Crest

University of Manitoba - Adult Palliative Medicine - Winnipeg

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

Last approved on July 08, 2025

Approximate Quota:

 1 

Accreditation status : Accredited

Provincial Criteria

Dr. Timothy Hiebert
Internal Medicine 
A8024 St. Boniface Hospital 
409 Tache Ave
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2H 2A6
204-478-6372
Palliative Medicine - University of Manitoba

Program Contacts

Melissa Blonjeaux
Education Administrator
mblonjeaux@exchange.hsc.mb.ca
204-787-1103

Harvey Chochinov
Research Director
hchochinov@cancercare.mb.ca

Important Information

 

 Palliative care has a long history in Manitoba, with the first inpatient palliative care unit at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg in 1974 and growing into a robust regional program serving patients in multiple domains including specialized inpatient palliative care units, hospital wards, long-term care and community.  From 1999 to 2017 numerous physicians received training through the one-year Palliative Care conjoint program of the RCPSC and the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC).

In 2014, Palliative Medicine was approved as a medical subspecialty by the RCPSC. The University of Manitoba has established a Palliative Medicine subspecialty training program with accreditation of the RCPSC. This program opened for applications through CaRMS in Fall of 2023 and accepted its first trainee in 2024. This training program applies the Competency By Design format. Residents from the family medicine stream continue to receive training through a one-year enhanced skills program in Palliative Care accredited by the CFPC.

Both the subspecialty and enhanced skills programs benefit from the deep history and legacies of the previous conjoint program while undergoing innovation and evolution to suit the needs of today's learners and patients.

To enable these more frequent, formative assessments, the University of Manitoba uses the Entrada software platform for assessment completion.

Further information on CBD can be found on the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada website at: CBD implementation 

 

Orientation

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.

 

 

 

 

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

Program application language: English

Eligibility criteria include those listed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada for Adult Palliative Medicine.

Residents with the following levels of training are eligible to apply:

Internal Medicine: PGY3.

Internal Medicine subspecialty programs: final year of training program.

Neurology: PGY4 or PGY5.

Anesthesiology PGY4 or PGY5.

Entry from other specialties may occur but must follow completion of the primary specialty training and must include the prerequisites of: 

  1. Twelve (12) months of clinical medicine-based rotations with a minimum of 6 months at a senior level designed to allow achievement in competencies in the consultation and care of complex medical patients, inter-professional care, and effective communication skills. 
  2. All candidates must be certified in their primary specialty to be eligible to write the Royal College certification examination in Adult Palliative Medicine.

If you are unsure whether your training would make you eligible to apply, please do not hesitate to contact the program director.

To clarify your eligibility, we strongly recommend you contact Chantal Benoit, Manager, Credentials Unit, Office of Specialty Education, RCPSC at cbenoit@royalcollege.ca

 

Each province has criteria that must be met by applicants who apply for positions within that province. Please carefully review the Manitoba criteria under "Provincial Eligibility Criteria" when preparing to apply to the University of Manitoba’s Adult Palliative Medicine program. 

 

 

 

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 3 Reference Letters:  one from Current PD, and 2 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


     

    Interviews

    Dates:

    • September 9, 2025

    Palliative Medicine will be participating in interviews this year.

     
    Program will notify all applicants through CaRMS Online and will send email invitations directly to applicants selected for an interview.

     

    Selection Criteria

    The Section of Palliative Medicine 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.

    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 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 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 University of Manitoba has a rich history of providing palliative care training and clinical support for patients from all of Manitoba, Nunavut and parts of Northwestern Ontario.

    We are excited to have continued in the innovation of palliative care within our province to have created a new Section of Palliative Medicine within the Department of Internal Medicine. 

    Our section is made up of 25 physician faculty from a variety of backgrounds including Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Anesthesia, Emergency Medicine, and Psychiatry.  In addition, we have affiliate faculty members, who maintain a primary appointment within their medical or surgical subspecialties, but who are helping to champion the cause for palliative care within their disciplines and who are integral to our teaching program. The richness of expertise and experience from our faculty truly contributes to a unique and varied training experience.

