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Program Highlights
The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation. The Department of Family Medicine additionally participates in clinical programs in Inuit communities. We respect the Treaties and Agreements that were made on these territories, we acknowledge the harms and mistakes of the past, and we dedicate ourselves to move forward in partnership with Indigenous communities in a spirit of reconciliation and collaboration.
Mandatory Orientation Sessions
The mandatory full day Postgraduate Medical Education Orientation for all residents will be held on Friday, June 26, 2026
The mandatory full day Family Medicine Residency Orientation will be held on Monday, June 29, 2026
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
Prior to the commencement of training, matched applicants must provide proof of ACLS certification that is current as of July 1, 2026. The ACLS Provider course must be certified by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada or the American Heart Association. ACLS training that is not certified by one of these two organizations and/or is completed entirely through an online course will not be accepted. Applicants are responsible for all costs associated with obtaining ACLS certification. We provide a re-certification course in your second year of residency prior to graduation.
Family Medicine Professional Choices (FMProC)
The Family Medicine Professional Choices (FMProC) testing is mandatory for all applicants. It is a situational judgement test designed to evaluate your professional reasoning, communication skills and aptitude for responding effectively to diverse clinical situations. It primarily consists of two types of questions: ranking and rating scenarios.
FMProC registration for the first round of CaRMS 2026 will be open on September 10, 2025. More details: https://fmproc.com/
Situational judgement tests are designed to assess applicant’s judgement regarding situations encountered in the workplace or during training. Applicants are presented with a set of hypothetical based scenarios and asked to make judgements about possible responses. Applicants responses are evaluated against a pre-determined scoring key to provide a picture of their situational judgement in that particular context.
The development and modification of the scenarios in FMProC involved input from several leaders with different perspectives, roles and experiences. This included family physicians, educators, family medicine residents and medical students, Indigenous health, rural and remote family medicine, 2SLGBTQ+, anti-racism, international medical graduates and more. This specifically included groups under-represented in medicine to ensure, as much as possible, that no group is disadvantaged by the test format or content.
Vacation Allowance
Vacation in PGY1 can be taken in the following ways:
Two weeks in each of two blocks in conjunction with an approved elective or Family Medicine Block Time in the remaining two weeks of the same blocks
Vacation in 1 week blocks can be taken during Family Medicine Block Time
One 4 week vacation block
*Vacation is not allowed in Block 1 in PGY1.
Though the program tries to accommodate residents’ specific vacation period requests, constraints of scheduling often requires flexibility and not all requests will be approved.
Interview Dates
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Program will notify all applicants through CaRMS Online and will send email invitations directly to applicants selected for an interview. Applicants who are invited for interview will participate in one structured interview, regardless of the number of sites to which you have applied. The structured interview may have questions specific to the sites to which you have applied. The interview is conducted as a 3-person panel interview and typically consists of 1 physician, 1 interprofessional faculty member, and 1 resident. Candidates will be invited to attend one of the three interview days. The interview itself lasts 30 to 40 minutes.
Program Goals
The University of Manitoba is committed to the social justice principles of equity, access and 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.
A broad knowledge base and clinical skill sets enable family physicians to work in diverse settings such as patients’ homes, outpatient clinics, emergency departments, labour and delivery suites, hospital wards, and nursing homes. Family medicine often serves as the main entry point to the health care system and the hub that provides continuity of care throughout the life cycle. As such, family medicine is the central medical discipline. The importance of primary care in quality of health and the value Canadian society places on family physicians in the delivery of this care are well known.
The goal of our residency program is to train family physicians who are able to provide comprehensive, high quality, continuous care in urban, rural, or remote settings.
Selection Process Goals
An inclusive, open and diverse community is essential to excellence and fosters voices that have been ignored or discouraged. To address the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences commitment to equity, access and participation, and in recognition of the underrepresentation of members of historically and currently excluded groups, our program has taken the following proactive measures as part of our selection process:
Implicit bias training for all selection committee members, diverse representation of selection committee members, inclusion of interview questions targeted to assess applicant commitment to EDIA, offering necessary accommodations during the interview process, second pass/review of applicants below interview and rank order list cut off to review for possible bias in scoring, orientation to all assessors to scoring rubrics, file review completed by dedicated, trained group.
