Program Contacts

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Important Information

The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation. The Department of Family Medicine additionally participates in clinical programs in Inuit communities. We respect the Treaties and Agreements that were made on these territories, we acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past, and we dedicate ourselves to move forward in partnership with Indigenous communities in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.

 

MANDATORY ORIENTATION SESSIONS:

The mandatory full day Postgraduate Medical Education Orientation for all residents will be held on Friday, June 26, 2026

The mandatory full day Family Medicine Residency Orientation will be held on Monday, June 29, 2026

 

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

Prior to the commencement of training, matched applicants must provide proof of ACLS certification that is current as of July 1, 2026. The ACLS Provider course must be certified by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada or the American Heart Association. ACLS training that is not certified by one of these two organizations and/or is completed entirely through an online course will not be accepted. Applicants are responsible for all costs associated with obtaining ACLS certification. We provide a re-certification course in your second year of residency prior to graduation.

 

Family Medicine Professional Choices (FMProC)

The Family Medicine Professional Choices (FMProC) testing is mandatory for all applicants. It is a situational judgement test designed to evaluate your professional reasoning, communication skills and aptitude for responding effectively to diverse clinical situations. It primarily consists of two types of questions: ranking and rating scenarios.

FMProC registration for the first round of CaRMS 2026 will be open on September 10, 2025. More details: https://fmproc.com/

Situational judgement tests are designed to assess applicant’s judgement regarding situations encountered in the workplace or during training. Applicants are presented with a set of hypothetical based scenarios and asked to make judgements about possible responses. Applicants responses are evaluated against a pre-determined scoring key to provide a picture of their situational judgement in that particular context.

The development and modification of the scenarios in FMProC involved input from several leaders with different perspectives, roles and experiences. This included family physicians, educators, family medicine residents and medical students, Indigenous health, rural and remote family medicine, 2SLGBTQ+, anti-racism, international medical graduates and more. This specifically included groups under-represented in medicine to ensure, as much as possible, that no group is disadvantaged by the test format or content.

Resident Home Location and Travel Requirements

As a resident in the Northern Thompson stream, you will be expected to maintain a residence in Thompson. You will travel across northern Manitoba and possibly northern Canada.  

Air travel is a MANDATORY component of this stream.

Vacation Allowance

Vacation in PGY1 can be taken in the following ways:

• Two weeks in each of two blocks in conjunction with an approved elective or Family Medicine Block Time in the remaining two weeks of the same blocks
• Vacation in 1 week blocks can be taken during Family Medicine Block Time
• One 4 week vacation block

*Vacation is not allowed in Block 1 in PGY1. 

Though the program tries to accommodate residents’ specific vacation period requests, constraints of scheduling often requires flexibility and not all requests will be approved.

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Return of Service

The following applicants will be required to sign a Return of Service "ROS" contract with the Province of Manitoba. The ROS commitment is commensurate with the length of the training program

• All IMG's entering all training programs. IMG's already holding a return of service obligation must disclose these obligations at the time of application. IMG's who have undischarged return of service obligations may not be eligible to begin training in a position funded by Manitoba Health.
• Such individuals may wish to contact Shared Health at pmao-residents@sharedhealthmb.ca for more information.

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General Instructions

Program application language: English

You are required to fulfill ALL of the most current Provincial Criteria for International Medical Graduates for Manitoba.

The criteria can be found at:  https://www.carms.ca/match/r-1-main-residency-match/eligibility-criteria/manitoba/

 

 

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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

Applicants must apply to, and rank each of the University of Manitoba Family Medicine programs individually. There is one central review process.

The same personal letter should be used for all University of Manitoba Family Medicine applications.

There will be only one interview irrespective of the number of programs to which you apply; there may be specific additional questions based on your program interests.

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Interviews

Dates:

• March 24, 2026
• March 25, 2026

Selection Criteria

The Department of Family Medicine at the University of Manitoba is committed to a fair, equitable, and transparent selection process. 

To address the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion we take proactive measures including implicit bias training for all selection committees. We strive for diversity and cultural safety throughout the process (hiring panels, short-list of candidates, interviews). We encourage you to self-identify any aspect of diversity in your personal statement.

All CMG applicants will have a comprehensive and structured review of their CaRMS file including the personal letter, MSPR, CV and letters of reference. The review will be conducted by faculty, clinic staff and current residents from any site, regardless of the sites to which you have applied. Selection for interview will be determined by the outcome of the file review.

