Program Contacts

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Important Information

At the University of Calgary, we have been fully in CBD (Competency by Design) since July 1, 2021. As such we are still undergoing the same rigorous accreditation process. Our program leads to full Royal College approval in Pediatrics. Certification for trainees includes the completion of a Royal College examination. Residents will also be assessed against training milestones throughout their residency. All milestones (documented within an electronic portfolio) and the Royal College examination must be successfully completed to achieve certification.

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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

Applications are reviewed by faculty and senior residents as assigned and requested by the Program CaRMS subcommittee. Each file is independently reviewed through a robust selection process with a minimum of two reviewers and is given a score based on a review of the references, transcripts, MSPR, personal letter and the curriculum vitae. This score is then used to determine who will be offered an interview. Due to the large number of applicants, we are not able to offer everyone an interview. 

Selection Criteria

Candidates should have a strong academic record, proven interest in our specialty, be self-motivated, adaptable, resilient, and have the ability to see every opportunity as a learning experience. Electives in Pediatrics are not required but evidence of interest and commitment to Pediatrics. Final selection is made through CaRMS. 

Program goals

The vision of our program is to train residents who will be "excellent pediatricians in any setting". We aim to do this by supporting outstanding clinical experiences, supportive teacher learner relationships, innovation, and diversity.

We aim to foster and nurture each individual resident's interests and abilities in all areas of Pediatrics including health advocacy, reasearch/scholarship, quality improvement, and medical education. We have faculty who are skilled in all areas of Pediatrics and serve as mentors and advisors for residents interested in any area whether that be tertiary care based academic work, research, medical education, or community-based as well as rural practice. Graduates of our robust training program go on to General Pediatrics or Subspeciality Pediatrics in about a 50/50 split. 

Some unique features of our program are twice yearly retreats, the scholarly oversight committee, mandatory and protected research course, mentorship programs, longitudinal resident as teacher program, Social Pediatrics and Indigenous health exposure, flexible fourth year tailored to the resident's needs, and a state-of-the art Simulation Lab curriculum with procedural and clinical simulations scheduled on a monthly basis.

Our well-rounded program, engaged faculty, and residents provide a great training environment for almost every interest and passion. Whatever your particular calling in Pediatrics may be, we are confident we can help you thrive as a valued member of our Pediatric Community. Our greater aim is to train Pediatricians to be of service to our diverse population.

Selection process goals

A successful applicant for our program is a resilient individual with strong academic, professional as well as interpersonal skills. Candidates should have a track record of interest in our specialty, be self-motivated, adaptable and have the ability to see every opportunity as a learning experience (growth mindset). We are looking for applicants from all across the country with a broad range of previous experiences. 

 

File review process

Evaluation criteria :

Elective criteria

Interview process

Interview evaluation criteria :

Information gathered outside of CaRMS application

We do not consider any information gathered outside of the CaRMS application and local interview processes.

