Western University - Neuropathology - London
2026 R-1 Main Residency Match - second iteration
Competitive Stream for IMG
Last approved on March 16, 2026
Summary of changesApproximate Quota:
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Accreditation status : Accredited
Provincial Criteria
University Hospital, LHSC
Room A3-222
London, Ontario, N6A 5C1
Program Contacts
Important Information
The Neuropathology training program at Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry received full accreditation (2019). We just had an Internal Review in Spring 2025.
All programs at Western commence on July 1.
There will be a one-day orientation in London (date TBA) that all residents are strongly encouraged to attend.
Return of Service
This program has a return of service obligation attached to it. Please review the provincial criteria for more information, found here: https://www.carms.ca/match/r-1-main-residency-match/eligibility-criteria/
General Instructions
Program application language: English
There are no additional general instructions beyond those described by CaRMS.
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)
• Proof of Protected Person / Convention Refugee Status
• Certificate of Indian Status / Aboriginal Status or Makivik Society Card
• Canadian Citizenship Card (both sides of card)
Must be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident at the time of application. Proof of valid current citizenship or permanent resident status must be provided by File Review Opening deadline. Failure to provide valid proof will result in your application being removed. No other forms of verification are acceptable.
- Notarized/certified photocopy of Birth Certificate issued by an authority in Canada accompanied by photo ID (must be a Canadian government issued photo ID), or
- Notarized/certified photocopy of Canadian Passport, or
- Notarized/certified photocopy of confirmation of permanent residence accompanied by a photo ID (must be a Canadian government issued photo ID), or
- Notarized/certified photocopy of Permanent Resident Card/Canadian Citizen Card – copies of both sides of card must be provided and legible, or
- Notarized/certified photocopy of Proof of Protected Person/Convention Refugee Status, or
- Notarized/certified photocopy of Certificate of Indian Status/Aboriginal Status or Makivvik Society Card
For more information on citizenship requirements, please visit https://www.carms.ca/match/r-1-main-residency-match/eligibility-criteria/r-1-summary-of-citizenship-requirements/
Three reference letters are required and should be written by staff physicians/faculty members who know the applicant well and who can speak to the applicant's aptitude for Neurosciences in general and Neuropathology in particular. All reference letters will be reviewed. In applying to the program, the applicant gives permission for us to contact referees directly.
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).
Required.
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.
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 LetterAll applicants must submit a personal letter of application of approximately 1,000 words. This should include a description of your interest in Neuropathology, why you are well-suited to the specialty, and what makes you a good candidate for our training program. Please include any other pertinent information which may be helpful in the selection process.
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
Any members of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine may be involved in the review process. The review of applications is independent (not by consensus) and considers all aspects of the application.
Selection Criteria
Candidates will be selected on the basis of their academic record, proven interest in and aptitude for Neuropathology, letters of recommendation and interviews.
Superior communication and interpersonal skills and a strong desire for scholarship, collaboration, mentorship and teamwork are essential.
Program goals
The goal of the Neuropathology (NP) program is to provide residents with excellent training in all areas of NP. In addition, residents should have a good understanding of basic and clinical neurosciences, acting as a resource in clinical practice and research. After completion of training, the residents will have the knowledge and skills to pass the Royal College Examination and to function as consultant neuropathologists and possess the foundation to become leaders in the field. As neuropathologists typically practice in large academic institutions, graduates should embrace both teaching and research as integral aspects of the specialty.
Selection process goals
Skills and attributes of a successful applicant will be considered by the RPC, file reviewers and the Program Director. These skills and attributes are designed to give residents the greatest opportunity for success in the program:
- Demonstrated interest in / commitment to Pathology
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills
- Academic ability
- Suitability for training
- Ability to work independently and in a team
- Research interest and ability
File review process
Review team composition : The review team is comprised of the Program Director and designated members of the Residency Program Committee.
