Program Contacts

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Important Information

Our program successfully transitioned to CBD in accordance with the national schedule as of July 1, 2024. Our program will continue to undergo the same rigorous accreditation process as traditional programs.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION CAREFULLY

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Return of Service

There are no return of service requirements at the University of Alberta.

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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 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

Selection Criteria

Program goals

Medical Microbiology is a branch of medicine concerned primarily with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases and consists of the following spheres of activity:

1. Scientific development and administrative and clinical direction of a microbiology laboratory.
2. Clinical consultations, in both in-patient and out-patient settings, on the investigation, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases.
3. Infection prevention and control and antibiotic stewardship.
4. Public Health and epidemiology of communicable diseases.

GENERAL PROGRAM GOALS

• Upon completion of training, residents are expected to be competent specialists in Medical Microbiology, capable of assuming a consultant’s role. The residents must acquire a working knowledge of the theoretical and practical basis of the specialty, including its foundations in the basic medical sciences and research.
• Residents must be competent in clinical medicine and demonstrate the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes for effective patient-centered care and service to diverse populations. 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.
• Residents must develop skills to be critical thinkers and lifelong learners as well as be capable of conducting research in their field of interest.
• Residents must be able to effectively teach learners at the undergraduate and postgraduate level, provide continuing education to medical and other health care professionals and educate patients and their community.
• Medical Microbiology residents should be prepared to conduct their practices in an ethical and cost effective manner.
• Emphasis is placed on effective communication in partnership with laboratory technologists, physicians and health care providers, patients, and other stakeholders.

Selection process goals

• A proven interest in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease demonstrated by elective history and related research projects.
• High academic achievement.
• Strong letters of recommendation from faculty members or consultants who know the candidate well.
• Candidates must have good communication skills and be able to work with a wide variety of people and team settings.
• A proven record of professionalism and sincere commitment to quality patient care.

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 Medical Microbiology Residency program is a five-year post graduate medical training program in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta.

It is designed to facilitate the development of expertise in clinical microbiology and for residents to acquire broad-based clinical and laboratory experience to meet training requirements of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. The inherent flexibility within the program allows it to accommodate and fulfill special interests of the trainee and initiate further advanced training in a chosen area. Completion of the program prepares residents to function as specialists in Medical Microbiology.

Rotations primarily take place at Edmonton Base Lab, an acute care diagnostic laboratory (formerly called DynaLIFE_Dx), and at the Provincial Laboratory of Public Health for Alberta, at the University of Alberta Hospital. Our faculty members have expertise and interest in a wide variety of fields including the core disciplines of bacteriology, virology, mycology, parasitology, molecular microbiology and laboratory management. The trainees are encouraged to participate in research projects in all areas of microbiology, infectious diseases, public health, epidemiology, infection control and laboratory management. For more information, please contact the Program Director. 

There are opportunities for interprovincial and international electives while training in our program. Some previous electives have taken place at CDC (Atlanta), Australia, Hong Kong, and the National Microbiology Laboratory (Winnipeg). Courses that can be taken as a part of training include Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine as well as others.

There are no mandatory rural rotations in this program.

The average ratio of residents to faculty is 1:1.

We provide our residents with access to electronic medical resources.

Each resident is required to complete at least one research project with faculty members of their choice. The program allows for ample opportunities for clinical and basic research through individually sponsored projects. A broad and varied spectrum of research is available through internal collaborations with expertise readily available in many areas. Interdepartmental research collaborations are also encouraged by the program. Residents are expected to author or co-author at least one abstract or peer-reviewed paper, as well as present at national and international conferences.

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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.

Medical Microbiology has transitioned to Competence by Design (CBD). In CBD, the previous time-based structure (which divided the programs into PGY years), is replaced by the following four stages. The overall length of the program is expected to be five years for most residents.  

 

1) Transition to Discipline

• This stage is meant to introduce trainees to the medical microbiology laboratory and its associated protocols, including laboratory safety, pre-analytic workflow, and basic microscopy and laboratory techniques. It also provides clinical experience to ensure that trainees are able to assess patients and present cases accurately.

 

2) Foundations of Discipline

• The purpose of this stage is for trainees to obtain a wide breadth of clinical experiences in various settings and with different populations with a focus on more common presentations. Trainees also gain experience in the microbiology laboratory as they concentrate on all aspects of bacteriology testing.
• This stage includes rotations in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases, General Surgery, Emergency Medicine and Medical Microbiology.

 

3) Core of Discipline

• Making up the bulk of training, this stage includes rotations in community and public health Medical Microbiology laboratories, as well as laboratory management, for trainees to gain the necessary skills and knowledge to practice the full scope of the specialty.
• Rotations in Adult Infectious Diseases and its subspecialties (such as STI clinic, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis) as well as Pediatric Infectious Diseases are undertaken for trainees to become proficient at assessing and managing patients with a wide range of infectious diseases and related issues.
• Infection Prevention and Control and Antimicrobial Stewardship rotations provide further training for residents to become competent and knowledgeable in these related fields.
• Elective rotations at other sites are encouraged and research blocks are also provided to allow trainees to explore specific areas of interest.

 

4) Transition to Practice

• In this stage, residents consolidate their skills to work independently in the junior staff role and to act as leaders in the laboratory and on clinical service.

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Training Sites

The primary training sites where most laboratory-based rotations occur are Edmonton Base Lab (formerly called DynaLIFE_Dx) and the Provincial Laboratory for Public Health for Northern Alberta in Edmonton, also referred to as ProvLab.

Additional laboratory training sites:

• Provincial Laboratory for Public Health for Southern Alberta (Calgary)

Primary clinical rotation sites:

• University of Alberta Hospital
• Royal Alexandra Hospital
• Misericordia Community Hospital
• Grey Nuns Community Hospital
• Other Alberta Health Services sites

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Additional Information

The University of Alberta recognizes the importance of diversity, equity, inclusivity, decolonization, and indigenization (EDIDI) and is committed to the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry’s policy on anti-racism. 

Further, the University is committed to implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action that are relevant to education and medicine. The pursuit of diversity and equitable opportunities is a core value that guides our selection practices. 

The University encourages applications from underrepresented groups, including Indigenous persons, persons with a disability, racialized persons, women, persons of a minority gender identity or sexual orientation, and individuals who would contribute to the diversity of the medical community. The CaRMS Self-Identification Questionnaire (CSIQ) is an optional form that candidates can fill out. 

Our program recognizes the importance of EDIDI and anti-racism in residency selection, but is currently not using the CSIQ as part of our application process. We are using other methods to ensure mitigation of bias and equitable opportunities for all applicants. 

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FAQ

What are the best things about your specialty?

It bridges the gap between clinical and lab specialty. Compatible work hours, steady income - a good balance between work and home/family life.

What types of clinical cases do you commonly see?

Infections of all types and systems, including those in adults and children.

Describe a typical day.

Outbreak investigations, clinical consultations, lab problem solving, meetings, teaching various learners, and research.

How do you see your discipline changing over the next decade?

There is an acute shortage of Microbiologists in the country right now and more vacancies will arise as current staff proceed to retirement.

What is the on-call schedule during each year of residency?

Call load is as per the Resident Physician Agreement with Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta (PARA)\. Call is done from home and workload is usually light, but it does involve coming in for several hours on the weekend.

What distinguishes the U of A program from other programs?

This is one of the largest free-standing microbiology programs in the country - but most of all its flexibility allows custom tailoring educational experiences to individual needs. Good relationships with, and geographical proximity to, other relevant educational and non-educational settings (Provincial Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, private labs).