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

RPC VISION: "Excellent Pediatricians in any setting" RPC MISSION: We aim to do this by fostering outstanding learning experiences, supportive teacher-learner relationships, innovation and diversity The vision of our program is to train residents who will be "excellent pediatricians in any setting". We aim to do this by supporting outstanding clinical experiences, supportive teacher learner relationships, innovation and diversity. We aim to foster and nurture each individual resident's interests and abilities in all areas of Pediatrics including health advocacy, research/scholarship and medical education. We have faculty who are skilled in all areas of Pediatrics and can serve as mentors and advisors for residents interested in all areas whether that be tertiary care based academic work, research, medical education, or community-based/rural practice. Graduates of our robust training program go on to General Pediatrics or Subspeciality Pediatrics in about a 50/50 split.  Our diverse program, engaged faculty, and residents provide a great training environment for almost every interest and passion. Whatever your particular calling in Pediatrics may be, we are confident we can help you thrive as a valued member of our Pediatric Community. Our greater aim is to train Pediatricians to be of service to our diverse population.   1. Simulation Program We have a state-of-the-art simulation lab with dedicated simulation facilities and a world-renowned KidSIM program that offers simulation based learning and courses for all levels of learners. Simulation is integrated into resident education with monthly simulation-based Academic half days covering a variety of clinical scenarios and procedural skills.  All simulation amenable EPAs are covered in our ProSkills series which is constantly being enhanced for learner needs.  2. Out-of-town Regional/Small urban experiences Many outlying centres in Alberta welcome residents and all residents must participate in at least one regional training site rotation during the Core of Discipline stage. These include both urban and rural regional hospitals within the province. The DLRI (Distributed Learning and Rural Initiatives) provides additional funding supports. Electives in other regional or rural jurisdictions are encouraged as long as they meet the learning objectives for the program and Royal College certification. 3. Resident Retreats & Well-Being Two retreats are held annually, one in the city in the Fall and the other outside of the city in the Spring. The Fall retreat is usually focused on advocacy and community service while the Spring retreat is focused on teambuilding and resident wellness. These retreats provide a break from the rigors of residency while providing an alternate learning opportunity. The retreats are considered mandatory events and residents are protected from their usual clinical and administrative duties during this time. We also have two dedicated faculty Wellness advocates and an active Resident Wellness Committee that puts together additional wellness events throughout the year.  4. Formative Exams: OSCEs, OHP (Observed History and Physical), and CPPD (Canadian Pediatric Program Director's) exams There are several formative exams during each of the residency years to support clinical learning and preparation for the Royal College Certifying examinations. Practice OSCEs and MCQs are held twice a year, and two observed OHPs are completed each year in preparation for the STACER.   5. Longitudinal Clinic Starting in PGY2 year, all residents are paired with a Community Pediatrician for a Longitudinal Clinic. The resident will attend a full day clinic (minimum 5 days per year) where they will see new consultations and provide ongoing follow-up for these patients. The resident will continue with this clinic throughout the remainder of their training. This clinic allows residents to develop long term relationships with both Pediatric patients/families and their community preceptor.  6. Research and Quality Improvement Projects In the Foundations of Discipline stage there is a dedicated research block designed to provide the foundation for scholarly projects in terms of research methodology. Each resident will also be assigned to a Scholarly Oversight Committee faculty member, who will support residents in designing feasible projects, identifying preceptors/supervisors, monitoring progress, and assisting residents in achieving the goal of a completed scholarly project during their training. This project may be in clinical QI/QA or educational areas. The program supports residents who are presenting their research at conferences. All residents are expected to present their final research findings at Resident Research Day. 7. Fourth Year Transition to Practice In the Transition to Practice stage residents have the flexibility to tailor their curriculum to make up for missing core experiences or go more in-depth to a particular area of interest that best fits with their individual learning needs and ultimate career goals.  8. Social Pediatrics All residents complete a Social Pediatrics rotation, during which residents are attending child abuse consultations and reviews, home assessments and follow-ups, school assessments, refugee clinic and outreach to First Nations communities, among other opportunities. Impact and care of socially disadvantaged patients are covered in this experience.  Residents are requested complete a written reflection at the conclusion of this block.  9. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Our program has dedicated ongoing efforts in maintaining an inclusive and respectful environment for all. With support of the PGME and University of Calgary, we have been successful in securing funds to implement First Nations simulations and outreach clinics in our curriculum.  The University of Calgary also provides funding supports for learning opportunities in the Northwest, Yukon, and Nunavit territories. 10. Mentorship Groups All residents participate in a mentorship group that is led by a faculty member and includes residents from various years in the program. These groups meet as best suits their needs and desires of each particular group. Mentorship groups allow for near-peer and faculty led mentoring in an informal, small group and collegial atmosphere.  11. Procedural Skills Course There is a Procedural Skills Curriculum that is scheduled as a regular component of our Academic Half-day. Residents are provided with learning resources (handouts, videos, etc.) ahead of time describing the techniques of the procedures to be practiced, and during the session preceptors facilitate procedural skills training using task trainers. NRP and PALS skills practice sessions are also included as part of this course. Our goal is for residents to develop greater confidence and sense of self-efficacy with these skills, with the intent that this will then translate into more clinical procedural skills exposure as well. 12. Residents as Teachers Longitudinal Curriculum and Med Ed Scholarly Opportunities  We have established a program to develop our Residents as Teachers. This program includes both a longitudinal Resident as Teacher curriculum as well as bedside coaching and feedback for residents to develop their teaching skills. This curriculum culminates in the Teaching Senior rotation. Residents also have the opportunity to engage in scholarly work related to medical education through the support and guidance of PGME Residents Education Scholars Program (RESP).  13. Resident Well-Being and Professional Development Advocate We have two dedicated faculty members who serve as the Resident Well-Being and Professional Development advocates for our program. These faculty members provide an "at arms-length to the program" contact point for any residents experiencing challenges related to wellness or well-being. They also act as bridge between our program and the various wellness resources and services offered by our PGME as well as local medical associations. Our Resident Wellness Committee puts together additional wellness events throughout the year.