    We have a brand-new curriculum accredited as a new program by the Royal College.  Our program fosters close, supportive relationships between faculty and trainees. There are many opportunities for residents to interact with other trainees who participate in rotations in palliative care (e.g. internal medicine, oncology, and family medicine) and with residents in the family medicine enhanced skills palliative program. 

    The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) palliative care program is a fully integrated clinical program.  Our program follows patients across a variety of clinical settings including home, outpatient clinics for persons with cancer and non-cancer diagnoses, the palliative care units, consultative services and in hospice.  We also follow patients who have palliative care needs, but do not meet criteria for enrollment on the integrated program, through our robust consultative service.

    The mandatory clinical rotations promote continuity of care and the resident is given graduated responsibility for patient care and teaching, including opportunity to act as Junior Attending in the final Transition to Practice stage of training. We also have a lot of flexibility in the training program, which allows trainees to pursue individualized elective clinical rotations, or to use elective rotations for scholarly activity.

    Our academic half-day curriculum is strong and our program is always evaluating the content and delivery of the sessions through resident feedback. We have modeled the curriculum to progress with stage of learning and allows learners to interact with other residents as co-learners and teachers as they progress through the program.

    Our residents will participate weekly in journal club, every other week in provincial palliative care grand rounds, and participate in the provincial palliative care conference. There is also a national academic half day, attended virtually, allows residents in Palliative Medicine from across Canada to learn and network together.

    Two scholarly blocks and protected time within academic half-days are provided to encourage scholarly work including a research project with the goal of presenting and publishing scholarly work by the end of the 2 years. A research supervisor within the section and our Palliative Medicine research lead, Dr. Harvey Chochinov, will be available to support this work.

    We have a strong, and evolving, resident wellness program that helps support our residents and focuses on narrative reflection, mindfulness and resident lead initiatives.

    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.

    This residency program is for 2 years.

    The Palliative Medicine Subspecialty training program at the University of Manitoba is made up of 26 blocks (2 years) including holiday time (4 weeks per year). Following the RCPSC competency continuum model or competency by design, program rotations are purposefully organized in a manner that gradually increases resident professional responsibility and independence.

    The duration of the Transition to Discipline stage is 2 blocks and occurs in the acute inpatient setting. Blocks 3 through 9 make up the Foundation of Discipline stage. The Core of Discipline stage begins during block 10 of first year and continues through to block 9 in second year. The program culminates with the Transition to Practice stage in the final 3-4 blocks of the program.

    Trainees have two blocks of scholarly activity for completing a research project related to Palliative Medicine. In addition, elective time can be chosen to complete educational, administrative or research endeavors, with approval from the residency program director.

    Training occurs across various facilities within Winnipeg.  St. Boniface Hospital houses our tertiary palliative care unit and also provides tertiary level palliative care consultation on other wards.  Cancer care rotations, palliative care clinics, medical selective rotations and consultative care occur at the province’s largest hospital Health Sciences Centre.  Residents also spend two months at a community palliative care unit, located at Riverview Health Centre and two months providing palliative care to patients in community hospitals, patient homes, and at personal care homes.

    The following is an example of a potential 2-year schedule. 

    Year 1

    Transition to Discipline Stage:

    Block 1: Tertiary Palliative Medicine and urgent tertiary care consultation - St. Boniface Hospital Palliative Care Unit

    Block 2: Tertiary Palliative Medicine and urgent tertiary care consultation - St. Boniface Hospital Palliative Care Unit

     

    Foundations Stage:

    Block 3: Community palliative care -Winnipeg Regional Health Authority

    Block 4: Tertiary Care Hospital Consults – St. Boniface Hospital or Health Sciences Hospital

    Block 5: Medical Oncology - CancerCare Manitoba

    Block 6: Radiation Oncology - CancerCare Manitoba

    Blocks 7-9: Pain and Symptom Clinics and Research Time

    Point of Care Ultrasound training will be provided during Foundations Stage.

