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University of Manitoba - Adult Nephrology - Winnipeg

2026 Fall Subspecialty Residency Match - first iteration
Competitive Stream for All

Last approved on July 09, 2025

Approximate Quota:

 2 

Accreditation status : Accredited

Provincial Criteria

Dr. Justin Walters
Section of Nephrology 
St. Boniface Hospital 
N1030 - 431 Tache Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2H 2A6
204-237-2121
204-787-4198
Subspecialty Program Information

Program Contacts

Justin Walters, MD FRCPC
Program Director
jwalters@sbgh.mb.ca
(204) 787-1524
(204) 235-3905

Deb Stratton
Program Administrator
dstratton@hsc.mb.ca
(204) 787-1524

Important Information

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 and the Royal College examination must be successfully completed to achieve certification.  

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

Orientation for all incoming residents

Please be advised that the 2026 PGME New Resident Orientation Day is scheduled for Friday, June 26, 2026.

This Orientation is mandatory for all incoming residents.

 

Legal Status
  1. Applicants must be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada at the time of application to be eligible (proof must be provided in order to ensure eligibility)
  1. Applicants who have graduated from a Canadian medical school must have passed the MCCQE Part 1.
  1. Canadian Medical School graduates having Canadian citizenship or Permanent Resident status who are training in Internal Medicine in the United States are eligible to apply for the R-4 Medicine Match if the following criteria have been met:
      1. The have passed the MCCQE Part 1  (or USMLE I, II)
      2. They provide proof of successful results from the examinations listed in 3.1
      3. They have had their training assessed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada  (http://rcpsc.medical.org)
IMG Candidates
  1. IMG candidates having Canadian Citizenship or permanent residents status who are training in Internal Medicine in the United States are eligible to apply for the R-4 Medicine Match if the following criteria have been met:
      1. They have passed the MCCQE Part 1 (or USMLE I, II)
      2. They provide proof of successful results from the examinations listed in 1.1
      3. They have had their training assessed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (http://rcpsc.medical.org)

 

Return of Service

All applicants with a return of service agreement must attach a copy of that agreement to their applications.  The printed agreement must indicate that subspecialty training in a province different from the one to which return of service is required is acceptable.

General Instructions

Program application language: English

The Nephrology Subspecialty Education Program is a two-year Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada accredited training program. Its purpose is to train physicians for clinical and academic nephrology practice in both university-based and community-based settings. 

Clinical fellows accepted into this training program are exposed to a wide spectrum of clinical and academic nephrology. Education consists of instruction at all levels of clinical care including clinics, in-patient services, CKD and ESRD care, and kidney transplant. The majority of academic training takes place primarily at two sites - Health Sciences Centre and St. Boniface Hospital and community-centered training occurs at Seven Oaks Hospital. 

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
• Confirmation of Permanent Residence in Canada
• 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.

Certificate of Indian Status / Aboriginal Status or Makivik Society Cards are accepted this year which must be accompanied by proof of eligibility to work in Canada i.e SIN #  

Language proficiency
Required
Submit one of the following documents to verify your language proficiency:
• IELTS
• Occupational English Test (OET) - Medicine
• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) - General

Language Proficiency
English is the language of study at the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba. All applicants whose first language is not English must submit proof of English language proficiency to CaRMS by the file review opening date.

CMG

  • If you graduated from an English medical school in Canada , you are exempt from providing proof of language proficiency.
  • Candidates who attended medical school in Canada where the language of instruction or the primary language of patient care was not English, are exempt from providing proof of language proficiency.
  • Candidates are exempted from English language proficiency testing if the language of instruction and patient care throughout the entire undergraduate medical education curriculum was in English

IMG’s

  • IMG applicants must fulfill the English Language Proficiency requirements.

 Candidates are exempted from English language proficiency testing under the following circumstances

  • Their undergraduate or postgraduate medical education, was taken in English in one of the countries that have English as a first and/or native language.
  • They can provide evidence of appropriate exposure to English language in training and/or practice. Appropriate exposure is defined as the following: 
    1. That they have taken the majority (>50%) of their undergraduate or postgraduate medical education in English, AND
    2. The majority (>50%) of patient care provided by the applicant has been in English,

  • OR

    1. Other substantially equivalent evidence of English proficiency in training and practice (e.g., significant clinical teaching, research, and/or academic experience).

