University of Alberta - Pediatrics - Edmonton
2026 R-1 Main Residency Match - second iteration
CMG Stream for CMG
Last approved on March 04, 2026
Summary of changesApproximate Quota:
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Accreditation status : Accredited
Provincial Criteria
General Pediatric Residency Training Program
11405 - 87 Avenue Edmonton Clinic Health Academy
Edmonton , Alberta, T6G 2J3
Department of Pediatrics
Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation
City of Edmonton
University of Alberta
Alberta Health Services
Training Researchers in Pediatrics - TRIP
Program Contacts
Important Information
Welcome!
Thanks for your interest in our pediatric training program here at the University of Alberta. We are a collaborative and tight-knit community striving for excellence in clinical care, education, advocacy, research, and setting learners up for success in their future careers. Our program encourages and embraces a growth mindset, and is always looking to improve the learning journey and care provision. We are excited to learn more about you, and your interest in pediatrics. Please let us know if you have additional questions after reviewing our program description and accompanying links here, including our program website.
CaRMS Townhall Information Session
If you would like more information about our program or would like to interact with our program leadership and residents, please join us our online session at 6pm MST on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Event details can be found on Canprepp.ca. The session is a general overview with a Q&A.
Our information session is being held:
- Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 6pm MST
Of Note: We do not require Casper.
Return of Service
There are no return of service requirements at the University of Alberta.
General Instructions
Program application language: English
Supporting Documentation / Information
• Canadian Birth Certificate or Act of Birth
• Certificate of Canadian Citizenship
• Passport page showing Canadian Citizenship
• Canadian Permanent Resident Card (both sides of card)
• IELTS
• Occupational English Test (OET) - Medicine
• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) - General
Canadian Medical Graduates (CMGs) who completed their medical education in a French Stream within Québec or at the University of Ottawa are required to provide proof of English language proficiency as determined by the CPSA. CMGs who completed their medical education at the University of Ottawa or at McGill University must indicate on their application which stream they completed (either French or English).
Proof of language proficiency must be submitted at the time of application and exams must have been completed within 24 months of the expected residency start date.
Please refer to the Summary of Language Proficiency Requirements for Alberta. For more information on the CPSA English language requirements, please visit the CPSA website.
Your referee must complete the required structured reference form. Please include this link within your reference request: Pediatrics Structured Reference Letter. Traditional letters of reference are no longer accepted for this program.
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).
Your 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.
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.
Personal LetterYour letter should outline your reasons for choosing Pediatrics specifically at the University of Alberta. Your letter should give the review committee better insight into who you are, and your genuine interest, commitment and suitability to pediatrics. How has your unique story or journey prepared you to work, learn, and thrive at the University of Alberta, caring for the patients of northern Alberta and beyond? What doesn’t jump out from your CV or transcript that you want us to know about you? Please limit your letter to 750 words.
Custom Résumé / CVPlease limit to 3 pages.
Providing context to your specific role, time commitment, or outcomes for each line item is really helpful to our file reviewers.
PhotoReview 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 including supporting documents (i.e. reference letters) submitted after file review has opened on March 17, 2026 will not be accepted.
The files are reviewed by a minimum of two members of the selection committee. Invitations for an interview are made based on this review.
Interviews
Dates:
- March 24, 2026
Selection Criteria
The criteria that our selection committee uses for choosing candidates include:
- Academic record during the medical undergraduate program, with particular emphasis on the proficiency achieved in pediatrics
- Depth of reflection and interest in pediatrics as a future career, as demonstrated in the personal letter
- Extracurricular commitments/activities during medical school
- Research/scholarly activities (clinical or basic) done during medical school. Other research (Masters or PhD) will be noted
- Reference letters
- An interview score demonstrating the individual's communication and interpersonal skills, level of maturity, empathy, and ability to work in a team environment which helps determine their appropriateness for training in the pediatric program
Program goals
Our mission & vision align with the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta:
Our mission: To serve the public with social accountability through partnerships, leadership, and innovation in education, research and health care
Our vision: Health and wellness of all through excellence in education, discovery and clinical care
Our aim in the Department of Pediatrics is to train pediatricians who provide excellence in care for infants, children, youth and families by:
- Providing comprehensive health care
- Advocating for health equity
- Educating health professionals for today and the future
- Advancing knowledge through innovative research
- Promoting quality and patient safety
- Developing leaders in child health
Selection process goals
Successful applicants will have an application that demonstrates their desire to train in the discipline of pediatrics and to serve the pediatric population and their families. Successful applicants will demonstrate their communication and interpersonal skills, level of maturity, feedback receptivity, empathy and sensitivity, and ability to work in a team environment.
