Crest

University of Manitoba - Hematological Pathology - Winnipeg

2026 R-1 Main Residency Match - second iteration
Competitive Stream for CMG

Last approved on March 05, 2026

Summary of changes

Approximate Quota:

 click here

Accreditation status : Accredited

Provincial Criteria


Dr. Daniel Marko
Hematological Pathology 
L4006-3 St. Boniface General Hospital 
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba
2042581391
2047893538
Department of Pathology

Program Contacts

Alyssa Penner
Program Administrator
alyssa.penner1@umanitoba.ca


Important Information

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR THE APPLICANT

 

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 Metis Nation.  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.

 

 About the Department:

The Hematological Pathology residency program is a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada accredited program. This competency-based program aims to develop competent specialists in the diagnosis of various hematologic disorders encompassed within the fields of morphology, hemostasis, and transfusion medicine. The residents will develop leadership qualities, critical thinking, and managerial expertise which will lead to productive careers in Hematological Pathology with the highest ethical and professional standards.

The residents will do their training in the city of Winnipeg at three major teaching sites linked with tertiary health centers, Health Science Center (HSC), Winnipeg, St. Boniface (SBH), and Canadian Blood Services (CBS), Winnipeg. All three teaching sites are accredited by top accreditation bodies: both HSC and SBH are accredited by College of American Pathologists (CAP), while CBS is accredited by both CAP and American Association of Blood Banks (AABB). HSC and SBH provides an extensive breadth of different common and rare entities that a hematological pathology resident needs to be exposed to in their training, which include bone marrow aspirates and biopsies, peripheral blood films, lymph nodes, hemoglobin studies, immunopathology (including flow cytometry and autoimmune testing), hematological molecular diagnostics, as well as transfusion medicine and hemostasis. Across the street from HSC, the Canadian Blood Services, Winnipeg, provides an extensive array of transfusion medicine laboratory testing for most hospitals across the province, including large fast-paced blood banks at HSC and SBH.

 

Mandatory PGME New Resident Orientation Day: June 26, 2026

University of Manitoba eligibility requirements https://www.carms.ca/match/r-1-main-residency-match/eligibility-criteria/manitoba/

 

Mandatory Hematological Pathology Residency Program Orientation Day: June 29, 2026 

 

Residency Training in Hematological Pathology

General Structure and Content of the Program

The Hematological Pathology Residency Training Program is designed to meet the training requirements of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.  We pride ourselves on having a demanding and comprehensive program that provides residents the opportunity to individualize a training plan tailored to their ultimate career goals.  The following includes the current rotation requirements for the Hematological Pathology Residency Training Program at the University of Manitoba.  Note that one “block” equals 4 weeks of training and there is a total of approximately 13 blocks per year.

 

Competency By Design Stream (CBD)

Transition to Discipline Schedule 

1 Block - Transition to Hematological Pathology

 

Foundations Schedule 

4 Blocks Adult Hematology
1 Block Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
1 Block Clinical Selective
2 Blocks Diagnostic Morphology - General Hematology Lab
1 Block Lymphoma Pathology
1 Block Flow Cytometry
1 Block Hemoglobinopathy
1 Block Hemostasis
1 Block Transfusion Medicine

 

Core Schedule 

7 Blocks Diagnostic Morphology - General Hematology Lab
1 Block Research
5 Blocks Lymphoma Pathology                                                                                                                                                                                     
4 Blocks Transfusion Medicine 
1 Block Molecular Pathology 
2 Block Flow Cytometry
1 Block Histocompatibility - Tissue Typing
2 Blocks Lab Management/Quality Assurance
3 Block Hemoglobinopathy
1 Block Cytogenetics
1 Blocks Selective
4 Blocks of Hemostasis

Transition to Practice Schedule  

6 Blocks - Transition to Practice

 

Scholarly Project (Mandatory)

Successful completion of a scholarly project relevant to Hematological Pathology is a requirement for certification (based on the Royal College’s criteria). Residents are encouraged to complete and present their project by the end of their Core Schedule. The resident will have scheduled “Research” time into their schedule so they can work on/finalize their project.  The supervisor must submit a detailed work plan on what the resident will accomplish during this rotation block. In addition, the supervisor must provide a progress report outlining their accomplishments. Residents are still expected to attend Academic Half Day Sessions, Pathology Grand Rounds, and any other teaching sessions during the “research project rotation”.

 

The program outlined above is to be regarded as the minimum training requirement. The Program Director and the CBD Committee may require the resident to do additional training to ensure that clinical competences have been achieved.

 

 

Additional Information

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada: Applying competency-based practices to residency education

To contribute to the success of Canadian physicians and the delivery of high-quality patient care, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada has embarked upon an initiative to introduce competency-based medical education (CBME) in Canadian postgraduate specialty training and in professional practice in Canada. This initiative, called Competence by Design (CBD), aims to enhance patient care by aligning medical education and lifelong learning with evolving patient needs and empowering learners to more fully engage in their education process.