Applicants who are invited for interview will participate in one structured interview, regardless of the number of sites to which you have applied. The structured interview may have questions specific to the sites to which you have applied. 

The rank order list is generated specific to each site based upon your file review, your interview, and your FMProC score.

Program goals

Selection process goals

An inclusive, open and diverse community is essential to excellence and fosters voices that have been ignored or discouraged. To address the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences commitment to equity, access and participation, and in recognition of the underrepresentation of members of historically and currently excluded groups,  our program has taken the following proactive measures as part of our selection process:

Implicit bias training for all selection committee members, diverse representation of selection committee members, inclusion of interview questions targeted to assess applicant commitment to EDIA, offering necessary accommodations during the interview process, second pass/review of applicants below interview and rank order list cut off to review for possible bias in scoring, orientation to all assessors to scoring rubrics, file review completed by dedicated, trained group.

We strive for diverse perspectives and cultural safety throughout the hiring process (resident selection committees, short-list of applicants, interviews). We ask all applicants to include an EDIA statement in their personal letter with evidence demonstrating their own commitment to EDIA in their work and training thus far.

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

Overview of Department

https://umanitoba.ca/medicine/department-family-medicine

The University of Manitoba is committed to the social justice principles of equity, access & participation and to promoting opportunities for systemically marginalized groups who have been excluded from full participation at the University and the larger community including Indigenous, Black, racially marginalized Peoples, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse sexual identities) and women.

For more than 40 years, the University of Manitoba’s Department of Family Medicine has been positively influencing the health of individuals, families and communities across Manitoba. Through clinical work, teaching and innovative research, family medicine is making a difference.

We offer residents the chance to learn with interprofessional faculty, such as dietitians, pharmacists, nurse practitioners and other health care professionals. This collaborative learning model teaches our students and residents the basic principles of health care professions, when to use them in their care of patients and how to make appropriate referrals.

Courses Offered for Residents in Family Medicine*

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

Prior to the commencement of training, matched applicants must provide proof of ACLS certification that is current as of July 1, 2026. The ACLS Provider course must be certified by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada or the American Heart Association. ACLS training that is not certified by one of these two organizations and/or is completed entirely through an online course will not be accepted. Applicants are responsible for all costs associated with obtaining ACLS certification. We provide a re-certification course in your second year of residency prior to graduation.

Advances in Labour and Risk Management (ALARM)

We mandate ALARM training during the residency and provide reimbursement upon successful completion.

Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)

We mandate ATLS training during the residency and provide reimbursement upon successful completion for all non-urban residents.

Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)

We mandate NRP during residency and provide reimbursement upon successful completion.

Ultrasound Curriculum

Ultrasound curriculum is mandatory and provided for all residents.

We Will Take Good Care of the People

Indigenous Cultural Safety Training

 

*subject to change

 

Scholarly Curriculum*

Scholarly activities in our program include:

- participation in Journal Clubs

- presentations at patient case rounds and regular guideline appraisals 

- didactic teaching  

- formal Quality Improvement curriculum

- Critical Appraisal assignments

- PEARLS exercises as offered through the College of Family Physicians of Canada

- Academic Days throughout the year

- additional core curriculum as mandated by PGME for all postgraduate program residents

* subject to change

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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.

Family Medicine training for residents is completed in primarily in Thompson, Manitoba. The Thompson Clinic serves as the home unit for residents and hospital-based experiences and training are completed at Thompson General Hospital.

Thompson Clinic is a large community clinic with over 10 family physicians integrated within an interprofessional team including: nurse practitioners, nurses, clinical assistants, physician assistants, midwives, a dietitian, a social worker and others. It provides primary care to the City of Thompson (approximate population of 13,000) and surrounding area. Residents are paired with a primary preceptor throughout their training.

Thompson General Hospital is a regional community referral hospital. It has 79 acute care beds, a busy 24/7 Emergency Room, full scope acute Medical/Surgical/Pediatric ward, a busy maternity ward and intermediate care nursery, inpatient Psychiatric unit, Operating Room, Dialysis Unit, Special Care Unit, Diagnostic services (including lab, x-ray, ultrasound, mammogram and CT), Respiratory Therapy, Rehab Services, Cancer Care- Chemotherapy Unit, Pharmacy and more. The attached Northern Consultation Clinic provides specialty services including Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Surgery, Otolaryngology (ENT), Internal Medicine, Pain Management and more.