We strive for diverse perspectives and cultural safety throughout the hiring process (resident selection committees, short-list of applicants, interviews). We ask all applicants to include an EDIA statement in their personal letter with evidence demonstrating their own commitment to EDIA in their work and training thus far.
Transportation
As you will need to move frequently about the city and province between training sites, you will need to secure a means of transportation. You may find it easiest to maintain a personal vehicle.
Additional Points to Consider:
· Cost of living is one of the most affordable in Canada.
· Full access to University of Manitoba library and its electronic resources, including UpToDate.
· Competitive resident salaries with a solid resident contract including a well-supported maternity/paternity leave policy. http://www.parim.org
· Membership and registration fees are covered for University of Manitoba, College of Family Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba, Canadian Medical Protective Association, and the initial membership in the College of Family Physicians of Canada for PGY1 year.
· Annual two day resident retreat held in a community outside of Winnipeg.
· All mandatory course fees are reimbursed upon successful completion. Examples of mandatory courses include: NRP, ALARM, ATLS, BLS and ACLS recertification. Mandatory courses vary between programs.
· Travel costs and accommodation are provided for mandatory offsite rotations.
Brandon, Manitoba is approximately 2 hours west of Winnipeg by car. It is the regional trade, education and medical service center for some 200,000 residents of southwest Manitoba. This is why ~150 doctors and medical specialists call Brandon home. Brandon has a stable, strong and diverse economy with approximately 2000 businesses that are local, national and international in scope and range from a couple of employees to several thousand. The agriculture sector, oil industry, retail & service companies along with a solid manufacturing sector keep our economy healthy. There are eight Medical Clinics with walk-in service, 12 Dental offices and eight Optometrist offices within the city. Daily flights from Brandon’s modern and spacious airport to Calgary, Alberta via WestJet allows direct access to an international airport; Brandon airport is a 15-minute drive from the centre of the City and offers free parking. Brandon also offers an air shuttle service to Winnipeg International Airport.
Housing:
The housing market has always remained very stable in Brandon; the average house price in 2024 was $377,000 (Housing Resources). All the housing neighborhoods include green space, trees and parks. Brandon Area Realtors website includes listings for all the real estate agents within the city: brandonarearealtors.ca
The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Brandon in 2024 was $1068 plus utilities based on data from Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation.
There are many options for apartments; fueled by new construction throughout the city including the conversion of downtown historic buildings into unique living space such as the Prairie Lofts project. Resources for finding rental properties in Brandon are available at Rental Property.
Recreation & Leisure:
Food
Breakfast = Mum’s, Komfort Kitchen, Lady of the Lake, The Eagles Nest Bar & Grill
Lunch = Lady of the Lake, Komfort Kitchen,
Dinner = Brown’s Social House, The Keg, Benny’s, Albert’s, Ollie’s European Market??
Baked Goods = Chez Angela Bakery, Blue Hills Bakery & Deli, Kuiper’s Family Bakery
Pub = The Dock on Princess, Little Bones Wings, Double Decker, Joe Beeverz, Tavern United, The Eagles Nest Bar & Grill
Craft Beer: Black Wheat Brewing, Section 6 Brewing Co.