CBD will use time as a framework rather than the basis for progression. It is not anticipated that the duration of training will change for the majority of trainees. Residency programs will be broken down into stages, and each stage will have a series of milestones based on required competencies. These milestones will create more targeted learning outcomes and involve more frequent, formative assessments within the clinical workplace to ensure residents are developing and receiving feedback on the skills they need.

All programs implementing CBD will continue to undergo the same rigorous accreditation processes as traditional programs. All CBD programs (and traditional programs) will continue to lead to Royal College approved certification. Certification for trainees in both CBD and traditional programs will include the completion of a Royal College examination; however, residents in CBD programs will also be assessed against program milestones throughout their training. Within a CBD program, all milestones (documented within an electronic portfolio) and the Royal College examination must be successfully completed to achieve certification.

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

 

 

 

 


General Instructions

Program application language: English

Application documents must be submitted in English.

Translated documents will be accepted only if verified by a certified translator.

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

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

 

 


Supporting Documentation / Information

Canadian citizenship
CaRMS partners with third-party organizations to verify your citizenship or permanent resident status. If your status is verified by one of these organizations, you will not need to provide citizenship documents in your application. If your citizenship status is not verified, you must provide one of the documents listed below.
Document must be notarized/certified
Required
Submit one of the following documents to verify your Canadian citizenship:
• Canadian Birth Certificate or Act of Birth
• Certificate of Canadian Citizenship
• Passport page showing Canadian Citizenship
• Canadian Permanent Resident Card (both sides of card)
• Certificate of Indian Status / Aboriginal Status or Makivik Society Card
• Canadian Citizenship Card (both sides of card)

Notarized/certified photocopied proof of citizenship must be provided. Photocopies are accepted but citizenship documents other than what is listed above are not accepted.

 CaRMS is partnering with third-party organizations to automate the verification of citizenship/legal status required by postgraduate offices for entry into residency. Third-party verification simplifies the process for applicants and programs. All applicants who do not receive third-party citizenship verification will be required to upload and assign an acceptable proof of citizenship document. Please see additional information here.

Reference documents
Required
Number requested: 3

Three letters of reference are required.   We ask that your referees to speak to your clinical abilities and to your interpersonal and communication skills.  Please select supervisors, preceptors or other individuals who have had ample opportunity to assess you as a candidate for the Hematological Pathology Residency Program.  The reference letters should be both descriptive and objective and comply with CaRMS recommendations.  Reference from senior residents will not be accepted.

All letters of reference must be current and dates on or after January 1, 2024. Undated reference letters will not be accepted.  Do not arrange for more than three reference letters as any additional letters will not be reviewed.

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).
Additional documents
Required
Medical School Transcript 

Your medical school transcript can be ordered from your Registrar. 

Must be English original or certified translation.

Your medical school transcript can be submitted through one of the methods below:

  1. 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;
  2. Ask your medical school to upload your medical transcript through their CaRMS Undergraduate Portal account; or
  3. International (IMGs) and United States (USMGs) medical graduates can transfer their transcript from their physiciansapply.ca account.

Medical Student Performance Record 

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 Letter 
Word count
Minimum : None
Maximum : None

A personal letter is required.  State reasons for choosing Pathology as a career, previous exposure to Hematological Pathology or related fields and research (if applicable), future plans in Hematological Pathology.

Custom Résumé / CV 

Due by document deadline

Include a current CV in the Custom Resume section. Please tailor your resume to provide us with a better understanding of your experiences and commitments.

Photo 
[Note: Photograph is used as memory aid only]

Please submit a current photo of yourself.


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


We ask all candidates to limit emails and phone calls for following up with your application status, as its a busy time of year and there can be a delay for responses.  If you do not receive an email from the program by March 19, 2026, then you were not selected for the interview process.

 

Steps for Interview Process:

All applications are reviewed by the Hematological Pathology Admissions Committee.  Multiple reviewers review the applications and the choice of candidates selected for an interview is by consensus.

 

Those selected for an interview will receive an invite by email from the Program Administrator to schedule a date/time

Once the applicant's interview date/time has been confirmed, the Program Administrator will send another email with more details/instructions pertaining to your interview date and time.


Interviews

Interviews for the second iteration fo the Match will be scheduled for: March 19, 2026

This year, interviews will be conducted virtually via Zoom.

When selected candidates receive their email invites, they will be provided with details on how the virtual interviews will be conducted, along with the virtual meeting link.

Program will notify all applicants through CaRMS Online and will send email invitations directly to applicants selected for an interview.
We ask all candidates to limit emails and phone calls when following up on your application status, as it is a busy time of year, and responses may be delayed. If you do not receive an email from the program by March 19, 2026, you were not selected for the interview process.