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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.

RPC VISION: Excellent pediatricians in any setting

RPC MISSION: We aim to do this by fostering outstanding learning experiences, supportive teacher-learner relationships, innovation and diversity. 

Our goal is to have residents emerge from the program with the necessary skills and knowledge to practice General Pediatrics in any setting or to have a base upon which they can further their education by training in Subspecialty areas or academic pursuits. 

Program Description 

Since July 1, 2021, our program is now completely in the Competence By Design (CBD) curriculum. The 4 stages of CBD are mapped over 4 years. Residents may choose to enter a Subspecialty CaRMS process in their third year or aim to practice in General Pediatrics after completing the program. The Transition to Discipline (TTD) and Foundations (FOD) in first year are designed to provide a broad exposure to General Pediatrics and include a Research Methodology Course (RMC) block to develop those fundamental skills early. The Core of Discipline (COD) in second and third years provides exposure to career options by allowing residents to explore General Pediatrics or Subspecialties in greater depth and consolidate knowledge acquired during rotations in addition to electives. The Transition to Practice (TTP) in 4th year has greater flexibility and opportunity to individualize training according to a resident's need or interests.

Our Academic half-day curriculum spans over 3 years and ensures coverage of all core Pediatric objectives as set out by the RCPSC, as well as providing training in other CanMEDS roles, including Health Advocate, Communicator and Collaborator.

Note: that the sequence of rotations will vary in each year for each resident to balance out the number of residents in each rotation and maximize the learning opportunities for all. PGY2-4 residents may submit a maximum of 3 scheduling requests per year. PGY1 residents may choose from curriculum options.  

Time-off/Holiday Allowances 

Please refer to the PARA Collective Agreement available online for additional information for all medical trainees in Alberta.

All residents get 20-days in total for vacation. 2 weeks are built into the master rotation schedule and the remaining days are booked by residents and taken throughout the year.

There are 4 days of Flex/Float, 5 Special Leave days, in addition to a total of 20 vacation days listed above. 

There are 5 conference days that may be used for travel time and conference attendance. 

Holiday break of 6-days vacation, either over Christmas or New Years, that does not count against the vacation allotment

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POST-GRADUATE PEDIATRIC MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

Residency Training Experiences (RTE) as of July 2024  

TRANSITION TO DISCIPLINE and FOUNDATIONS (PGY1)	# Blocks
TRAINING EXPERIENCES (PGY-1)                                                       13
Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU) - Junior Teams	3
Neonatology Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Level II	1
Research Methods Course	1
Community Pediatrics	2
Pediatric Surgery	1
Pediatric Respiratory Medicine	1
Pediatric Gastroenterology	1
Pediatric Infectious Diseases	1
Pediatric Emergency Medicine	1
Normal Newborns at PLC	0.5
Vacation (2 weeks paired with 0.5 NNB block and 2 weeks taken out of rotations, max 1 week off per 4 week rotation)	0.5

  

CORE (PGY-2)/(PGY-3)   # Blocks
Training Experiences (PGY-2)                                                                 13
Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU) Foundation 4	1
Developmental Pediatrics	1
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)	2
Neonatology Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Level III**	1
Pediatric Cardiology	1
Pediatric Oncology/Hematology or Pediatric Oncology	1
Pediatric Endocrinology	1
Pediatric Nephrology	1
Pediatric Neurology	1
Elective	2
Research	0.5
Vacation (2 weeks paired with research block and 2 weeks taken out of rotations, max 1 week per rotation)	0.5
Longitudinal Clinic 1 day every other block on average	Longitudinal experience
**Longitudinal Call for NICU after first Level III NICU

   