Selection processes aim to align with core values of the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, identifying individuals who display interest and aptitude in:
Well-being: Committing to caring for the physical and mental health of each other and the communities we serve.
Excellence: Striving for results in research, education & clinical care for the greatest impact.
Professionalism: Approaching all aspects of research, education & clinical care with integrity, respect and social accountability.
Curiosity and Creativity: Encouraging a culture of discovery and innovation.
Engagement for Collaboration: Seeking and integrating meaningful input from each other and our partners in communities.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Investing in an inclusive environment that recognizes and respects the dignity and humanity of individuals and communities.
File review process
Review team composition : Review team composition: Consists of eight (8) faculty: the Program Director, the Assistant Program Directors and six (6) other faculty reviewers. Every file has at least two reviewers.
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 | Demonstration of a high level of achievement in diverse activities and interests. |
| Electives | We are looking to see what electives residents have taken to prepare themselves for Pediatrics. |
| Examinations | We do not evaluate this file component. |
| Extra-curricular | Extra-curricular commitments during medical school. |
| Leadership skills | Demonstrated leadership skills during medical school. |
| MSPRs | Describing overall performance in medical school. |
| Personal letters | Previous experiences, depth of reflections and growth mindset. |
| Reference documents | Positive reference letters completed by faculty, not peers. |
| Research/Publications | Research activities (clinical or basic) done during medical school. Other research will be noted. |
| Transcripts | Transcripts are reviewed for maintenance of satisfactory academic progress/standing. |
Elective criteria
Interview process
Interview format :
We routinely accommodate requests to re-schedule interviews for applicants.
| Interview components | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Collaboration skills | Ability to demonstrate collaboration in a multidisciplinary team. |
| Collegiality | Demonstration of collegiality through interview stations. |
| Communication skills | Effective communication is an essential component in all the stations. |
| Health advocacy | Recognition and demonstration of health advocacy. |
| Interest in the discipline | Demonstrates interest and ability in the specialty. |
| Interest in the program | Candidates should be prepared to explain why they are drawn to the University of Alberta program. |
| Leadership skills | Ability to demonstrate leadership skills through a scenario. |
| Professionalism | Ability to recognize professional boundaries and the obligation to self, patients, and colleagues assessed through scenarios. |
| Scholarly activities | We currently do not evaluate this during our interview component. |
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
We at the University of Alberta respectfully acknowledge that we are situated on Treaty 6 territory, a traditional gathering place for diverse Indigenous peoples including the Cree, Blackfoot, Métis, Nakota Sioux, Iroquois, Dene, Ojibway/ Saulteaux/Anishinaabe, Inuit, and many others. Learning and unlearning are important to us here.
We have roughly 48 general pediatric residents and 230 Faculty/clinical teachers. This may seem like a large number of teaching staff, but reflects our broad community of educators from Red Deer to Yellowknife. Our residents get to know these pediatricians and faculty well. The geographic catchment that our centre serves is the largest in North America, ensuring varied clinical exposure.
Clinical opportunities include day trips and multi-day trips to communities anywhere from 45 minutes to 7 hours outside of Edmonton. Further optional experiences include Yellowknife, and more remote fly-in communities. Cultural sensitivity and cultural safety are important components of pediatrics here! We are particularly proud to offer clinical opportunities in Maskwacis, initially a pediatric outreach clinic started by a residency advocacy group, and is now a full- time general pediatric clinic serving all four Cree nations in its local area.
Community-based rotations in each year of training allow for exposure and graded responsibilities, with second year onward having rural/regional opportunities. From ‘Core of Discipline’ stage of training, residents participate in a Continuity Clinic at various community sites located in and around Edmonton. This enhances learners' experiences in consultative ambulatory pediatric clinics and enhances longitudinal care-provision proficiency.
Our program has a Night Float system that concentrates your call, and serves to minimize time away from other rotations, while facilitating fatigue risk management.
Electives may be taken locally, provincially, nationally, or internationally. There are two 4-week electives in both second and third year and an additional elective during the flexible transition to practice period in PGY4.