 

Steps of Interview Process:

All applications are reviewed by the Hematological Pathology Admissions Committee. Multiple reviewers review the applications and select candidates for an interview by connsensus. 

Those selected for an interview will receive an invite via email from the Program Administrator to schedule and date/time.

once the applicant's interview date/time has been confirmed, the Program Administrator will send another email with more details/instructions pertaining to the applicant's interview.

The formal interview process will be a panel interview. The panel will consist of the Program Director, as well as faculty members and a current Hematological Pathology Resident.


Selection Criteria

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

All applicants will have a comprehensive and structured review of their CaRMS file which will also include the following:

1. Successful completion of undergraduate medical studies at an accredited Medical School.

2. Demonstrate interest in Hematological Pathology (e.g. electives, research, relevant publications).

 

The review will be conducted by the Hematological Pathology Admission Committee and the selection for interview will be determined by the outcome of the file review.

 

Program goals

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.

The Max Rady College of Medicine and the Department of Pathology are dedicated in assisting and teaching residents on an ongoing basis to educate residents o becoming exceptional practicioners, leaders and researchers in diagnostic services in the field of Hematological Pathology to help improve health status and services to the Province of Manitoba and across Canada.

The Royal College fully accredited Hematological Pathology Residency Training Program aims to foster a welcoming resourceful and supportive environment, in order to help residents of the program prepare for certification in Hematological Pathology, while assisting in their academic goals for becoming exceptional graduates and practitioners in their field.

Selection process goals

The Hematological Pathology Residency Training Program Admission Committee are identifying applicants who have demonstrated or posed an interest in the field of Hematological Pathology by taking electives or other observerships; and have demonstrated the ability and enthusiasm to learn and can adapt to various demands of Hematological Pathology; applicants who have actively participated in research activities.

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, minimum one blinded interviewer, inclusion of interview questions targeted to assess applicant commitment to EDIA, offering necessary accommodations during the interview process, and second pass/review of applicants below interview and rank order list cut off to review for possible bias. We strive for diverse perspectives and cultural safety throughout the hiring process (resident selection committees, short-list of applicants, interviews).

 

 

File review process

Review team composition : The review team is composed of the Program Director, designated faculty members from the Admissions Sub-Committee; and a resident representative.

Average number of applications received by our program in the last five years : 0 - 50

Average percentage of applicants offered interviews : 0 - 25 %

Evaluation criteria :
File component Criteria
CV The content including research, publications, electives and other experiences
Electives The number of electives an individual has done with high interest in Hematological Pathology
Examinations Exam results (including Canadian and US)
Extra-curricular Volunteering, mentoring, personal hobbies
Leadership skills Interest in clubs, organizations, and mentoring and teaching junior peers
MSPRs Interpersonal skills, general comments and assessments
Personal letters Interest in Hematological Pathology and program location
Reference documents General performance including interaction with colleagues and patients
Research/Publications The content of research activities and its relevance to Hematological Pathology
Transcripts Academic Performance

Elective criteria

We encourage applicants to have completed at least one elective in our discipline.

Interview process

Interview format :



We may accommodate requests to re-schedule interviews for applicants due to weather, technology failure, or unforeseen circumstances.

Interview evaluation criteria :
Interview components Criteria
Collaboration skills Promotion of high quality patient care through working in a team environment
Collegiality Behavior, attitude, ability to work well with others
Communication skills Ability to speak and write in English well
Health advocacy Understanding the needs of community, disease prevention, health promotion and health surveillance activities. This will be considered accordingly based on information provided
Interest in the discipline The number of electives and relevant research activities
Interest in the program Hematological Pathology electives, knowledge about the program and location
Leadership skills Involvement in the continuous development and improvement of medical care
Professionalism Adherence to ethical principles and correspondence with all medical staff and residents
Scholarly activities Will be considered accordingly based on the content

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 Hematological Pathology residency program is a Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada accredited program. This competency-based program aims to develop competent specialists in the diagnosis of various hematologic disorders encompassed within the fields of morphology, hemostasis, and transfusion medicine. The residents will develop leadership qualities, critical thinking, and managerial expertise which will lead to productive careers in Hematological Pathology with the highest ethical and professional standards.

