FACULTY
MEDICINE
OF
Northern and Remote Family
Medicine Residency Program
Currently, it is estimated that less than 40 per cent of physician health human resource needs
are being met in remote and northern regions of Manitoba, and many other areas of Canada.
It is essential to respond to this need.
The Northern and Remote Family Medicine Residency Program (NRFMR) at the University
of Manitoba is an innovative initiative designed to address the ongoing issue of physician shortages
in northern and remote regions and contribute to efforts to recruit and retain physicians in rural
and northern communities.
Key elements of the program are increased
residency spots; extensive, focused training for
Northern and Remote health care delivery; and
professional and personal infrastructure supports
for students and faculty.
Through Province of Manitoba funding, the
NRFMR Program began in Fall 2008 with one
resident and expanded in July 2009 to 10
northern/remote family medicine residents.
In May 2010, Health Canada announced $6.9M
in funding over four years addressing the need
for adequately prepared, committed physicians
to provide care to patients in remote and northern
regions. The funding will provide training for an
additional 15 residents, as well as put in place
vital technology to support teaching in rural and
remote areas and promote physician retention in
northern Manitoba and parts of Nunavut and the
Northwest Territories.
The NRFMR program appeals to residents
because it provides unique educational
programming, allows them to experience practice
in challenging and exciting areas of the country,
and offers them re-entry for further postgraduate
training. Residents receive a financial supplement
during their remote training and in return enter
into a two-year return of service agreement with
the Province of Manitoba to be fulfilled in a
northern or remote community. Upon completion
of the service commitment, residents will have
access to any University of Manitoba
postgraduate residency position for which they
are qualified. They may, however, choose to
continue with their career in Family Medicine.
ELIGIBILITY
Canadian Medical School graduates or permanent
residents (must be Landed Immigrant or Canadian
citizen) who graduated internationally (also known
as International Medical Graduates) who are
eligible for Canadian Resident Matching Service
(CaRMS) Match (first iteration) may apply for
a position in the Northern and Remote Family
Medicine Residency Program.
LOCATIONS
Residents in the NRFMR Program will be primarily
based in Winnipeg for year one and will spend
eight months in various northern or remote
communities in year two.
DATES
Applicants are selected for the Northern and
Remote Family Medicine Residency Program
during each academic year’s CaRMS Match
(announced in March). The residency program
begins July 1.
APPLICATIONS
Interested Medical School graduates can apply
to the Northern and Remote Family Medicine
Residency Program through the CaRMS Match
process.
Northern and Remote
Family Medicine
Residency Program
NRFMR PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
• The Northern and Remote Family Medicine
Residency Program is an initiative of the
University of Manitoba, Health Canada,
Manitoba Health, Regional Health Authorities,
the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and the
College of Family Physicians of Canada.
• It focuses on preparing doctors for practice
in remote and northern settings with much of
the training taking place in northern Manitoba
communities and through the University of
Manitoba’s Northern Medical Unit.
• Throughout the program, academic courses
focus on skills required for health-care service
in the north such as Aboriginal health policy,
obstetrics, psychiatry and advanced trauma
treatment.
• Residents have the opportunity to contribute
on the front line of medical practice treating
diverse medical conditions and participating
in exciting across-the-board procedures.
• Residents are placed in varied practice areas
ranging from large northern towns as referral
bases to small First Nations and Inuit
communities accessible only by air.
They receive northern differential pay
for time spent in northern communities.
• Following the two-year Northern and Remote
Family Medicine Residency Program, the
physician must fulfill a two-year
return-of-service agreement in a northern
community where service is needed.
• Subsequently, the physician will have the
exceptional opportunity to pursue further
postgraduate residency training, for which they
are qualified, at the University of Manitoba.
NRFMR PROGRAM BENEFITS
• The Program gives residents opportunity for
adventure and exciting work in different areas
of the province, providing health care for a wide
range of illnesses and medical conditions.
• It provides improved access to physicians,
health care delivery and service by people
living in northern and remote communities.
• The Program encourages more doctors to remain
living and working in all areas of Manitoba.
• The Program boosts specialized residency
training opportunities for new doctors.
• Residents receive excellent training to prepare
them for northern, global and international
health-care delivery.
Department of Family Medicine
University of Manitoba
www.umanitoba.ca/medicine
T158 – 770 Bannatyne Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W3
Tel: (204) 789-3314 Fax: (204) 789-3917
E-mail: [email protected]
www.umanitoba.ca/medicine/family_medicine