Greek = Albert’s Bistro
Indian = The Chili Chutney
Pakistan = Khan Foods
Mexican = Los Brothers Restaurant, Mariachi Mexican Tacos & Cantina
South American = Sabor Latino, Pupuseria La Bendición de Dios
Ethiopian = Tana Ethiopian Cuisine
Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai = Kim’s Asian Restaurant
Japanese = Kim’s Asian Restaurant, Sushi Hut
Middle Eastern = Shawarma Queen, Khan Foods, BabaKadir Shawarma Restaurant
Pizza = Pizza Express, Marino’s Pizza, Little Italy
Ice Cream = Velvet Dip, Tastees Ice Cream & Grill
Great local coffee shops: H Coffee for amazing 3rd wave coffee and espresso, Forbidden Flavours, Coffee Culture
Annual Burger Week competition between local restaurants
Manitoba Institute of Culinary Arts
Annual Grey Owl Restaurant https://assiniboine.net/community/news-events/events-mica/great-grey-owl-restaurant
International Wine & Food Festival https://assiniboine.net/community/news-events/events-mica/international-wine-food-festival
Fitness
Brandon University’s Healthy Living Centre offers UofM residents student membership rates
Goodlife, YMCA, Anytime fitness offer opportunities for membership in Brandon and Winnipeg
Local facilities include Frederickson Performance Centre, Outperform, Peak Performance & Athletics Centre
Yoga = Brandon City Yoga, The Zen Zone, Open Hearts Wellness
Crossfit = Rocked Community Fitness, Power Play CrossFit
Indoor Cycling = Tour Fit Club
Hiking at the Brandon Hills just south of the city or at The Discovery Centre
Mountain biking at the Brandon Hills just south of the city
Skiing and snowboarding = Travel 2 hours northwest to Aessessipi Ski Resort to ski or snowboard on the best mountains in the province; 30 minutes north to Minnedosa Ski Hill; 2 hours southeast to Holiday Mountain Resort at La Riviere
Canoeing and Kayaking = Travel 1 hour north to Riding Mountain National Park; Numerous lake within 1 hour of Brandon (Rivers, Minnedosa, Ninette, Sandy Lake, Oak Lake, Ditch Lake)
Two indoor public swimming pools
Outdoor rubber running track at the Sportsplex
Walking/biking path that encompasses the entire city
Outdoor fitness equipment along the walking/biking paths within the city and at Riverbank Discovery Centre
Entertainment
WHL Hockey team – Brandon Wheat Kings
The Keystone Centre – over 10 acres of convention, entertainment, agricultural and recreation complex & home ice to the Wheat Kings, all found under one roof
Westman Centennial Auditorium– including performances such as Winnipeg Ballet, concerts, plays, etc
Checkout the latest movies at Landmark Cinemas 9 Brandon
5 golf courses in Brandon and 16 more within a 1 hour drive of Brandon
Riverbank Discovery Centre / Brandon Tourism located beside the Assiniboine river which runs 17 km throughout the City and home to Festival Park and natural walking trails.
Brandon University Bobcats– Basketball and Volleyball (Home of the Men’s National Volleyball Champs)
Public Library & Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba- presents national and international exhibitions and works by regional artists
Community theatre groups, recreational sports leagues, hobby groups, supports groups and not for profit’s can be found in the Community Contact List. Recreational sports groups include baseball, volleyball, basketball, racquetball, golf, tennis, martial arts, boxing, running, biking, extreme frisbee, etc.
Bowling, billiards, darts, and arcade games at T-Birds
Brandon University School of Music
Nearby Provincial Parks
Travel 1 hour north to Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park
Visit the Whitehouse Bakery for the world’s best cinnamon buns
Amazing Italian food at TR McKoy’s Italian Restaurant
Rent a kayak or canoe for the day
Go to the spa at Elkhorn Resort Spa & Conference Centre
Get ice cream at The Boardwalk on Clear Lake
Enjoy a drink with pizza at the Canoe Taphouse or The Foxtail
Stop by Beaver Tails and grab a bite
Travel 1 hour south to Turtle Mountain Provincial Park
Enjoy fishing, boating and water sports at Rivers Provincial Park, 30 minutes northwest of Brandon
30 minutes east of Brandon will find you at Spruce Woods Provincial Park, featuring Spirit Sands and the Devil’s Punch Bowl – Manitoba’s desert
Spend some time at the International Peace Gardens at the Canada/US border
Fishing, boating and water sports
Community Gardens – there are 220 Community Gardens throughout the city
For Kids
Brandon has over 30 registered Child Care Facilities as well as licensed & unlicensed private in-home child care, over 90 parks, playgrounds and green spaces, 3 leash free dog parks, 1 outdoor pool, 2 indoor pools, 5 outdoor water/spray parks, outdoor & indoor public skating, tobogganing hills and 44 km’s of walking, biking & hiking trails with outdoor fitness equipment located throughout the city. Provincial Online Child Care Information
Education, Training & Faith:
Brandon School Division encompasses 22 schools including elementary, middle years and high schools with a 23rd elementary school currently under construction. The school division offers an Advanced Placement Program as well as French Immersion and a faith-based school.
