Program Contacts

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Important Information

Second Iteration – IMG Eligibility (MMI Requirement)

IMG applicants applying in the second iteration must have participated in the Dalhousie Family Medicine IMG MMI during the first iteration of the same match year in order to be eligible for consideration and ranking in the second iteration. IMG applicants who did not interview in the first iteration are not eligible to be considered in the second iteration.

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Licensing Requirement (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and PEI)

To obtain a postgraduate training license in Nova Scotia after the match, Canadian Medical Graduates must register for and challenge the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part I (MCCQE Part I) by July 1, 2026. Graduates who are unsuccessful on the exam will be subject to the decision of the relevant regulatory authority regarding licensure.

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Priority Admissions Pathways and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

Our program is committed to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) throughout the selection process.

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Residents Seeking Transfer Through the Second Iteration

Please note: If you are a resident in a current Canadian postgraduate position using the second iteration of the CaRMS Match as a possible route to change program or specialty, in accordance with the National Transfer Guidelines, you will need to upload all in-training assessments/evaluations and a summary of your training record in addition to the other required components of your CaRMS application.

If you are shortlisted, you will be required to provide permission for the program to speak with your current Program Director.

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Applications and Ranking

Applicants must submit and rank a separate application for each Dalhousie Family Medicine site they wish to be considered for.

Each site is treated as a distinct program in the CaRMS system.

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Interview Process

Only one interview will be conducted per applicant, regardless of the number of Dalhousie Family Medicine sites applied to.

The results of this interview will be considered for all sites.

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Personal Letter

A personal letter is required in addition to the CaRMS application.

If you have particular interests or connections to specific sites, you are encouraged to address them within your single personal letter.

Previous residency training: If you have previously withdrawn from or been dismissed from a residency training program, this must be declared and explained in your personal letter.

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FMProC 2026 Dates and Requirements

First Round
Registration opens: September 10, 2025, at 12 noon ET
Registration closes: October 30, 2025, at 12 noon ET
Test window opens: October 23, 2025, at 12 noon ET
Test window closes: November 6, 2025, at 12 noon ET

Second Round
Registration opens: February 23, 2026, at 12 noon ET
Registration closes: March 9, 2026, at 12 noon ET
Test window opens: February 25, 2026, at 12 noon ET
Test window closes: March 11, 2026, at 12 noon ET

Important Notes

THESE DEADLINES ARE FINAL AND NO REQUEST FOR LATE REGISTRATION OR LATE SITTING OF THE TEST WILL BE CONSIDERED.

Applicants must have completed the FMProC assessment for the 2026 CaRMS cycle. Results are transmitted directly to CaRMS.

Applicants are only required to register, pay for, and complete the FMProC assessment once per CaRMS cycle.

Additional details and sample questions: www.fmproc.com

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Mandatory Curriculum Event: Family Medicine Resident Education Symposium (FMRES)

Dalhousie Family Medicine hosts a mandatory curriculum event each year, the Family Medicine Resident Education Symposium (FMRES).

Attendance is required for all residents at all sites.

Time off will not be approved during this period except in cases of extenuating circumstances.

FMRES 2026 will take place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from Wednesday, August 19 to Friday, August 21, 2026.

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Return of Service (RoS)

All International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who match to Dalhousie Family Medicine residency positions are required to sign a Return of Service (RoS) agreement with the relevant provincial Ministry of Health.

This requirement applies to IMGs matched in either the first or second iteration of the CaRMS match.

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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

The Dalhousie Department of Family Medicine’s program goal is to train residents to be family physicians who through education, research, comprehensive clinical care, and engagement in partnerships, meet the needs of Maritime communities.  Residents are trained to address health needs of all populations including underserved communities and individuals with complex needs, giving them the ability to practice in diverse family practice settings.  

Our program and university value the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in residency education, and achieving a diverse and inclusive group of residents is a goal in our selection process. 

Selection process goals

As a program we are looking for applicants with solid people skills, a variety of life experiences, an admirable work ethic and reasonable academic background. We look for evidence of commitment to family medicine in your personal letter. We are interested in candidates who are comfortable with self-directed learning, with teamwork, with seeking out the countless learning opportunities available, and with an interest in an appropriate balance between personal life, family, community and professional life.

Dalhousie is committed to fostering a collegial culture grounded in diversity and inclusiveness. The university encourages applications from Indigenous persons, persons with a disability, racialized persons, women, persons of a minority sexual orientation and/or gender identity, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community.

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 Dalhousie Program - An Overview:

Have you always wanted to learn in a community setting where family physicians are respected and valued? If so, Dalhousie is the place for you. Teaching residents and students in communities across the Maritimes has been the focus of our Department from its beginnings. Our aim is to encourage residents to become effective, compassionate family physicians who can care for their patients in hospital, ambulatory and community settings. You will be able to learn office practice, in-patient care, obstetrics, procedures and emergency skills from family physicians who are skilled and experienced.