Portions of Family Medicine time in PGY1 and PGY2 are spent in distributed sites in the region to develop a broad skill set to work in various practice settings. These include but are not limited to Gillam, Lynn Lake, Leaf Rapids, Snow Lake, Flin Flon and The Pas and others. In addition to providing care in the outpatient setting, residents will provide a variety of other services depending on the community (including emergency care, inpatient care, long term care, etc.)

Dedicated horizontal experiences during family medicine time include emergency medicine, care of the elderly, family practice oncology, hospital medicine, newborn care and psychiatry in conjunction with family physicians and local specialists.

Please see our "Training Sites" section for more details on this site.

Training in some off-service rotations will take place within Winnipeg. These rotations have been developed to enhance the skills necessary to practice full scope family medicine in a northern environment, and include neonatology, addiction medicine, palliative care, pediatrics, ICU and trauma surgery.

PEDIATRIC MEDICINE – Residents also spend one rotation in Children’s Emergency at Children’s Hospital in Winnipeg. Additional rotation includes outpatient and inpatient pediatrics and longitudinal experiences during Family Medicine Block Time.

AIRWAY - 2 weeks of training in airway management is completed with Anaesthesia in Thompson.

OBSTETRICS - 8 weeks of obstetrics is completed at Thompson General Hospital with Obstetricians and also includes opportunities for skills and training in Gynecology.

NEONATOLOGY - Care of the normal newborn is incorporated horizontally throughout family medicine blocks in Thompson. An additional 2-week rotation takes place in the tertiary setting in Winnipeg. The focus is on resuscitation and stabilization of newborns, and the management of problems that can be managed by family physicians in remote settings.

SURGERY - Residents spend one rotation attached to the Acute Trauma Surgery Unit at the Health Sciences Centre.

PALLIATIVE MEDICINE - Winnipeg has one of the longest-standing traditions in Canada in providing hospital and community palliative care to its citizens.  During PGY2, skills taught by palliative care family physician specialists enable residents to gain skills essential to providing symptom-based care to both patients struggling with chronic illness and during end-of-life care.

BEHAVIOURAL MEDICINE - An integrated approach to behavioural medicine is utilized during Family Medicine to develop the experience required to meet the diverse care needs of patients.

Highlights Include:

- Experiences with mental health team members and community resources including child and adolescent services.

- Training along with Psychiatry including inpatient and outpatient care to develop skills in triaging managing complex and acute care needs

- Addiction medicine rotation and horizontal training in community addiction medicine

- Interprofessional training and collaborative care of clients allowing identification and understanding of the social determinants of health on behaviour and mental health

- Opportunity for integrative medicine fellowship

NUTRITION EDUCATION & CARE - Nutrition education and counselling skills are a key component of our Family Medicine residency training. Therapy, primary prevention of disease and healthy nutrition throughout the life cycle are all integrated into your Family Medicine experiences. Specific training and time is spent with a dietitian in Thompson with a focus on common nutritional needs encountered across the lifespan and for common chronic conditions.

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Training Sites

Northern Thompson site video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl2lZatlro0&list=PLCNj2OCRLILF6vOq6gtxYSY3_M-wuE57r&index=4

Major Strengths of the Northern Thompson Site

Training out of Thompson or Flin Flon and surrounding area will provide you with a broad skillset to meet the needs of rural and urban communities across diverse practice settings.

 We provide: 

• A comprehensive training experience based in Northern Manitoba within an interprofessional practice.
• Large clinical volumes with excellent variety of patients and plenty of opportunities for procedural skills.
• Integrated Indigenous Health exposure and training in collaboration with local communities, organizations and education partners.
• Continuity of care within your preceptors with low preceptor to learner ratios.
• Training in an area with high rates of chronic and complex disease with a high proportion of individuals affected by the social determinants of health which cultivates a broad knowledge base and robust skill development.
• An integrated curriculum providing training in psychiatry, obstetrics, geriatrics, community medicine, cancer care, and nutrition.
• Accessible local specialists for both inpatient and outpatient consultation and support.
• Horizontal point-of-care U/S experience.
• Costs of travel to and accommodation at remote sites covered by the program.
• Core rotations designed to support northern practice, including ICU, surgery, airway, pediatrics and addictions.
• 2 days of Academic Curriculum per rotation with emphasis on simulation and procedural skills.
• ACLS, ATLS, ALARM, NRP, PALS and procedural sedation courses.
• Opportunities for participation in teaching, advocacy and research based on interests.
• Training in fly-in First Nations communities within Northern Manitoba.