Christian Heritage School is an independent Christian school offering classes from Kindergarten to grade eight. The curriculum is consistent with the Department of Education standards.
Brandon University – significant reputation in music, general arts and science programs. Undergraduate degrees in Arts, Science, Music, Education, Business Administration, Fine Arts, Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, and First Nations and Aboriginal Counseling. The University also features graduate degrees in Psychiatric Nursing, Music, Rural Development and Education, as well as pre-professional programs in 19 areas ranging from agriculture to veterinary medicine. Brandon University is also home to the innovative Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies program – the first program of its kind in the country. Average annual enrollment of over 3500 students.
Assiniboine College – has two locations in Brandon and additional campuses in Dauphin and Winnipeg, and offers over 40 unique programs in the fields of agriculture, environment, business, health and human services, food and hospitality, trades and technology with over 500 full-time and part-time employees and an average annual full-time enrollment over 3,600 including apprenticeships at the two Brandon campuses.
The Manitoba Emergency Services College – 37-40 full time enrollment and over 2200 continuing education enrollment each year.
There are over 40 Places of Worship in many different denominations
Annual Events include:
Burger Brawl – Local restaurants compete for the best burger over 1 month
The Pavilions – Annual multicultural festival of food and entertainment
Assiniboine College Annual Food Events – Harvest on the Hill, Holiday Buffet, Great Grey Owl Restaurant, International Wine & Food Festival
Westman Wine Festival
Manitoba Summer Fair
Fall Fair
Royal Manitoba Winter Fair
Ag Days
Canadian National Arabian and Half Arabian Horse Show
Cruisin’ the Dub (downtown car show)
Brandon Folk Music Festival
Brandon Jazz Festival
Dakota Nation Winterfest.
For more information on Brandon, visit the following websites.
Economic Development Brandon
City of Brandon
Prairie Mountain Health
Brandon Tourism
Brandon Arts/Culture & Recreation
Tourism Westman
Additional Information
Compensation is provided for accommodation and travel for rotations outside of Brandon.
Residents have access to an education fund for conferences or educational materials.
Full access to the University of Manitoba library and its electronic resources.
Residents fall under the PARIM Collective Agreement at www.parim.org.
Use of Simulation lab at Brandon University for some academic training.
We are looking for applicants with:
A strong medical knowledge base with proficiency in family medicine and other related fields.
A definite interest in pursuing a career in rural family / emergency medicine.
An active and responsible approach to learning, informal interactions with staff during emergency medicine rotations. Applicants must be prepared to work in an environment where they are given more independence compared to a tertiary centre.
Preferably a reference from a family physician/emergency physician who can affirm your interest and suitability in rural family medicine, as well as your medical knowledge base.
The Brandon Family Medicine Stream is a two-year residency where residents live and train in Brandon. Brandon is a small city with family medicine preceptors with busy practices, generalist specialist preceptors and a very well-equipped regional referral health centre. Much of the training is provided longitudinally over the two years. Emphasis is placed on skill and knowledge development, generalist education and continuity of care.
An active teaching unit, with low preceptor to trainee ratios.
Large clinical volumes with an excellent variety of patients.
Frequent opportunities to perfect your procedural skills through clinical encounters and procedural simulation.
Continuity of care within your preceptor’s practice is an educational priority and is provided during the two years during Family Medicine block time and continuity clinics while on specialty rotations.
There is an integrated curriculum that provides training in emergency, psychiatry, and geriatrics embedded within Family Medicine Block Time.
Monthly academic days in small group learning environments with in-unit teaching. Point of Care ultrasound modules incorporated into annual curriculum
Very well-equipped regional referral health centre that services a population of about 200,000
Rural rotations in Family Medicine in both years
Pediatric Emergency at the busy Winnipeg’s Children’s Hospital and Palliative Medicine rotation at specialized Winnipeg unit
Brandon is a welcoming community nestled along the Assiniboine River, rich in diverse culture and offering a metropolitan lifestyle with the charm of small-town living. Located in the heart of Southwestern Manitoba, 200 km west of Winnipeg
Population over 54,000, median age of 37
Affordable housing
Extensive retail and service sector, >2000 businesses
Lots of recreation facilities and events with over 90 parks, playgrounds and green spaces
In-city commute of 12 minutes.