What support is available to residents in the program including rural clinical learning experiences?

Residents are only expected to pay rent in one location. If a resident is required to move to a different site for a core clinical learning experience, the cost of the rent is reimbursed to the resident. Travel expenses are paid when a resident is required to move away from their home site to another site for a core clinical learning experience. If residents are required to travel to multiple sites during a core clinical learning experience, they are reimbursed for the additional kilometres. Travel to and from work is not reimbursed. These supports are provided in accordance with the Maritime Resident Doctors’ Collective Agreement.

Are there opportunities for electives?

Yes, there are ten weeks of electives available in PGY2 year. Residents in the Dalhousie University program can arrange up to four weeks of their elective time outside of the Maritime Provinces. Other elective time should be done in the Maritime Provinces.  Residents can apply to do more than four weeks outside the Maritime Provinces for global health experiences.

What are the research requirements of the program?

A scholarly project is required to be completed during the residency. Residents receive protected time for scholarly activity. It is also expected that the residents will take advantage of any expertise available to them through their core and community practice clinical learning experiences. The purpose of the scholarly project is to introduce the resident to the process of finding answers to questions commonly encountered in primary care by critically reviewing the available literature. Where such answers are found lacking, the resident may choose to employ an appropriate methodology to design a study using proper scientific rigour to answer that question.

What about ATLS, ALARM, ACLS and NRP?

Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), Advances in Labour and Risk Management (ALARM), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) - All residents are required to have an up to date ACLS prior to beginning residency. During the residency, all residents are funded to attend an ATLS course, an ALARM course, an NRP course, and an ACLS refresher.

How do residents learn evidence-based medicine and research skills?

Current approaches to practising evidence-based medicine are taught through patient and practice-based tutorials. Emphasis is on learning the skills to seek the research evidence to support clinical decision-making.

What PGY3 positions are available?

There are PGY3 positions in Emergency Medicine, Palliative Care and Care of the Elderly at Dalhousie. Individualized third year programs may also be available at a resident's request and initiative and subject to funding availability.

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THE INVERNESS PROGRAM - Unique Features
	Inverness has a strong history of being a community site for the Sydney program and faculty are excited to embark on an integrated competency based program centered in family medicine. During the two-year program, residents will take on a panel of patients for whom they will provide care in various domains of practice including the emergency department, inpatient ward and specialist appointments. The curriculum allows for the development of longitudinal relationships between the resident and patients ensuring continuity of care for patients and continuity for learning. Likewise, continuity of the learning environment is maintained since residents will work primarily in the same family medicine environment and have experiences in specialty areas over the course of the whole program. Residents will have longitudinal exposure to Indigenous Health in both community and hospital settings. Teaching and assessment is facilitated by a small core of family physician preceptors thereby ensuring comprehensive assessment of the resident over time. Experienced and skilled family physicians form the core of the educational faculty. The curriculum is focused on achievement of competency rather than on the length of time of training. The program allows residents to take responsibility for their learning, skills development and demonstrating acquisition of competencies. PGY2 residents take responsibility for a subset of patients who are without a primary care provider.  The care is delivered through the resident clinic with supervision by the Inverness Faculty. Residents will be involved in the teaching of medical students when opportunities arise. The training of residents will be done throughout Cape Breton utilizing our Regional center in Sydney when necessary.
What is the ratio of residents to faculty?
	The Inverness program is based on a preceptor model. Teaching and assessment of a resident will be facilitated by one to two primary family medicine preceptors who will ensure continuity of supervision throughout the entire two-year residency. This arrangement will allow residents to have a one-on-one relationship with their mentors. Residents will also work with specialists/consultants who are very focused on family medicine teaching with minimal competition with other learners. **
What resources are available?
	Each Family Medicine practice has computer work stations equipped with high speed internet connectivity using an electronic medical record (EMR). In addition, ICMH and CBRH are equipped for residents with a secure lounge containing a desk, computer, network and printer connection, microwave, coffee maker, fridge and washroom. Residents will also work with specialists/consultants who are very focused on family medicine teaching with minimal competition with other learners. **
What is the average patient load per resident?
	Residents will be responsible for a cohort of patients (patient panel) over the two-year program. Initially residents are booked lightly to ensure that they develop outstanding clinical and practice management skills. Residents will be encouraged to increase their responsibilities as their experience, skills, confidence and competence develop. By the end of the two years, residents will be functioning as family physicians and will be ready for independent practice. **

Our Community and Region:

Distance from nearest airport to Academic Centre	168kms from the J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport to the Inverness Consolidated Hospital.
Housing/Accommodation	Residents are only expected to pay rent in one location and are responsible for securing accommodation.  Average cost of accommodation varies widely.
Resident Contract	Maritime Resident Doctors
Electives	Residents in Dalhousie University program can arrange up to 4 weeks of their elective time outside of the Maritime Provinces.  Other elective time must be done in the Maritime Provinces.  Residents can apply to do more than 4 weeks outside the Maritime Provinces for global health experiences.
Other Location Information	Cape Breton is a beautiful and varied island with some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.  To discover more please click Inverness

 

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Program Curriculum

This residency program is for 2 years.