Average number of applications received by our program in the last five years : 0 - 50
Average percentage of applicants offered interviews : 51 - 75 %
| File component | Criteria |
|---|---|
| CV | Effective balance between personal and professional activities |
| Electives | We do not evaluate this file component |
| Examinations | Evidence of academic success |
| Extra-curricular | Varied activities which promote balance in personal development |
| Leadership skills | Leadership potential in professional and personal endeavours |
| MSPRs | Evidence of academic success |
| Personal letters | Demonstrated interest in Neurosciences and/or the specialty of Neuropathology |
| Reference documents | CanMEDS domains |
| Research/Publications | Interest and aptitude in scholarly work |
| Transcripts | Evidence of academic success, including Neurosciences and Pathology |
Elective criteria
Interview process
Interview format :
We routinely accommodate requests to re-schedule interviews for applicants due to weather, technology failure or unforeseen circumstances.
| Interview components | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Collaboration skills | Insight, mindfulness and awareness of collaborative opportunities |
| Collegiality | Aptitude to work harmoniously with others |
| Communication skills | Ability to communicate effectively in spoken English |
| Health advocacy | Awareness of impact of Neuropathology diagnoses on patient health |
| Interest in the discipline | Awareness of skills and abilities required |
| Interest in the program | Familiarity with Western, Clinical Neurosciences and Pathology at Western and elsewhere |
| Leadership skills | Aptitude and ability to lead |
| Professionalism | Professionalism during interview |
| Scholarly activities | Interest in research |
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
The Neuropathology training program at Western is one of the country's oldest (since 1972) and most productive. Our graduates have been highly successful in the Royal College examinations and their careers in Canada and around the world in clinical work, research, education and administration.
Our program enjoys strong partnerships with programs in Diagnostic and Molecular Pathology (formerly known as Anatomical Pathology) and Clinical Neurological Sciences (with training programs in Neurology, Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology). These close working relationships extend through patient care, consultations, teaching, shared rounds and research collaborations each enhancing the training environment for Neuropathology Residents.
Our teaching hospitals, affiliated with the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, provide tertiary care for over 2.5 million people in Southwestern and Central Ontario. Our colleagues in Neurology, Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology have an even larger referral base (estimated to be over 3.5 million), providing Neuropathology trainees with broad and deep exposure.
Western University, founded in 1878, hosts close to 30,000 undergraduate students, making it one of Canada's largest. Our trainees are part of a large and highly integrated centre dedicated to health care and health care education. With the country's highest entrance average in the Sciences, Western is a leader in undergraduate training and in healthcare fields including Medicine, Dentistry, Public Health, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy. Western's campus and our teaching hospitals, clinics and research facilities are enriched by more than 1000 Medical and Dental students and a similar number of Residents and Fellows from our various specialty training programs. Western remains a key element in London's history and prosperity, boasting a long and rich tradition of prominent alumni that continues to expand thanks to world-class students, faculty and facilities.
http://www.uwo.ca/
https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/
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.
Neuropathology
The goal of the Neuropathology (NP) program is to provide residents with world-class training in all areas of NP. Residents should also have a good understanding of basic and clinical neurosciences to act as a resource person in clinical practice and research. After completion of training, graduates will have knowledge and skills to pass the Royal College Examination, function as consultant neuropathologists and possess the foundation to become leaders in the field. As neuropathologists usually practice in large academic centers, they should also embrace the roles of teaching and research in this specialty.
The Neuropathology program at Western University received full accreditation (2019). The program transitioned to competency based medical education curriculum (CBME) in July 2022.
The transition to discipline and the foundational stages are designed to provide a broad based medical training and build a foundation for Neuropathology training. It includes rotations in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuroradiology, Anatomical Pathology and Neuropathology.
During the core training, trainees in the NP work closely with the staff neuropathologists on a daily basis helping to prepare, study, diagnose and report on the surgical and autopsy material that comes to the Division. Trainees are also exposed to technical procedures that are special to NP and additional laboratory management considerations. In addition to general adult surgical and autopsy NP, residents gain cumulative exposure to neurocytology, developmental NP, perinatal and pediatric NP, forensic NP and neuromuscular pathology. A two-month rotation in Pediatric Neuropathology at the University of British Columbia or the University of Toronto is mandatory. Residents are also required to gain experience in cytogenetics, molecular pathology and electron microscopy. Residents are required to participate and present in academic rounds and conferences.
At the stage of transition to practice, NP residents are expected to provide supervisory, teaching, and leadership roles for the more junior NP residents and off-service residents.
Education Program
A weekly academic half day (Tuesday mornings) incorporates a number of elements including case presentations, basic/clinical topic reviews and journal reviews. Unknown microscopic slide sessions are another key element where selected cases are examined by residents who learn to derive a histopathological diagnosis based on a step-by-step Socratic analysis of the histopathological findings. Attendance in the Neuroscience Grand Rounds is also part of the education program for NP residents. A large number of additional high-quality educational rounds (Neuroradiology, Neuromuscular, Stroke, Epilepsy, Surgical Pathology, Forensic Pathology, etc.) and academic half-day curricula (Anatomic Pathology, City-wide Academic half-day) are available. Additional teaching sessions relevant to wider groups (all Neuroscience residents as well as AP and NP residents) are interspersed.