Multicultural
Overview of Department
https://umanitoba.ca/medicine/department-family-medicine
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.
For more than 40 years, the University of Manitoba’s Department of Family Medicine has been positively influencing the health of individuals, families and communities across Manitoba. Through clinical work, teaching and innovative research, family medicine is making a difference.
We offer residents the chance to learn with interprofessional faculty, such as dietitians, pharmacists, nurse practitioners and other health care professionals. This collaborative learning model teaches our students and residents the basic principles of health care professions, when to use them in their care of patients and how to make appropriate referrals.
This program, accredited by the College of Family Physicians of Canada, promotes whole-person medicine through a combination of patient-centred care and structured seminars. During clerkship, learners are distributed in over 20 communities throughout Manitoba.
Family Medicine is a wide-ranging discipline, with the chance to impact a diverse spectrum of patients in various communities. Manitoba is one of the most diverse provinces in the country, providing an excellent opportunity to work with patients from a variety of backgrounds.
Training Passionate Family Physicians
After completing a four-year undergraduate degree in Medicine, students who enter the two-year Family Medicine residency choose a learning stream tailored to their practice interests.
Here is a video with a general overview of our Family Medicine Program at the University of Manitoba.
Streams:
Urban
Northern Remote
Northern Thompson
Bilingual
Rural – Boundary Trails
Rural – Brandon
Rural – Interlake Eastern
Rural – Neepawa
Rural – Parkland
Rural – Portage la Prairie
Rural – Steinbach
Integrated Clinician Scholar (3 year program)
Each stream provides a broad and balanced experience that prepares well-rounded family physicians who can practice with confidence in a variety of settings.
Enhanced Training
In addition to the postgraduate program, Family Medicine also offers enhanced skills training which allows Family Medicine doctors to continually shape and reshape their careers. Enhanced training is available in the following areas:
Addictions
FM Anesthesia
Cancer Care
Care of the Elderly
Emergency Medicine
Obstetrical Surgical Skills
Palliative Care
Sports & Exercise Medicine
This training requires an additional 6–12 months of study. Residents finishing their second year and practicing family physicians may apply.
Inspiring Young Minds – Our Faculty
The Department of Family Medicine has over 500 faculty members who excel at sharing knowledge, building competencies, and maximizing learning opportunities for students.
Our faculty are integral participants in all stages of medical education. Some have major Undergraduate teaching roles, providing comprehensive Family Medicine and generalist content as well as their unique perspectives on health care.
Integrative Medicine in Residency Program Option
The Integrative Medicine in Residency (IMR) program is a two-year program of study exploring the integration of Complementary and Alternative therapies with conventional family practice in an evidence-based manner. This program is being offered in conjunction with the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, and is a 200-hour, interactive web-based curriculum that is completed longitudinally alongside the Family Medicine residency program. This program option is available to residents in all streams. Visit the Integrative Medicine in Residency Program page for full details.
Innovative Research
The Department of Family Medicine provides exciting opportunities to perform research with practical outcomes on the health of Canadians. The department promotes and supports the development of research skills and provides workshops to all Family Medicine residents.
Scholarly Curriculum*
Scholarly activities in our program include:
– participation in Journal Clubs
– presentations at patient case rounds and regular guideline appraisals
– didactic teaching
– formal Quality Improvement curriculum
– Critical Appraisal assignments
– PEARLS exercises as offered through the College of Family Physicians of Canada
– Academic Days throughout the year
– additional core curriculum as mandated by PGME for all postgraduate program residents
* subject to change
Courses Offered for Residents in Family Medicine*
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
Prior to the commencement of training, matched applicants must provide proof of ACLS certification that is current as of July 1, 2026. The ACLS Provider course must be certified by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada or the American Heart Association. ACLS training that is not certified by one of these two organizations and/or is completed entirely through an online course will not be accepted. Applicants are responsible for all costs associated with obtaining ACLS certification. We provide a re-certification course in your second year of residency prior to graduation.
Advances in Labour and Risk Management (ALARM)
We mandate ALARM training during the residency and provide reimbursement upon successful completion.
Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)
We mandate ATLS training during the residency and provide reimbursement upon successful completion for all non-urban residents.