Program length of training does not exceed the Royal College or College of Family Physicians of Canada standard.

PGY1 and PGY2 Experiences

The curriculum (academic and clinical) is set by the Curriculum Committee which includes members from all ten teaching sites (Annapolis Valley, Cape Breton, Fredericton, Halifax, Miramichi, Moncton, North Nova, Prince Edward Island, Saint John and South West Nova). In the Inverness site, resident training is focused on the College of Family Physician of Canada (CFPC) Triple-C competency-based curriculum. The curriculum also incorporates the CanMEDS-Family Medicine framework, priority topics and key features, core procedures/skill dimensions as outlined by the CFPC. The clinical curriculum is delivered in a longitudinal integrated format over two years of residency with the family medicine experience being the largest component. Longitudinal experiences will also be provided in Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Orthopaedics, General Surgery, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Palliative Medicine.  Limited traditional block rotations are completed for experience in Obstetrics and Gynecology, ICU, Geriatrics and Palliative Care. The academic curriculum will be delivered one half day every two weeks where the Inverness residents have an opportunity to travel to the Sydney site and participate in teaching sessions with their colleagues or connect remotely. Additionally, Evidenced Based Medicine and Journal Club are held with participation from residents, family physicians and specialists. Throughout the two years, all residents in the Dalhousie Family Medicine program also attend problem based learning groups. The topics are common family medicine problems and the modules used are the practice based small group learning modules developed by McMaster University for family physicians. This has been a very effective way to ensure that residents have a good grounding in the basics of family medicine. Residents will also have time allocated for electives (eight weeks) and other learning experiences as required.

 

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Training Sites

 Dalhousie Family Medicine – Site Administrator Contacts 

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Additional Information

Eligibility and Streams

• The first iteration includes separate application streams:

  • Canadian Medical Graduates (CMG): Must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, with no previous post-MD/clinical training.

  • International Medical Graduates (IMG): Must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, with no previous Canadian post-MD/clinical training.

• IMG positions are available at Annapolis Valley, Cape Breton, Halifax, North Nova, South West Nova (NS), Prince Edward Island (PEI), Fredericton, and Miramichi (NB).

• Applicants to the South West Nova francophone position must provide proof of French language proficiency. Accepted tests include:

  • Test d’Évaluation de Français (TEF)

  • Test de Connaissance du Français (TCF)

Return of Service (RoS) Obligation

• All IMGs matching in the first iteration must sign a return of service contract with the Ministry of Health.

  • PEI matches: RoS contract in PEI.

  • NS matches (Annapolis Valley, Cape Breton, South West Nova, North Nova, Halifax): RoS contract in Nova Scotia.

  • NB matches (Fredericton, Miramichi): RoS contract in New Brunswick.

• Please review the relevant provincial criteria for specific details and obligations.

Application Requirements

• The application requirements for IMGs are identical for the first and second iterations.

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FAQ

1. How can I find out more about the program?
   Applicants are welcome to contact any of the Associate Chief Residents listed on our website (http://fmr.medicine.dal.ca) for site-specific questions. For general inquiries, you may also contact the program office directly.
   
   
2. How do I get more information about scheduling electives?
   Undergraduate electives in Family Medicine are available at all of our teaching sites. To arrange an elective or to inquire about availability, contact the Dalhousie Family Medicine Education office at dfm.undergrad@dal.ca.
   
   
3. Am I required to have a vehicle?
   Yes. Due to the rural and distributed nature of our training sites, successful candidates must have a reliable mode of transportation for all clinical rotations and educational experiences. Please note that public transit is limited or unavailable in many areas of the Maritimes, and alternative arrangements may not be feasible. This requirement may not apply to all Halifax-based residents, but is expected at all other sites.
   
   
4. What is the current resident contract like?
   Details about compensation, benefits, and resident responsibilities are available from Maritime Resident Doctors: www.maritimeresidentdoctors.ca.
   
   
5. Will I be required to travel during residency?
   Some required rotations and elective experiences may involve travel within or between sites. The amount of travel depends on each resident’s training plan and site assignment. Residents are expected to plan accordingly. Support for travel and accommodation is available in certain circumstances, in line with program and collective agreement policies.