Enhanced Skills
Our Enhanced Skills (PGY3) Program offers a wide range of options if you are a resident interested in pursuing additional training after your core 2-year Family Medicine Residency.
The Enhanced Skills program is a third year residency program meant to prepare family physicians who are responsive to the needs of their community. The program is designed to provide family medicine residents with training in a specific area they feel they require additional training in or training required to help them service a specific community need.
For more information on which programs offer rural / regional experiences, please see our programs information below.
Admissions Deadlines
- Application Opens — August 20, 2018
- Application Deadline — October 5, 2018
- Interview Period — October 8 to December 3, 2018
- Acceptance Notification — December 6, 2018
- Deadline for Acceptance — December 2018
- Start date – July 1, 2019
Eligibility
The Enhanced Skills Program will review applications from current PGY2 residents who are registered in a Canadian Family Medicine Residency Program at the time of their application. Residents must start their PGY3 year within 12 months of completing their PGY2 year.
(Practicing physicians must apply separately through the Re-Entry Program of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, and not directly to the university. Applications from practicing physicians will not be accepted for the Enhanced Skills Program. Please view the ministry information about the Re-Entry Programs here. Different timelines apply to Re-Entry Applicants.)
The Enhanced Skills Emergency Medicine Program application process is a separate CaRMS based process. Please see the CaRMS website for more information.
Enhanced Skills Contact: fmpgy3@mcmaster.ca
Our Enhanced Skills Program offers a wide range of options for residents that would benefit from additional experiences in preparation for their future practice. Interested Residents in their second year will apply to either Category 1 or Self-Designed programs based on career intentions.
Many of these programs are either offered in urban settings or rural / regional settings or both.
For an overview of the program structure please see our Enhanced Skills Program Information.
Please Note: EM applicants apply through CaRMS.
For all programs other than Emergency Medicine, please fill out this application form (Live on August 20th), and submit along with your CV and Letter of Intent. Please make subject line of your submission “last name, first name – 2019/2020 Application”. You will also need to have a letter of support from your Program Director and two letters of reference sent directly to us. If you have any questions, please contact our Education Team at fmpgy3@mcmaster.ca.
Checklist:
- Updated Curriculum Vitae
- including any advanced life support courses and electives
- Completed Application Form
- A Letter of Intent including the following:
- Your goals and objectives for the program;
- How the added experience will fit with your future practice needs;
- The ways you might be better enabled to contribute to the community, the Department of Family Medicine, or the discipline of Family Medicine in general.
- A Letter of Support from your Program Director (or Site Director, where more appropriate) which speaks to your academic performance and professionalism*
- Two letters of support from referees who can speak to your professionalism and interpersonal skills*
*Please have reference letters sent directly to the following via mail or e-mail:
Department of Family Medicine
c/o Sam Buma – Enhanced Skills Application
David Braley Health Sciences Centre
100 Main Street West, 2nd Floor
Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1OR
Email: fmpgy3@mcmaster.ca
- Updated Curriculum Vitae
Do I need to have elective in the field I wish to apply for?
Electives are not required but are strongly encouraged where possible to gain exposure and test your interests in a certain area of focus.
I am a practising physician outside of Canada. Can I apply?
The Ministry of Health and Long Term care will only provide funding for residents and physicians who are either practising in Canada, or are completing their residency in Canada.
What is the difference between Category 1 and Category 2 / Self-Designed programs?
Category 1 programs lead to a Certificate of Added Competence, as recognized by the CFPC.
If I want to practice in a rural setting afterwards, which programs will support that goal?
Our Self-Designed programs are designed to provide a resident with the skills and experience to support a rural / regional practice. Discussions with your Program Director will help determine which experience will best suit your interests and the needs of the community in which you hope to practice.
For more information, please see our programs page or contact Fmpgy3@mcmaster.ca