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
We mandate NRP during residency and provide reimbursement upon successful completion.
Ultrasound Curriculum
Ultrasound curriculum is mandatory and provided for all residents.
We Will Take Good Care of the People
Indigenous Cultural Safety Training
*subject to change
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.
You will live in Brandon and complete the majority of your residency in this small urban city and surrounding rural communities. Brandon is a small city where generalists, both family physicians and specialists, provide care in the community and at the very well-resourced regional referral hospital. You will become immersed in the community and will practice full-spectrum Family Medicine with lots of hands-on experience where you, the Family Medicine resident, are central to the structure.
Your hospital experiences during Family Medicine, Emergency, Psychiatry and Specialty rotations will take place at the Brandon Regional Health Center (BRHC) which is the regional referral center for Western Manitoba.
This facility services a referral population of approximately 200,000 and has 300+ beds. Inpatient care units include Acute Medicine, Surgery, ICU (medical/surgical), NICU, Pediatrics, Rehabilitation Medicine, Palliative Care, Waiting Placement/Supportive Care, Adult Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry and the off-campus Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Family physicians, obstetricians and midwives provide care in the single room maternity care unit. There are about 1700 births per year.
There are six surgical suites, a minor procedure theatre and a theatre dedicated to obstetrics.
BRHC features a full range of diagnostic services including MRI, CT, Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine, Clinical Neurophysiology and extensive lab services at the Westman Regional Laboratory.
BRHC outpatient care includes the emergency department that is staffed by in-house emergency physicians (CCFP and CCFP-EM physicians mainly) and is very busy with over 27,000 visits a year, the Cancer program, Day Surgery, GI Unit, Manitoba Breast Screening program, Renal/Dialysis Unit, Outpatient Care Unit and multiple outpatient care clinics such as Fracture Clinic, Ostomy Care and Stroke Prevention to name a just a few.
There are six Family Medicine Blocks in each year which includes 4-5 blocks based in Brandon and 1-2 blocks based in a smaller rural community in the region. During Family Medicine Block Time (FMBT), you are based at a private clinic. You are paired with a primary preceptor and their busy fee-for-service practice. The clinics have a mix of family physicians and specialists. The clinics are part of MyHealth Team including mental health workers, a dietitian, a pharmacist and psychiatrist. Both clinics are fully computerized and utilize electronic medical records. FMBT will provide residents with a wide variety of family medicine experiences including office practice, walk-in/urgent care, newborn care, palliative care, cancer care, long-term care, minor surgical procedures and emergency room care. Emergency Medicine and Psychiatry training occurs longitudinally during FMBT over the two years of residency. Your FMBT blocks in rural communities will provide acquisition of knowledge, skills, and confidence in practicing in a rural community where the nearest specialty services are 30-60 minutes away in Brandon.
Focused clinical experiences are available in physiotherapy, addiction medicine, IV starts, airway management, women’s health, gynecology, Sioux Valley (indigenous) Teen Clinic, EMS Ride along, and community medicine. We pride ourselves in our delivery of evidence-based medicine and our ability to allow you to develop your clinical and procedures skills essential to functioning as a rural family physician.
There are multiple learners at the Brandon Satellite program including residents and medical students. This enhances the learning environment and allows the opportunity for teaching.
INTERNAL MEDICINE/HOSPITAL MEDICINE
Your Internal Medicine/Hospital Medicine training occurs in two blocks in your first year. These two blocks will provide a broad range of clinical exposures with a group of Internal Medicine specialists who practice General Internal Medicine and specialists including Cardiology, Nephrology, Neurology and Respirology. This will mainly include office, hospital and emergency consultations. In addition, you can spend time with community family physicians who participate in the hospitalist service. This provides experience looking after both acutely and chronically ill inpatients often with multiple co-morbidities.
OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY
These two blocks of training will provide experience in both low risk and high-risk obstetrics (prenatal, antepartum, intrapartum and postpartum care) at the busy Brandon Single Room Maternal Child Unit (average birth rate of 1700 per year) as well as additional experience in gynecology and gynecologic procedures such as endometrial biopsy and IUCD insertion. Family Practice obstetrics and gynecology exposure may also occur longitudinally during Family Medicine Block Time.