    The Pain and Symptom Clinic at Cancer Care Manitoba will be the primary outpatient clinic site, and provide procedural opportunities as well

     

    Core of Discipline Stage:

    Block 10: Community Palliative Care Ward - Riverview Health Centre

    Block 11: Tertiary Palliative Medicine - St. Boniface Hospital Palliative Care Unit

    Block 12: Tertiary Palliative Medicine Consultation - St. Boniface Hospital or Health Sciences Hospital

    Block 13: Community Palliative Care - WRHA Community palliative care team

     

    Year 2

    Block 1: Community Palliative Care - WRHA Community palliative care team

    Block 2: Research and Continuity Clinic 

    Block 3-5: Subspecialty Block/Medical Selective

    May include inpatient care, consultation and subspecialty ambulatory clinics in Residents choice of at least 4 of the following specialty areas: Chronic kidney disease, Dementia and/or frailty, Heart failure, Infectious diseases, Liver diseases, Neurologic disorders, Respiratory diseases.  Residents can tailor their educational experiences by choosing from multiple combinations of Medical Selectives.

    Block 6: Pediatric Palliative Medicine

    Block 7-8: Elective

    2-4 week elective periods in areas of trainees interest, in consultation with RPC. Recommended experiences could include Addiction Medicine, Anesthesia, Chronic Pain, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care, Rural Palliative Care (strongly recommended)

    Block 9: Psychiatry

     

    Transition to Practice Stage: (Trainee acting as Junior Attending)

    Block 10: Community Palliative Care - WRHA Community palliative care team

    Block 11: Tertiary Palliative Medicine - St. Boniface Hospital Palliative Care Unit

    Block 12: Tertiary Palliative Medicine Consultation - St. Boniface Hospital or Health Sciences Hospital

    Block 13: Community Palliative Care Ward - Riverview Health Centre

     

     

     

     

    Training Sites

    The majority of in-hospital training will occur at St Boniface Hospital and Health Sciences Centre. The rotations at these tertiary care hospitals will include: inpatient tertiary palliative medicine, pain and symptom clinics, consultative care, medical oncology, radiation oncology, and medical selectives. Pediatric Palliative Medicine training will be based at the Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg, adjacent to the Health Sciences Centre. Additional inpatient training will occur at the Riverview Health Centre which houses a 30 bed sub-acute Palliative Care Unit.

     

    Community palliative medicine training will be coordinated with the community-based palliative care team of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) to provide expertise in palliative care delivery for patients at home and long-term care facilities.

     

    As an elective, a trainee may choose a rotation in rural Palliative Medicine in the Southern Health Region of Manitoba. Palliative Medicine delivery is largely based out of the Boundary Trails Health Centre which is located in the Winkler/Morden area of Southern Manitoba. This rural hospital includes dedicated palliative care beds and a family practice oncology unit.  The hospital serves as a hub for community palliative home care and the rotation offers the opportunity to do home visits for patients within the rural catchment area and also to provide consultative care and education within local smaller hospitals.

    Additional Information

    Lifestyle

    Winnipeg is a friendly, multi-cultural city of approximately 750,000, situated in the centre of Canada.

    Winnipeg is home to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Manitoba Opera, Manitoba Theatre Centre, and many smaller theatre companies. It has a vibrant Visual Art scene and features several museums and art galleries. Winnipeg is home to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the only national museum located outside of Ottawa. It is a city known for its diversity of excellent restaurants, serving cuisines from all parts of the world. For those interested in sports the Winnipeg Jets, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Goldeyes, and Valour Soccer Club are only a few of the teams based in Winnipeg.

    Summers in Winnipeg are filled with festivals, including the Folk Festival, Jazz Festival, Fringe Festival, and Folklorama.

    As Winnipeg is close to numerous lakes, parks and beaches, there is no shortage of places to camp, fish and hike. Summer days are sunny and hot providing ideal weather for many summer activities and sports.

    Winnipeg is also known for its cold winter months. During this time, you can walk, skate and cross-country ski along the city's beautiful rivers including one of the longest naturally frozen skating trails in the world.  Ample snow and sunlight also allow for a variety of other winter sports and provides an idyllic setting for the Festival du Voyageur.


    Travel Manitoba (http://www.travelmanitoba.com/)

    FAQ

    Do I need to do an elective at the host university to be accepted?

    We are looking for trainees who are skilled, dedicated and interested in a career in Palliative Medicine. This skill, dedication and interest can be demonstrated at any university. It is helpful to have completed an elective at any university where you are applying, but this is not a requirement to be accepted into our program.