CORE (PGY-2)/(PGY-3)	# Blocks
Training Experiences (PGY-3)                                                                   13
Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU) - Core 1 and 2	2
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)	1
Neonatology Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Level III**	1
Pediatric Emergency Medicine	1
Research (could be replaced by Elective if research complete)	0.5
Junior Consultant (PLC or other small urban center)	1
Neonatology Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Level II at RGH or PLC or SHC	1
Adolescent Medicine	1
Social Pediatrics	1
Elective	1.5
Teaching Senior (paired with vacation)	0.5
Selective	1
Vacation (2 weeks paired with Teaching Sr block and 2 weeks taken out of rotations, max 1 week per 4 week rotation)	0.5
Longitudinal Clinic 1 day every other block on average	Longitudinal experience
**Longitudinal Call for NICU or PICU

 

Transition to Practice (PGY-4)	# Blocks
TRAINING EXPERIENCES (PGY-4)                                                            13
Community Pediatrics (mandatory small urban center location)	1
Palliative Care	1
Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU) TTP 1 and 2	2
PEM	1
NICU	1
Teaching Senior (paired with vacation)	0.5
Selective TTP: ASAP (Anesthesia/STEP/PICU*), or Complex Care	1
Elective	3
Ambulatory	2
Vacation (2 weeks paired with Teaching Sr block and 2 weeks taken out of rotations, max 1 week per rotation)	0.5
Longitudinal Clinic 1 day every other block on average	Longitudinal experience
**Longitudinal Call for NICU or PICU

 Note: The CORE STAGE experiences should be viewed as a continuum (mainly encompassed within the PGY2/PGY3 years) with most of the rotations and electives having the potential to take place in either years. Exceptions are CTU, NICU and PICU (have to go in particular order), Junior Consultant and Small Urban rotations to be in second half of CORE stage.

Note: Vacation allotments are per appointment year (i.e. PGY-1) even though depicted here according to CBD Stage. This depiction by stage is for planning purposes only. Actual vacations will be allotted according to academic year and will be scheduled as such with input from the resident during master schedule planning. 

U of C MANDATORY SUBSPECIALITIES	SELECTIVES
Pediatric Surgery	1 block available in CORE
Developmental Pediatrics
Adolescent Medicine	Child Psychiatry/Mental Health
Pediatric Cardiology	Genetics/Metabolic
Pediatric Respiratory Medicine	Hematology
Pediatric Gastroenterology	Allergy/Immunology
Pediatric Infectious Diseases	Rheumatology
Pediatric Oncology	Complex Care
Pediatric Endocrinology	*max 2 blocks/subspecialty
Pediatric Nephrology	*max 3 blocks research
Pediatric Neurology
Social Pediatrics
Palliative Care
ELECTIVES
3.5 blocks available in CORE
3-3.5 blocks available in Transition to Practice

Scholarly Activity

Completion of a scholarly project is mandatory in all RCPSC programs in Pediatrics. One block is set aside in first year to teach research skills and methodology and begin a research project. Each resident has a faculty preceptor for their research project. There is an annual Resident Research Day when all residents present their research to date, either in progress or complete. Residents are encouraged and supported to present their research at local or national meetings. In the remaining years of the program residents may have further dedicated research blocks to complete their projects. 

Each resident will be assigned to a Scholarly Oversight Committee faculty member. This committee will support residents in designing feasible projects, identifying preceptors/supervisors, monitoring progress and ensuring adherence to the timelines for completion to assist all residents in achieving the goal of a completed and relevant body of work.

 

Resident Complement

2024-2025 General Pediatric Post-Graduate Trainees

We have 52 General Pediatric Residents

•   8 - Internationally trained graduates
• 44 - Canadian trained graduates

A total of 71 subspecialty residents and fellows

Our Subspecialty program include Endocrinology, Developmental Medicine, Gastroenterology, Hematology/Oncology, Infection Diseases, KidSIMulation, Medical Genetics, Neonatal/Perinatal, Nephrology, Neurology, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Pediatric Hospital Medicine, and Respirology.

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Training Sites

General Description

The Pediatric Residency Program at the University of Calgary is located at the Alberta Children's Hospital with affiliated facilities at Foothills Medical Centre (FMC), Peter Lougheed Centre (PLC), Rockyview General Hospital (RGH), and the South Health Campus (SHC). There are also rotations in community Pediatric offices within Calgary and smaller urban centers such as Lethbridge, Red Deer, and Medicine Hat.

