trauma surgery and soft tissue surgery including abdominal wall surgery.
- Effective clinical judgement and decision making in dealing with general surgical problems based on sound surgical fundamentals.
- The requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes for effective patient-centered care and service to a diverse population. In all aspects of specialist practice, the graduate must be able to address issues of gender, sexual orientation, age, culture, ethnicity and ethics in a professional manner.
File review process
Review team composition :
1. All members of the General Surgery Residency Committee.
2. Surgeons who are not currently on the General Surgery Residency Committee.
3. Residents who are not currently on the General Surgery Residency Committee.
Average number of applications received by our program in the last five years : 51 - 200
Average percentage of applicants offered interviews : 51 - 75 %
| File component | Criteria |
|---|---|
| CV | Broad background - interest in General Surgery, leadership skills, work/life balance |
| Electives | Experience and interest in General Surgery |
| Examinations | None outside MUN/Postgraduate requirements. |
| Extra-curricular | Work/life balance |
| Leadership skills | Ability to organize and work with a team |
| MSPRs | Previous medical and surgical experience and achievement |
| Personal letters | Interest in General Surgery, especially in a community setting, and in our specific program and area |
| Reference documents | Surgical skills, work ethic and interest in the field |
| Research/Publications | Ability to understand research findings and their application in a clinical setting |
| Transcripts | General academic ability |
Elective criteria
Interview process
Interview format :
We do not re-schedule interviews for applicants after we have completed the scheduling process.
| Interview components | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Collaboration skills | Ability to work well with other residents, surgeons and allied professionals. |
| Collegiality | We do not evaluate this interview component. |
| Communication skills | Ability to communicate well with the interviewer. |
| Health advocacy | We do not evaluate this interview component. |
| Interest in the discipline | Why the applicant is interested, their awareness of challenges and plans to handle them. |
| Interest in the program | Interest in specific rotations, how the program fits with plans after completion. |
| Leadership skills | Expand on past experiences as in application. |
| Professionalism | Must present themselves in a professional manner at the interview - prompt, polite, respectful. |
| Scholarly activities | Ask about any research plans. |
| Other interview component(s) | Interviews will be conducted virtually. |
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
There are opportunities for interprovincial and international electives while training in our program.
There are two Community Surgery rotations, one each in the PGY 4 and 5 years. They are usually carried out in Carbonear, Corner Brook or Grand Falls-Windsor, NL; or Charlottetown, PEI. Other sites may be arranged.
The program is designed to optimize early operating.
The average patient load per resident by location is 5-20 patients.
There is access to electronic medical resources.
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.
PGY 1
|
Rotation |
Duration (4-week blocks) |
Location / Notes |
|
Emergency |
1 |
Health Sciences Centre/St. Clare's Mercy Hospital, St. John's, NL. |
|
Plastic Surgery |
1 |
Health Sciences Centre, St. John's, NL. |
|
General Surgery |
3 |
Health Sciences Centre (Acute Care Service), St. John's, NL. |
|
General Surgery |
3 |
St. Clare's Mercy Hospital (Team C), St. John's, NL. |
|
ICU |
1 |
St. Clare's Mercy Hospital, St. John's, NL. |
|
Medicine |
1 |
St. Clare's Mercy Hospital, St. John's, NL. |
|
Pediatric Surgery |
1 |
Janeway Children's Hospital, St. John's, NL. |
|
Vascular Surgery |
2 |
St. Clare's Mercy Hospital, St. John's, NL. |
PGY 2
|
Rotation |
Duration (4-week blocks) |
Location / Notes |
|
Ambulatory Clinics |
1 |
St. John's, NL. |
|
General Surgery |
3 |
St. Clare's Mercy Hospital (Team B), St. John's, NL. |
|
ICU |
2 |
Health Sciences Centre, St. John's, NL. |
|
Endoscopy |
3 |
Health Sciences Centre/St. Clare's Mercy Hospital, St. John's, NL |
|
Trauma |
1 |
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont. |
|
General Surgery |
3 |
Health Sciences Centre (Team B), St. John's, NL. |
PGY 3
|
Rotation |
Duration (4-week blocks) |
Location / Notes |
|
Thoracic Surgery |
2 |
St. Clare's Mercy Hospital, St. John's, NL. |
|
Pediatric Surgery |
3 |
Janeway Children's Hospital, St. John's, NL. |
|
General Surgery |
3 |
Health Sciences Centre (Acute Care Service Team), St. John's, NL. |
|
General Surgery |
3 |
St. Clare's Mercy Hospital (Team A), St. John's, NL |
|
Research |
1 |
St. John's, NL |
|
Elective |
1 |
Residents' choice |
PGY 4
|
Rotation |
Duration (4-week blocks) |
Location / Notes |
|
Community Surgery |
3 |
Carbonear, Corner Brook or Grand Falls-Windsor, NL; Charlottetown, PEI. Other sites may be arranged. |
|
Elective |
3 |
Residents' choice |
|
Endoscopy |
1 |
St. John's, NL. |
|
General Surgery |
3 |
Health Sciences Centre (Team A), St. John's, NL. |
|
Head and Neck |
2 |
St. Clare's Mercy Hospital, St. John's, NL. |
|
Research |
1 | St. John's, NL. |
Endoscopy, general surgery, and community surgery rotations are compulsory during the fourth year.
PGY 5
|
Rotation |
Duration (4-week blocks) |
Location / Notes |
|
Community Surgery |
3 |
Carbonear, Corner Brook or Grand Falls-Windsor, NL; Charlottetown, PEI. Other sites may be arranged. |
|
General Surgery |
10 |
Health Sciences Centre/St. Clare's Mercy Hospital, St. John's, NL. |
The fifth and final year offers Chief Resident rotations in St. John’s and at community hospitals. As part of these, all Chief Residents should complete 50 scopes in their chief year and should attend one half day clinic per week; ideally, but not necessarily, seeing new patients.
Health Sciences Centre - HSC
St. Clare's Mercy Hospital - SCMH
Janeway Children's Hospital - JCH
Training Sites
Training Sites
Newfoundland and Labrador
Health Sciences Centre - General Hospital300 Prince Philip DriveSt. John's, NL A1B 3V6St. John’s, NL A1C 5B8
New Brunswick
Some rotations may take place in New Brunswick, usually at the Saint John Regional Hospital, Saint John, NB.
Resources
All of the compulsory rotations except trauma and community surgery are in one of the two adult hospitals and the pediatric hospital in St. John's. Community rotations can be arranged in Carbonear, Corner Brook, and Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland, and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Other sites, including out-of-province sites, may be used as requested and approved. The trauma rotation is at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, Ontario.
Housing is provided for core rotations in Newfoundland and Labrador, should rotations take place outside St. John's. Housing arrangements are overseen by the Faculty of Medicine's Distributed Medical Education (DME) Department.
For residents travelling for core community surgery rotations and the required trauma rotation, it is recommended that residents contact the DME Department to obtain information regarding housing accommodation reimbursement prior to their rotation(s).
The trauma rotation is in the PGY 2 year, and there are senior resident rotations in a community hospital in both the PGY 4 and PGY 5 years.
Additional Information
Overview
The overall philosophy of the program is to provide exceptional training in clinical surgery for potential community surgeons while having enough flexibility to allow the development of a surgical scientist. This is a five-year CBD program fully accredited for training by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. The current enrolment is 20 residents. Residents are supervised by a total of 22 full-time and part-time faculty members during their adult and pediatric general surgical tertiary care and community centre core rotations, generally with one resident per surgical service (2-3 faculty members).
Summary of changes
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