All other candidates must have taken one of the following:

  • the Academic Version of International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum score of 7 in each component with an overall band score of no less than 7 in the same sitting.  IELTS scores will be considered valid for 2 years from the date taken
  • Occupational English Test – Medicine (OET-Medicine), with a minimum grade of B in each of the four subsets in the same sitting; or
  • Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program – General (CELPIP-General) Test, with a minimum score of 9 in each of the four skills in the same sitting

List of countries that have English as a first and native language - Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States of America, US Virgin Islands, and the Caribbean Islands of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Grenadines, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago

Please note the following:

  • Photocopies are acceptable.
  • Language Proficiency Attestations will not be accepted from the candidate or a third party.
  • Language Proficiency results will not be accepted by fax or e-mail.

 

Examinations
Required
Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination
  • Score and document(s)
  • MCCQE - Statement of Results

    • Reference documents
    Required
    Number requested: 2
    Number requested: 1

    Note:

    This means a total of three (3) Reference Letters: 

    One (1) from Current Program Director
    Two (2) from others

     

     

    Note:

    If the applicant has done an elective within the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Manitoba, the local supervisor must provide a letter of reference.

    Additional documents
    Required
    Personal Letter 
    Word count
    Minimum : None
    Maximum : 500

    This should clearly indicate the applicant's reasons for applying, what he/she feels they can bring to the program, as well as program and career expectations.  Activities, skills and characteristics that may relate to “Selection Process Goals” are evaluated. If there have been gaps in training, the applicant should explain them. At least one reference letter must be from the Core IM Program Director. If the applicant has engaged in remediation for any rotations in Core IM, he/she must indicate this.  If there are gaps in training, the applicant is expected to indicate this. 

    500 words maximum.

    Custom Résumé / CV 

    CV – Aside from what is written within the body of the CaRMS document, the applicant must include a formal Curriculum Vitae (CV) at the end of the CaRMS package. It is very important that you fill out your CV carefully and completely, because part of our evaluation process involves a "semi-blinded" assessment of your CV. There will be overlap of information recorded in the CV and in the body of the larger CARMS document.   Both the CV and the main CaRMS document should include all professional and personal activities that reflect the qualities outlined in “Selection Process Goals”.  The CV and the main CaRMS document should indicate which activities were/are voluntary versus reimbursed/salaried.  If the activity contributed to the applicant’s growth as a physician and as a person, he/she should indicate in what way.  The CV should describe any activities in academic areas including research, education, administration, advocacy and leadership.  Please refer to the section on this website called "Additional Information" which provides guidance regarding how the publications within the CV should be described.

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

    A photo is required with your application.

    Review Process

    Applications submitted after file review has opened on August 19, 2025


    Supporting documents that arrive after file review has opened  on  August 19, 2025


    All applications are reviewed by the CaRMs selection committee. Multiple reviewers review the applications and the choice of candidates for interview is by consensus. Important criteria include the personal letter, references, electives, rotation evaluations and the Dean's letter/medical student performance report.

    Interviews

    Dates:

    • September 8, 2025
    Nephrology interview date is set for Monday, September 8th, 2025.
    Program will notify all applicants through CaRMS Online and will send email invitations directly to applicants selected for an interview.
    Invitation/ Notification Information:

    Only short-listed applicants will be invited to interview. Invitations will be sent via email.

    Details regarding Interview:

    The interview day consists of a series of virtual one-on-one interviews, with the Program Director, with other members of the Section of Nephrology Attending Staff and current Nephrology Trainees. There may be standardized questions asked.

    Selection Criteria

    The Nephrology Subspecialty Training Program at the University of Manitoba is committed to a fair, equitable, and transparent application process. We maintain the right to choose the applicants we feel are the best candidates for our residency training program.

    Our selection processes are outlined below.

    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.

    Mission: We educate the next generation of  Nephrologists who will sustain and promote the health of those we serve through the provision of the highest quality of clinical care, research, innovation and communication.  

     Goals (not necessarily in order of priority):

    1. To train physicians who will practice in academic and non-academic settings.
    2. To train physicians who practice holistic care and who embody excellence in all the CANMEDS roles.
    3. To meet the needs of the people we serve, and the needs of those we choose to admit to our programs.
    4. To maintain and nurture excellence within our training program.

    Objectives (not necessarily in order of priority):

    • To develop Nephrologists who excel as scholars, communicators, leaders, health advocates, collaborators and professionals.
    • To support and mentor our trainees.
    • To foster lifelong learning.