Program Curriculum
This residency program is for 4 years.
Program length of training does not exceed the Royal College or College of Family Physicians of Canada standard.
Our residency program consists of 4 years of general pediatric training, with an opportunity for application to subspecialty, or other career-directed activities after completion of their 'Transition to Practice' stage of training. Residents are regularly mentored as to their experience and direction for their training.
Each year consists of 13 four-week blocks. Four weeks of vacation are allocated per year. Experiences are mapped based on stage of training. Please refer to our website at the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta for further schedule details. We are a dynamic training program, focused on continuous quality improvement.
Resident Academic Half-Day occurs weekly and is designed based on adult learning principles and active learning strategies that include small group, flipped classroom, didactic, procedural skills and simulations. Sessions are based on the Royal College objectives and the CanMEDS roles. Opportunities exist for residents to take formal courses on medical education and improve teaching skills. Our Postgraduate Medical Education office (PGME) has developed a Resident as Teacher online course, as well as a workshop. There are many medical educators keen to mentor residents. All subspecialties ensure teaching is provided in both basic sciences and the clinical aspects of the subspecialty.
Departmental Pediatric Grand Rounds occur weekly and residents will present twice during their training (while in Foundations and Core of Discipline). Admission Rounds provide an opportunity for teaching learners on the Clinical Teaching Unit and residents get to facilitate these sessions several times during their Core of Discipline stage of training.
Our Residents receive funding support to complete and maintain PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support), NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation) and Acute Care Of the at-Risk Newborn (ACoRN) certification.
Research/Scholarly Project
We know that residents have varied experiences with research prior to starting residency. Residents will have the opportunity to review an online Research Methodology course when it works best for them in their academic schedule. First-year residents are expected to identify a research question, find a mentor and start writing a protocol. Many faculty have projects on the go and are keen to have residents on board; our resident research supervisor facilitates an open-format experience for you to get to hear about some of these projects. Your program directors can also help connect you with someone with similar interests if you have some of your own ideas/interests (medical education/QI/advocacy). Residents are expected to submit a grant proposal by the end of first year so that they can carry out their research/scholarly project in second year. In third year, residents present their project at the Department of Pediatrics Research Day and prepare their project for publication. Residents may request 2-4 weeks in each of PGY 2, 3, and 4 to complete their research. It is expected that research time is planned, as it requires approval and the time is accountable. Additional financial support is available to residents through the Trainee Outcome Presentation Program (TOPP).
We are also pleased to offer a research-intensive mentorship program, Training Researchers in Pediatrics (TRIP). This program is supported through the Women and Children's Health Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics for trainees either with advanced research training or demonstrated aptitudes within their residency training and is designed to support future clinician scientists and advanced research portfolios. This is available to all trainees for additional mentorship.
The Clinician Investigator Program (CIP) is available for those interested in obtaining a MSc or PhD in medical sciences and is applied for once you are already underway in your residency training. Funds for research are available through the endowment of the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research and other granting agencies.
Training Sites
The Stollery Children's Hospital is a full-service pediatric hospital located within the University of Alberta Hospital's Walter Mackenzie Centre, with satellite facilities at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Grey Nuns Hospital, Misericordia Hospital and Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. In addition, our position within the larger University Hospital, and University of Alberta, provides for additional learning and research opportunities which are often more difficult to access within a traditional children's hospital. All pediatric disciplines are well represented.
Our referral base of approximately 1.7 million includes Northern Alberta (Red Deer and north), Northeastern B.C and the Western Arctic. Rural/Regional training sites include Maskwacis, Red Deer, Yellowknife, High Level, Cold Lake and Slave Lake.
During the residency, trainees will have the opportunity to experience inpatient and ambulatory care in the teaching hospitals, as well as train in community-based practices within and outside Edmonton. With a broad base upon which to draw, our residents achieve a high level of consulting ability, which will equip them for pediatric practice in any setting as well as provide a sound basis for subspecialty training if desired. Our teaching staff is recognized for its excellence and dedication.
The Stollery Children's Hospital uses ConnectCare, an electronic medical record based on EPIC. Wards and clinics have readily accessible workstations. All call rooms and residents lounge are equipped with computers. There is a medical school library within the University Hospital campus, with an extensive online collection. Canadian Pediatric Society and American Academy of Pediatric memberships are also covered for residents, which provide excellent additional clinical resources.
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.
Summary of changes
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