We are a small but growing division with an established record of producing superbly trained clinical neurologists. Our graduates have consistently done well on the Royal College exam and have gone on to prestigious subspecialty fellowships.

The Neurology program strives to maintain an appropriate balance of service to educational activities. We have an academic half day covering clinical and basic sciences with a structured curriculum in 2-year cycles. In addition to these structured teaching sessions, we offer bedside teaching by the attendings and senior residents, neuroradiology rounds, neurophysiology rounds, stroke rounds and Neurosciences grand rounds. All academic sessions are protected time for residents. Residents spend significant time working on the Neurology service early in their residency, starting from the beginning of the first post-graduate year. Junior residents work closely with staff neurologists seeing consults and in clinic, and have their work on the Neurology ward supervised by a senior resident. Senior residents are able to take on significant responsibility for ward management, administrative work, and clinical teaching of residents and medical students. In third year, residents begin a weekly clinic under the supervision of one of the staff neurologists where patients are followed prospectively. There is flexibility in arranging electives and scheduling rotations in the later years of training. Residents are encouraged to pursue their own interests in research, clinical training, and future fellowships.

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada: Applying competency

To contribute to the success of Canadian physicians and the delivery of high-quality patient care, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada has embarked upon an initiative to introduce competency-based medical education (CBME) in Canadian postgraduate specialty training and in professional practice in Canada. This initiative, called Competence by Design (CBD), aims to enhance patient care by aligning medical education and lifelong learning with evolving patient needs and empowering learners to more fully engage in their education process.

CBD will use time as a framework rather than the basis for progression. It is not anticipated that the duration of training will change fro the majority of trainees. Residency programs will be broken down into stages, and each stage will have a series of milestones based on required competencies. These milestones will create more targeted learning outcomes and involve more frequent, formative assessments within the clinical workplace to ensure residents are developing and receiving feedback on the skills they need.

The Royal College anticipates that all specialty and subspecialty programs in Canada will adopt CBD in gradual phases. All disciplines have been divided into seven cohort groups, each of which will adopt CBD at different times. The Neurology Program rolled out on July 1, 2020.

All programs implementing CBD will continue to undergo the same rigorous accreditation processes as traditional programs. All CBD programs (and traditional programs) will continue to lead to Royal College approved certification. Certification for trainees in both CBD and traditional programs will include the completion of a Royal College examination; however, residents in CBD programs will also be assessed against program milestones throughout their training. Within a CBD program, all milestones (documented within an electronic portfolio) and the Royal College examination must be successfully completed to achieve certification.

For more information, please contact cbd@royal college.ca.

In Brief

Saskatoon is a great city to live in with many cultural amenities and a very good quality of life. The interaction among physicians and residents is collegial, and we have a fully integrated division with our community based faculty playing a major role in the training of Neurology residents. We look forward to welcoming you to Saskatoon. Please see Tourism Saskatoon and Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority websites for more information on Saskatoon.

Strengths of this program

• Staff physicians with a dedicated interest in your development
• Collaborative friendly atmosphere among residents with a yearly resident retreat and multiple social events throughout the year
• Research mentors available
• Funding available for conference presentation and attendance
• Flexible schedules tailored to your career interests
• Out of province elective time
• Very supportive administrative staff
• Paid registrations (AAN, CNSF)

Benefits of being a resident in Saskatchewan

The Resident Doctors of Saskatchewan contact applies to all residents within the province and conveys multiple benefits:

• Three months off call prior to both Royal College Examinations
• One of the top paid salaries in the country
• Four weeks of vacation plus six days off over the Christmas or New Years
• Full medical and dental coverage for you and your family
• Affordable housing and rental opportunities
• Short commuting time
• Beautiful summers full of events and festivals
• Amazing culinary scene
• Fantastic lakes and beaches throughout Saskatchewan — perfect for canoeing, camping, and outdoor enthusiasts

Who can I speak with to gain a resident perspective of the program?

We are always excited to speak with prospective applicants. You can reach us at saskneurology@gmail.com.

We look forward to welcoming you to Saskatoon. Please see Tourism Saskatoon and Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority websites for more information on Saskatoon.