    Selection process goals

    Our program values the following candidate attributes:

    1. Excellence in the performance of all the CANMEDS roles in all the areas of practice in Internal Medicine, including General  Internal Medicine.
    2. Evidence of activities, whether in one’s personal and/or professional life, that contribute to the well-being of others, and that reflect drive/motivation; skills in leadership, administration, education and communication; innovation; problem-solving and resiliency.

    File review process

    Review team composition : At various stages of the ranking process, the file may be reviewed by the following: the Program Director, Section Members, members of the Department PGME Committee, administrative personnel and selected physicians appointed by the PGME Chair.

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

    Average percentage of applicants offered interviews : 51 - 75 %

    Evaluation criteria :
    File component Criteria
    CV Professional/personal activities that reflect qualities outlined in "Selection Process Goals"
    Electives Electives are evaluated in terms of how they relate to the above described "Selection Process Goals"
    Examinations We require MCCQE I scores. We also require information regarding whether the MCCQE II has ever been written, and if so, what the scores were for any time the exam was written. If the candidate is from a US institution, we require their USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 scores.
    Extra-curricular Activities, skills and characteristics that may relate to “Selection Process Goals"
    Leadership skills Activities, skills and characteristics that may relate to “Selection Process Goals” are evaluated.
    MSPRs We do not evaluate this file component.
    Personal letters Activities, skills and characteristics that may relate to “Selection Process Goals” are evaluated.
    Reference documents Activities, skills and characteristics that may relate to “Selection Process Goals".
    Research/Publications Peer reviewed publications, presentations, monographs, studies, awards, current work are evaluated.
    Transcripts Academic excellence, range of interest and study, duration and continuity/gaps are evaluated.

    Interview process

    Interview format :



    We do not re-schedule interviews for applicants after we have completed the scheduling process.

    Interview evaluation criteria :
    Interview components Criteria
    Collaboration skills Demonstrates understanding of and engagement in successful teamwork.
    Collegiality Evidence of respect for others within and between teams/groups.
    Communication skills Ability to speak fluently and clearly in English.Ability to express complex ideas clearly/succinctly
    Health advocacy Demonstrated skills in health advocacy.
    Interest in the discipline Interest in sub-specialty and Internal Medicine holistic care.
    Interest in the program Demonstrated interest in and knowledge of the Manitoba training program.
    Leadership skills Experience, success, and learning from failure, through leadership in professional / personal life.
    Professionalism Demonstration of professional behaviors and ethics.
    Scholarly activities Demonstrated depth of understanding of his/her academic & clinical work.
    Other interview component(s) Evidence of compassion in the provision of care.
    If the candidate has ever been the subject of a complaint from a patient, another health care worker, or other source in their professional life, the candidate should be prepared to discuss the circumstances in the interview. This includes complaints submitted to undergraduate or postgraduate offices or departments, through evaluations and mechanisms such as "Speak Up" which is available at the University of Manitoba.

    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 Section of Nephrology at the University of Manitoba consists of thirty three members whose clinical interests span the gamut of Nephrology, and include all areas of general consultative nephrology, in-centre hemodialysis, home modalities including peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis, and kidney transplantation. In addition, section members are actively involved in various areas of research. Examples include research in the use of exercise in hemodialysis patients, non-invasive monitoring of renal allografts, clinic pathologic correlations in acute and chronic allograft rejection, as well as proteomics and biomarkers, CKD epidemiology and renal failure risk prediction. Other academic pursuits include post-graduate and undergraduate education, efficient care delivery systems and health economics, and access to renal care. Nephrology Subspecialty Residents participate regularly in these activities.

    We are unique in providing an Interventional Nephrology rotation, that provides trainees experience in tunneled line and peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion. Other elective considerations in the home program include a formal local centre hemodialysis rotation which provides training in the care of hemodialysis patients in remote dialysis centres located throughout Manitoba and an inpatient ward rotation at Health Sciences centre which is optional.

    Trainees will also have extensive exposure to dialysis in the ICU, including managing patients on CRRT and a formalized pathology rotation. 

    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.

    The University of Manitoba Nephrology Subspecialty Residency Training Program is a two year program that has been accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Its purpose is to train physicians for clinical and academic nephrology practice in both university-based and community-based settings. Training takes place at three sites: Health Sciences Centre (HSC), St. Boniface Hospital (SBH) and Seven Oaks Hospital (SOH).