PEDIATRICS
One block of pediatrics has residents involved in the care of children in the office setting, emergency department, delivery room, NICU and pediatric ward. Residents participate in a range of clinical problems from well child care and common childhood illness to consultative pediatrics and the care of critically ill infants. Pediatric training will also be provided horizontally during Family Medicine Block Time and Emergency Medicine. A horizontal experience within Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is also provided during Family Medicine Block Time.
PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY
The busy ER department at Children’s Hospital in Winnipeg is the site for one block of Pediatric Emergency training. Longitudinal pediatric emergency is also provided during FMBT in both the Brandon and rural FMBT sites.
EMERGENCY
Exposure to the busy Emergency Department of a Regional Referral Center will occur horizontally throughout Family Medicine Block Time. This Emergency Department sees more than 27,000 visits per year with greater than 51% being CTAS 1 – 3. The Emergency Department provides acute care to Brandon and the surrounding area. It is also a regional referral centre to patients that require consultation with Specialist physicians in the areas of General Surgery, Orthopedics, Ophthalmology, Neurology, Cardiology, General Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Intensive Care and Psychiatry. Preceptors are Family Physicians that work primarily in the Emergency Room. This is excellent exposure to a wide variety of critical conditions in patients of all ages. The rural FMBT rotations also provide excellent emergency training in a smaller centre with specialist support 30-60 minutes away.
SURGERY
A blend of general and orthopedic surgery exposure will ensure your Surgery block in Brandon is comprehensive. This involves participating in surgical care in the operating room, emergency department, surgical ward and office. From initial assessment and being first assistant to inpatient care and discharge planning, this rotation provides an excellent experience with lots of one-on-one teaching. In addition, horizontal surgical experience over the 2-year residency will occur throughout Family Medicine Block Time and Emergency Medicine.
ICU / CCU
This intensive care rotation is based in a nine-bed unit which includes coronary care, intensive care medicine, and intensive care surgery. Residents encounter a wide range of clinical experiences within the unit, through consultations in the emergency department, and time spent in the intensive care unit. The volume and variety of patients is excellent, including plenty of procedural practice. Airway management skills may be taught during this time by the Department of Anesthesia or with focused clinical days with a rural GP anesthetist.
PALLIATIVE MEDICINE
The Palliative Care rotation has been evaluated by residents as one of the most rewarding and unique to their Family Medicine training. Skills taught by palliative care family physicians enable residents to gain skills essential to providing symptom-based care to both patients struggling with chronic illness and during end-of-life care. This rotation is provided in Winnipeg and training will also occur longitudinally during Family Medicine Block Time.
PSYCHIATRY
This experience will be provided longitudinally during Family Medicine Block Time. Residents will be trained by Specialty Psychiatrists in their community practices, at the Child and Adolescent Treatment Center, Center for Adult Psychiatry and Center for Geriatric Psychiatry. In addition, Emergency Consultations will be seen while on call with Specialty Psychiatrists.
BEHAVIOURAL MEDICINE
An integrated approach to behavioral medicine is utilized during your Family Medicine experiences. Key areas include mental health concerns (curriculum in consultation with Department of Psychiatry), helping patients develop coping skills, knowledge of community resources and communication skills. The Brandon residency program behavioral medicine lead is involved in evaluation & teaching.
RHA social workers, psychologists and spiritual care professionals provide assistance with patient centered counselling skills as well as knowledge on and appropriate use of community resources. These professionals, and the psychiatrists, are also involved in teaching during Academic Days. Consultations with the Brandon Regional Health Centre Psychiatric Units provide additional experiences.
NUTRITION EDUCATION & CARE
RHA dietitians provide experience in office management of nutritional concerns that are common to family practice including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, weight management and other diseases. The Brandon residency program dietitian is involved in evaluation & teaching.
HEALTH PROMOTION
There are many opportunities for enhancing health promotion skills through education to community groups.
ACADEMIC CURRICULUM
There is protected time for provision of the department-wide academic curriculum and for self-directed learning. The curriculum is delivered by Family Medicine and Specialist faculty members, fellow residents and interprofessional colleagues. The use of simulation equipment is used extensively. Examination preparation is provided in both years.