Alberta Children's Hospital (ACH)

The Alberta Children's Hospital is a state-of-the-art facility which is the tertiary care centre for southern Alberta, southwestern Saskatchewan and southeastern British Columbia.  It is the only hospital in Southern Alberta devoted to the care of children and the only designated pediatric trauma center in Southern Alberta.  The Emergency Department sees over 50,000 patients annually and clinics have over 280,000 outpatient visits per year.  There are 15 beds in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, 157 inpatient beds, 8 operating rooms, and one special procedures room.  The hospital also houses the Gordon Townsend School for children with special needs and the Rotary Flames House. 

Peter Lougheed Centre (PLC)

The PLC is a general community hospital that includes a level II neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) staffed by neonatologists. There is also a Normal Newborn nursery and general pediatric ward which are both staffed by general pediatricians.

Rockyview General Hospital (RGH)

This is a general community hospital with a Normal Newborn nursery and a Level II NICU staffed by neonatologists and general pediatricians.

Foothills Medical Centre (FMC)

This is the site of the level III NICU which is the tertiary level referral centre for extremely pre-term and sickest infants in Southern Alberta, southwestern Saskatchewan and southeastern British Columbia. The Southern Alberta Neonatal Transport Service (SANTS) transports the sickest infants in Southern Alberta are transported to this NICU.  This site also includes Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) consultations for high-risk pregnancies.

Child Development Centre (CDC)

The Child Development Centre, which is adjacent to the Alberta Chidren's Hosptial, houses the Developmental and Child Abuse Clinics. This state of the art centre officially opened October 9, 2007.

Small Urban Centers

Rural Pediatric Education is at the forefront of our Provincial Government's plans to increase community pediatricians in rural settings. 

Red Deer, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat are small centers with population of approximately 100,000 with community pediatricians and general hospitals with pediatric wards and level II NICUs. All are located within 1.5 to 3 hours drive from Calgary. Residents will work in both community offices and the hospitals. When a resident has a mandatory rotation in one of these centers, accommodation will be provided at no cost to the resident.

The South Health Campus (SHC)

The South Health Campus is a general hospital in the South of Calgary. There is a level II NICU and Newborn Nursery, pediatric emergency as well as specialized and general pediatrics clinics located at this site. 

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Additional Information

About Calgary

Nestled in the Foothills of Canada's Rocky Mountains, is Calgary, "Heart of the New West". A place where visitors come to explore the heritage of the Canadian West. This safe, clean and vibrant city offers the best of all worlds: a cosmopolitan city of over 1 million people and breathtaking outdoor adventure in pristine wilderness. Close proximity to the Canadian Rockies provides a year round playground right at your back door.

In addition, Calgary offers many cultural, sporting and outdoor activities.

http://www.tourismcalgary.com/

 

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada: Competence by Design (CBD) Competence by Design (royalcollege.ca)

CBD is a hybrid CBME model designed to work within the Canadian context, and combines a time-based and an outcomes-based approach to learning. It reviews the design, implementation, assessment and evaluation of each specialty program across Canada’s 17 medical universities, using CanMEDS 2015 as an organizing framework of competencies.

In CBD, progression of competence occurs within a structured but flexible curriculum consisting of five core components. More specifically, in a competency-based approach, competencies required for practice form a framework and are accordingly organized into a progressive sequence. Promoting resident progression forms the basis for the design of all curricular elements: learning experiences that are tailored to the acquisition of competencies, instruction that is competency-focused and assessment that is programmatic in approach.

For more information, please contact cbd@royalcollege.ca.

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FAQ

Q: Can I send more than three references?

A: NO- The Reviewers will only look at the first three references.

 

Q Is a CV mandatory?

A: YES

 

Q: Do all applicants get an interview?

A:  NO - Due to the large number of applicants there is a screening process and not all applicants are offered an interview.

 

Q:  If I do not receive an invite to interview, can I ask for my file to be reviewed again?

A:  NO - Each file is initially reviewed by at least 2 reviewers.  File review scores are considered FINAL when interview offers are made.

 

Q:  Can I ask that my name be placed on a wait list?

A:  NO - We do not keep a wait list.  Alternatively, if a candidate declines their interview offer then the next candidate on the ranking list will be offered.