Program Overview & Highlights

Program Overview

Length of training: two (2) years

Built on years of experience, we are a truly pan-Northern program based on well developed infrastructure and academic excellence -a program for physicians seeking a unique and challenging experience. Residents learn in a wide range of clinical settings under the supervision of practising family physicians, specialist physicians and other members of allied health care teams.

NOSM University’s Family Medicine Residents of the Canadian Shield (RoCS) is one program with various training streams/sites. Applicants who are interested in NOSM U’s Family Medicine program can apply to any, or all Family Medicine streams, which include:

North Bay
Sault Ste. Marie
Sudbury
Thunder Bay
Timmins
Remote First Nations
Rural South, East, and West

The NOSM U’s Family Medicine program is implementing Triple C competency-based curriculum in all training streams. This shift will centre residency training in the discipline of Family Medicine and the achievement of competency in comprehensive Family practice, while providing continuity in the educational and clinical settings. Depending on the site, the approach to the scheduling of clinical experiences will differ. Despite scheduling differences among sites, FM residents in all streams complete and distribute multiple assessment tools to obtain feedback from preceptors. Residents will also regularly review their progress with a designated faculty member to identify and modify their learning plans. Candidates who are self-directed and engage in reflective practice are particularly suited to our residency program.

Please visit our NOSM University Community Profiles page for information on the multitude of rural training sites available to residents.

Program Highlights

Many aspects of our program set us apart from more traditional residency routes, enhancing the caliber of our graduates.

Practice opportunities are extensive, and diverse allowing residents to immerse themselves in the unique lifestyle of northern Ontario
Residents have flexibility and are encouraged to undertake clinical experiences in a wide variety of communities across the entire NOSM U geographic area
Opportunities exist to undertake either Family medicine or other learning experiences in the French language and experience the Francophone culture of northern Ontario
Community rotations are available which will allow residents to immerse and familiarize themselves in the rural culture, and experience the challenges and rewards of delivery of care in rural and remote communities
Many diverse opportunities exist to encounter, immerse and deliver care to Indigenous Peoples including travel to northern First Nations.
Rotations in over 40 Northern urban, rural and remote clinical settings
Opportunity for a wide variety of PGY3 enhanced skills options in northern Ontario
A unique opportunity for blended hospital-based and community-based training with first call coverage in most disciplines
Early integration as a key member of an interdisciplinary health care team dedicated to professionalism, high quality patient care and excellent medical education
A diverse variety of in-patient and outpatient experiences emphasized from the beginning of residency
Unparalleled preceptor support from physician faculty and preceptors whose primary focus is patient care and teaching
Commitment to resident learning
Initial block of training focused on transition to residency to ensure successful progression through the two years of training
Financial support for resident travel to and from core clinical placements away from the home base and all mandatory educational activities at non home base locations
Housing support for core rotations away from home base and primary residence for up to 6 months per academic year
Opportunities to participate in research under expert guidance
Funding available for research, professional development and conference participation
Access to advanced technology and informatics that allows 24/7 access to electronic search engines, and electronic indexes, as well as an extensive collection of electronic medical/health journals and textbooks
Exceptional lifestyle balance with a wide variety of outstanding northern Ontario recreational opportunities