The program is enriched by the constant stream of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Anatomical Pathology residents rotating through providing different perspectives to the subject of Neuropathology. Appraisal and critical reading of journals and research papers is acquired through participation at the Pathology Journal Club Seminar Series run by the Pathology Graduate Medical Education. At PGY4/PGY5, residents are required to participate in a self-assessment program in which each resident will formulate a customized study plan covering all the topics in the NP curriculum and assignments on the individual topics will be posted for the resident for completion on a regular basis. The program director will oversee the implementation of this program but the individual residents will be responsible for completing the assignments in a timely fashion. A weekly series of practical examinations with microscopic slides and powerpoint presentations is instituted to prepare PGY5 residents for the fellowship examination.
Electives
There is a period up to 12 months available for each resident for elective rotations. Common elective rotations include Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuro-oncology, and Pediatric Neuropathology. Residents could also take a research elective on a project related to Neuroscience or Pathology.
Research
Opportunities for research are innumerable and our trainees are regularly published and frequent awardees at departmental, local, national and international scientific conferences. Residents are encouraged to participate in clinical and bench research and there exists an abundance of retrievable pathological material available for residents to use for case reviews and reports. Residents have access to funding to attend scientific conferences.
Evaluations
Resident evaluations at end of rotation are based on the CanMEDS Roles - Medical Expert, Communicator, Collaborator, Manager, Health Advocate, Scholar and Professional. In addition, short-answer question exams, practical (glass slide and image-based) exams and oral examinations are given periodically each year. Continuation in the program is contingent upon satisfactory performance in these areas.
https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/pathol/postgraduate/residency_programs/neuropathology.html
Training Sites
Neuropathology Resources
The Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department is centralized at London Health Sciences Centre, University Hospital. All pathologists and residents work together, on one site, in a new and modern department. The department is equipped with digital imaging equipment and residents have dedicated computer access to the internet and to word processing and Powerpoint software as well as a digital camera attached to a microscope. On-line acess to medical journals is standard.
https://www.lib.uwo.ca/
The department serves as a referral centre for over 2,500,000 people in Southern Ontario ensuring exposure to a wide range of pathological material (approximately 600 autopsies, 55,000 surgical and 30,000 cytological specimens). The department is equipped for Electron Microscopy, Immunopathology and Molecular Pathology/Cytogenetics, and there are complete services in Medical Biochemistry, Medical Microbiology, and Hematology. Regional cytogenetics and clinical immunology laboratories are located in London. The Clinical Neurological Sciences brings together Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuroradiology and Neuropathology in a deeply collaborative environment of patient care, teaching and research.
http://www.schulich.uwo.ca/pathol/
http://www.cnsuwo.ca/
Additional Information
About London
London was first inhabited in the early 1800s and incorporated as a city in 1855. With its abundant trees and parks, "The Forest City" is a pleasant home to more than 350,000 located in Southwestern Ontario, midway between Toronto and Windsor/Detroit. London offers many of the amenities of a larger city without the . A sizable proportion of London's population works at Western University or in one of the several health care or research facilities. London is also home to several large corporations creating a strong economic base. outstanding restaurants, markets, a vibrant visuaul art and performing arts scene and many community-oriented events. The London International airport facilitates regional, national and international travel.
For sports fans, London has much to offer including top amateur and professional sports teams. Individual and team summer and winter sports facilities and leagues are extensive for all levels of expertise. Water sports are available at Fanshawe Lake (in the city), Lake Huron (30 minutes northwest of the city) and Lake Erie (30 minutes south). The city also boasts extensive manicured and paved pathways along the Thames River and tributaries, connecting the grounds of Western University and various city parks for walking, running, cycling and rollerblading. In the short winter months, cross country skiing is available throughout the city in parks and on groomed trails. Although we have no Rockies, downhill skiing is avialable at the London Ski Club with larger elevations near Collingwood and Barrie. Mountain biking, hiking, golfing, racquet sports and other recreational activities are abundantly available.
London also hosts a variety of summer festivals that celebrate our diversity of music, food and culture. For big-city entertainment, Toronto and Detroit are a convenient 2 hours from London by car or train. The town of Stratford, home of the renowned Stratford festival (Shakespearean and other live theater) is a 40 minute drive from London.
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