Distributed training sites across the region offers experience in rural medicine within small (population less than 1000) to larger communities (population 13,000) giving broad exposure to diverse environments. Sites include The Pas, Flin Flon, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Lynn Lake, Gillam, Snow Lake, Leaf Rapids, Wabowden, Thicket Portage, Ilford, Pikwitonei, Shamattawa and Oxford House. All are located in beautiful natural environments with pristine forest, lakes and rivers and rich history and cultural heritage.

 

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Additional Information

TRANSPORTATION

As you will need to move frequently about the city and province between training sites, you will need to secure a means of transportation.  You may find it easiest to maintain a personal vehicle.

Additional Points to Consider:

• Cost of living is one of the most affordable in Canada.
• Full access to University of Manitoba library and its electronic resources, including UpToDate.
• Competitive resident salaries with a solid resident contract including a well-supported maternity/paternity leave policy.  http://www.parim.org
• Membership and registration fees are covered for University of Manitoba, College of Family Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba, Canadian Medical Protective Association, and the initial membership in the College of Family Physicians of Canada for PGY1 year.
• Annual two day resident retreat held in a community outside of Winnipeg.
• All mandatory course fees are reimbursed upon successful completion.  Examples of mandatory courses include:  NRP, ALARM, ATLS, BLS and ACLS recertification. Mandatory courses vary between programs.
• Travel costs and accommodation are provided for mandatory off-site rotations.

WHAT ABOUT LIVING AND FUN IN THOMPSON, FLIN FLON AND NORTHERN MANITOBA?

Thompson is a 750 km drive north of Winnipeg. Located on the traditional territory of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation the city has its roots as a mining town but has grown to become a city centre for government, industry, health, education, commerce and culture for Northern Manitoba. Thompson has an extensive array of local amenities including a wide variety of local restaurants, multiple grocery and department stores, local malls, hardware stores, a theatre, a bowling alley, outdoor ice rinks, multiple gyms, an 18-hole golf course and a diverse variety of local retailers and service providers. It has a state-of-the-art community centre with indoor ice rinks, curling, playground, gymnasium, walking track and more attached to the University College of the North campus. Elementary schools are located centrally within each neighbourhood and the local high school boasts diverse curriculum and opportunities. There are many local day cares for those requiring child care. Opportunities for all ages abound including hockey, gymnastics, dance, martial arts, music, soccer, bowling, curling, and much more.

It is a well-connected community with second busiest airport in Manitoba with flights to Winnipeg and many surrounding Northern communities daily. It is easily accessible on foot with many walking trails encouraging an active lifestyle and also has taxi and bus service. The railway connects it with Churchill, Gillam, The Pas and Winnipeg.

Flin Flon and Creighton are a beautiful northern communities built on the rock of the Canadian shield at the border of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. With roots as a mining community and has grown into a vibrant community with abundant arts, culture and outdoor activities. With a population of approx. 5,000 in Flin Flon and 1200 in Creighton it boasts amenities beyond it size with shopping, sports, arts, and recreation facilities.

The true richness of Northern Manitoba lies in its people and the land. Located within the breath-taking boreal forest with countless lakes, streams and rivers, the land provides an environment which cannot be replicated. Paint Lake is 20 minutes south of Thompson and has picturesque views, a marina, lodge with restaurant, camp sites, yurts, boating, fishing and much more. Access to Manitoba’s two highest waterfalls (Kwastichewan Falls and Pisew Falls) are located at a 45-minute drive south of Thompson on Highway 6. Mystery Mountain Winter Park also allows ample access to outdoor winter sports with four lifts, 18 runs and 10 kilometers of groomed cross-country ski trails. Surrounding the community are many kilometres of groomed snowmobile trails and countless sites for canoeing, kayaking, fishing, snowshoeing and much more. Many cultural events and festivals allow people to connect, learn and discover together including Nickel Days Festival, Canada Day Celebration, National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration, Winterfest, Diwali Celebration, Community Powwows and much more.

Websites of interest:

http://www.thompson.ca/

https://www.cityofflinflon.ca/

https://northernhealthregion.com/

https://www.travelmanitoba.com/manitoba-north/

http://www.heritagenorthmuseum.ca/

http://www.nickeldays.ca/

https://thompsononline.ca/