    Program Structure:

    1. Clinical Rotations
      The PGY4 year consists of the core nephrology rotations: the trainees will spend three months rotating through Renal Transplantation (HSC), Home Modalities (SBH/SOGH), In-centre Hemodialysis (all sites), and Inpatient Consultative Nephrology (HSC/SBH). Trainees gain the necessary expertise in these areas through clinical practice, informal teaching, and self-directed study, under the supervision of the attending staff.
      Towards the end of the PGY4 year, each trainee will meet with the Program Director in order to plan their individualized PGY5 year. This may consist of a repeat of some/all of the rotations covered in PGY4, but may also include elective rotations, depending on the trainee's progress through the CBD stages. There is a wide variety of elective rotations available, including those in interventional nephrology, nephropathology, pediatric nephrology, rural/satellite dialysis, and the nephrology inpatient ward. During PGY5, trainees are also strongly encouraged to develop their research interests, and anywhere from one to six months may be granted during the year for this purpose, depending on the scope of the project and successful completion of other elements of the training program.
    2. Outpatient Nephrology Clinic
      Over the two years, each trainee will attend their own longitudinal outpatient consultative nephrology clinic, under the supervision of a single member of the attending staff. Trainee independence increases gradually over the two years.
    3. Rounds, Journal Clubs, and other Non-Clinical Activity
      There is a wide variety of structured academic rounds and teaching sessions that are part of the training program:

      • Academic Half-Day
        This is a two year curriculum of topics covering all areas of general nephrology, hypertension, fluid and electrolyte disorders, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and renal transplantation. There are also sessions on ethics in nephrology and pediatric nephrology. Also built into the schedule is a research methods/study design course. These sessions consist of seminar-type discussions led by a member of the attending staff.
      • Nephrology Section Rounds
        This occurs every Wednesday morning for 90 minutes. Here, the Nephrology Subspecialty Residents (as well as core medical residents rotating through the service) present topics in nephrology in a semi-didactic fashion. In addition, these rounds serve as a forum for presentation of research, as well as for discussion of ethical issues in nephrology.
      • Journal Club
        Each nephrology trainee will present 3-4 journal clubs per year. This is an exercise in the critical appraisal of a recent or seminal research article in nephrology. It is conducted by the Nephrology Subspecialty Residents, followed by a discussion involving the Attending Staff.
      • Nephrology Conference Attendance
        The training program enthusiastically supports trainee attendance at national and international nephrology conferences. In particular, all trainees are provided with support to attend the Canadian Society of Nephrology or American Society of Nephrology Annual Meetings. In their PGY5 year, trainees are provided with support to attend one national of international nephrology course upon approval by the program director. In addition, trainees may receive support to attend any other meeting at which they are giving a presentation.

    Training Sites

    Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg (HSC)

    St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg (SBH)

    Seven Oaks Hospital, Winnipeg (SOH)

    Additional Information

    Research/Publications

    The applicants must indicate which publications are in peer reviewed versus non-peer reviewed journals/publications. If the applicant has submitted an article for publication at the time of CaRMS application, the applicant must provide evidence of journal notification of submission. The applicants must indicate all presentations at local resident research day as well as national and international conferences, and any prizes awarded.  If a presentation (oral or abstract) has been submitted to a conference, the applicant should include any letter of acceptance by conference organizers.

    Curriculum Vitae (CV)

    A current curriculum vitae (CV) including all relevant information required for assessment of education, leadership, administrative and research experience is mandatory.  Where applicable, please document whether activities are voluntary or reimbursed. Your CV should be downloaded to the document section. For research papers that have been submitted but not yet published, please include acknowledgement of submission from the journal.  See comments above under Research/Publications for information regarding how to document your work.

     Other Document - Evaluation of Training - for International or US Medical Graduates Only

    International or US Medical Graduates Only - you must provide a RCPSC assessment of training form from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada: website:  www.rcpsc.medical.org

     Interviews

    For the CaRMS Match which will take place in the Fall of 2024, all interviews will be conducted electronically. The applicant may meet electronically with a panel of interviewers, or with interviewers individually, or a combination of both.

     Orientation for all incoming residents

    Please be advised that the 2026 PGME New Resident Orientation Day is scheduled for Friday, June 26, 2026.

    This Orientation is mandatory for all incoming residents.