PGY-1 Entry Programs

The Postgraduate Year One (PGY-1) entry residency training programs offered by the Department of Medicine are accreditated by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). RCPSC certification in a specialty is granted when one completes all credentials, training, and examination requirements. Information regarding the specialty training requirements for each program can be found on the RCPSC website.

The PGY-1 residency training programs are direct entry from medical school. Your citizenship status determines your application pathway for admission to residency. The Postgraduate Medical Education Office provides detailed information regarding eligibility and application processes for Canadian resident applicants (administered by the national residency matching process that the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS)), international resident applicants and other application streams.

Note: If you are considering applying to one of the Department of Medicine's PGY1 entry residency training programs, and you have also applied to the U.S. match through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP), please be advised that the University of Toronto is a participating institution and adheres to the match policy. The policy states that "Applicants who have matched to a program or have accepted a position during the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), shall not apply for, discuss, interview for, or accept a concurrent year position in another program prior to the NRMP granting the requested waiver." More information is accessible on the NRMP Specialty Matching Services Match Participation Agreement.

For a list of our PGY-1 entry residency program directors and please visit our Residency Program Directors page.

Scroll down to learn more about the five specialty residency training programs offered by the Department of Medicine.

DERMATOLOGY

Program Highlights

This program is for five years.

Program length of training does not exceed the Royal College or College of Family Physicians of Canada standard.

The goal of the Dermatology Residency Program at the University of Toronto is to provide an outstanding, broad-based education in dermatology. Established in 1964 to enable medical school graduate physicians to receive specialty training in dermatology, it is the largest such facility in Canada and one of the largest in the world. Clinical education encompasses both medical and surgical approaches to skin disorders in a population that ranges from newborn to elderly. Particular expertise exists in immunodermatology, medical dermatology, photobiology, dermatological surgery, contact dermatitis, hair diseases, dermatoses in skin of colour, wound care, skin cancer and pharmacology.

Trainees are encouraged to become involved with specialty clinics in psoriasis, skin cancers, pigmented lesions, camouflage cosmetics, immune skin diseases, cutaneous surgery, paediatric dermatology and clinical pharmacology. The division has an established Dermatologic Surgery Program that offers a range of cosmetic and surgical procedures.

Dermatopathology is an integral part of the Division of Dermatology. A comprehensive program of individual and group instruction is provided to all residents of the University of Toronto Dermatology Residency Program. A full range of diagnostic and consultative services, such as immunopathology, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy is provided to dermatologists across the province of Ontario.

The division's paediatric dermatologists offer specialized instruction and expert care in treating infants, children and adolescents with skin disorders at The Hospital for Sick Children.

Our commitment to providing innovative care for patients with skin disorders has led to pioneering work in basic research and in-patient care, including:

Understanding mechanisms involved in cutaneous drug reactions
Understanding the effect of ultraviolet light on skin
Understanding the role the skin plays as the peripheral arm of the body's immune system
Consultation with industry and government for the evaluation of industrial and environmentally-induced skin diseases
Refinement of phototherapy, which uses ultraviolet light for treating psoriasis, cutaneous lymphoma, and vitiligo

EMERGENCY MEDICINE

Program Highlights

The FRCP Emergency Medicine Residency Training Program is a postgraduate clinical training program accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. The goal of the program is to train physicians to become consultants in emergency medicine while developing subspecialty interest related to emergency medicine that will allow them to become future leaders in the specialty. The program is dedicated to maintaining a high academic standard and offering a broad range of academic resources.

The residency program combines a series of clinical rotations covering the core content of the specialty with a series of organized, structured activities designed to embellish the clinical experience and provide learning opportunities not seen on rotations.

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada has completed a model of competencies for training specialists for future practice. This model, based on societal needs, has been termed the CanMEDS framework. The evolution of the University of Toronto residency program will be primarily aimed at addressing these competencies. They are enumerated as follows:

Medical Expert
Scholar
Professional
Healthcare advocate
Communicator
Collaborator
Manager

Perhaps like no other specialty, emergency medicine physicians are called upon to integrate these competencies on a daily basis. They are very relevant to our practice and our advancement as a specialty. While the program currently includes many of the recommendations for addressing these competencies, a more organized curriculum will be developed over the next few years to ensure complete and exemplary coverage of the topic matter. Examples of measures already in place include the clinical epidemiology series (addresses scholar role) and the administrative course (addresses manager).

NEUROLOGY

Program Highlights

We offer a five year CaRMS entry-level postgraduate medical training program that is accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and supported by the Department of Medicine within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Our program combines diverse clinical and research excellence that enables us to train expert clinicians, clinician-scientists, and the next generation of leaders in the field of neurology.

We continually strive to improve our program and adapt it to the changing needs of our neurological patients, evolving resident requirements and important developments in the neurosciences.

All residents are encouraged to undertake research activities with neurology division faculty throughout the program. In addition, PGY-4 residents are required to undertake a research project and present the results of their research at the annual Silverside's Day in June of each year. Residents may choose to enter the clinician-scientist program in this year to complete a postgraduate degree through the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto. In addition, residents are encouraged to pursue research activities through the affiliated hospital research institutes, such as the Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease (CRND), The Toronto Western Research Institute (TWRI), The Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute (SLRI), St. Michael's Hospital, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (SWRI), and the Rotman Institute at Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care.

PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION

Program Highlights

The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Training Program at the University of Toronto is the largest program of its kind in Canada. Our faculty has a strong commitment to resident education. Our program provides diverse opportunities for training, research and broad clinical exposure within the University of Toronto community. Residents receive financial support for conferences, research, books, technology and social programming. Our program alternates with Edmonton in hosting the Canadian Comprehensive Review Course in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. We have a collegial group of 23 residents with a broad informal support network.

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Program Highlights

Internal medicine is a four year residency training program, although most residents complete three years in "core" internal medicine and continue in their chosen subspecialty.

The curriculum strictly adheres to the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada requirements for internal medicine training and is comprised of a minimum of:

15 rotation blocks of general internal medicine (clinical teaching unit, medical consults, and community-based internal medicine for the most part),
4 rotation blocks of managing critically ill patients,
1 block dedicated to a project demonstrating scholarship,
and the remainder of the time on medicine-related subspecialties.

Residents are required to complete rotations in all major medicine subspecialty areas during their core training. Each rotation block is four weeks in length and follows a pre-determined date structure.

The curriculum is reinforced by a variety of educational activities including level-specific academic half days, dedicated rounds for each specialty/subspecialty, Department of Medicine rounds (medical grand rounds and city wide rounds) and other educational events.

More information about the Internal Medicine Core Residency Program

More information about the Black and Indigenous Pathway and Mentorship Program