The residents will do their training in the city of Winnipeg at three major teaching sites linked with tertiary health centers, Health Science Center (HSC), Winnipeg, St. Boniface (SBH), and Canadian Blood Services (CBS), Winnipeg. All three teaching sites are accredited by top accreditation bodies: both HSC and SBH are accredited by College of American Pathologists (CAP), while CBS is accredited by both CAP and American Association of Blood Banks (AABB). HSC and SBH provides an extensive breadth of different common and rare entities that a hematological pathology resident needs to be exposed to in their training, which include bone marrow aspirates and biopsies, peripheral blood films, lymph nodes, hemoglobin studies, immunopathology (including flow cytometry and autoimmune testing), hematological molecular diagnostics, as well as transfusion medicine and hemostasis. Across the street from HSC, the Canadian Blood Services, Winnipeg, provides an extensive array of transfusion medicine laboratory testing for most hospitals across the province, including large fast-paced blood banks at HSC and SBH.

 

Goals of Curriculum

During residency training in hematological pathology, the residents will have graduated responsibilities over the course of their training.  Initially, the residents will review cases on rotations with the faculty on service. Then, as the resident gains experience, it is expected that the resident will independently develop accurate diagnostic reports for hematolymphoid disorders.  But, from the start, the residents will be exposed to most cases that pass through the various services. The philosophy of training is that residents learn best by being exposed to a large volume of clinical material and having a level of responsibility appropriate for their level of training to ensure the resident will maximize their learning and understanding. Resident responsibility, under the supervision of an attending pathologist, will be enough to test their knowledge, hone their decision-making skills, and learn the practice of hematological pathology.

 On completion of the program, the trainees will be practice-ready in Hematological Pathology, and capable of assuming a consultant’s role in this specialty and display excellence in all CanMEDS competencies. The training program ensures the resident becomes proficient in the diagnosis and monitoring of disorders of the blood, bone marrow and lymphatic systems, and hemostasis in adults and children. Also upon completion of training, the physician is ready to take a leadership role in transfusion medicine and in the management of a diagnostic hematology laboratory, at the community and tertiary care levels.

 

 


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.

The program adheres to the Standards of Accreditation for Residency Programs, Training Experiences and Competencies in Hematological Pathology set by the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada. The program's goal is to prepare residents to be practicing Hematological Pathologists. Scholarly activity is mandatory for all residents. Residents are encouraged to pursue basic research activities during their training to further assist them in their future career planning. Residents are exposed to a variety of administrative, organizational and managerial structures within the Department of Pathology and Shared Health Manitoba.

Residents are given 20 days of vacation a year.  Residents are also granted conference time. Pending on the rotation residents are on, will determine how many vacation days/conference time they can take.

General Structure and Content of the Program

The Hematological Pathology Residency Training Program is designed to meet the training requirements of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.  We pride ourselves on having a demanding and comprehensive program that provides residents the opportunity to individualize a training plan tailored to their ultimate career goals.  The following includes the current rotation requirements for the Hematological Pathology Residency Training Program at the University of Manitoba.  Note that one “block” equals 4 weeks of training and there is a total of approximately 13 blocks per year.

 

Competency By Design Stream (CBD)

Transition to Discipline Schedule 

1 Block Transition to Hematological Pathology

 

Foundations Schedule 

4 Blocks Adult Hematology 
1 Block Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
1 Block Clinical Selective
2 Blocks Diagnostic Morphology - General Hematology Lab
1 Block Lymphoma Pathology
1 Block Flow Cytometry
1 Block Hemoglobinopathy
1 Block Hemostasis 
1 Block Transfusion Medicine

 

Core Schedule 

7 Blocks Diagnostic Morphology - General Hematology Lab 
1 Block Research
5 Blocks Lymphoma Pathology
4 Blocks Hemostasis 
4 Blocks Transfusion Medicine 
1 Block Molecular Pathology 
2 Block Flow Cytometry
1 Block Histocompatibility - Tissue Typing
3 Block Hemoglobinopathy
1 Block Cytogenetics
2 Blocks Lab Management/Quality Assurance
1 Blocks Selective 
 

Transition to Practice Schedule  

6 Blocks Transition to Practice

 

Scholarly Project (Mandatory)

Successful completion of a scholarly project relevant to Hematological Pathology is a requirement for certification (based on the Royal College’s criteria). Residents are encouraged to complete and present their project by the end of their Core Schedule. The resident will have scheduled “Research” time into their schedule so they can work on/finalize their project.  The supervisor must submit a detailed work plan on what the resident will accomplish during this rotation block. In addition, the supervisor must provide a progress report outlining their accomplishments. Residents are still expected to attend Academic Half Day Sessions, Pathology Grand Rounds, and any other teaching sessions during the “research project rotation”.

 

The program outlined above is to be regarded as the minimum training requirement. The Program Director and the CBD Committee may require the resident to do additional training to ensure that clinical competences have been achieved.

 

 


Training Sites

Training in Hematological Pathology is distributed over two hospital sites in Winnipeg, and one additional site including:

Hospital Sites:

  • Health Sciences Centre (HSC)
  • Saint Boniface Hospital (SBH)

 

Additional Site:

  • Canadian Blood Services (CBS)


Summary of changes

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