Future Residents

Why Choose Family Medicine at Western?

Flexibility that can be Tailored to Your Unique Learning Needs:

We offer training programs that span the complete urban to rural spectrum:

London Urban / Windsor Campus London Regional Chatham-Kent Rural
Offering urban and suburban experiences

Rural experiences within driving distance from London in Mount Brydges, Ilderton and Strathroy

Residents have the flexibility to live in London yet obtain comprehensive rural training.

 Rural experiences in larger rural communities and community hospitals Rural experience in Goderich, Hanover, and Petrolia at smaller community hospitals

Ample Elective Time and Geographic Choices for Electives:

London Urban / Windsor Campus

Regional Program Mount Brydges Strathroy

 Regional Program Ilderton Chatham-Kent 

Goderich /Hanover

 Petrolia

4 weeks  in PGY1

16 weeks in PGY2;

6 half-days of horizontal electives  available in PGY2 

4 weeks in PGY1

20 weeks  in PGY2 

6 half-days of horizontal electives  available in PGY2 

8 weeks  in PGY1

16 weeks in PGY2

4 weeks  in PGY1

16 weeks-equivalent of electives in PGY2 (PGY2 is a longitudinal curriculum)

8 weeks of electives in PGY1

16 weeks-equivalent of electives in PGY2 (PGY2 is a longitudinal curriculum)

4 weeks  in PGY1

 16 weeks in PGY2
  • Up to 12 weeks of electives can be taken outside of Southwestern Ontario and one of these three blocks can be taken out-of-province or internationally over the course of the 2-year training program.
  • An academic program based on a credit earning system that allows you to customize learning to your preferred style and make use of opportunities such as formal faculty development sessions, workshops, conferences, self-reading and online CME activities to fulfill required learning objectives.
  • The ability to take a 1-month vacation elective.
  • The ability to take a 1-month research elective for purposes of working on a research project that fulfills the requirement of the residency project.

At Western You're More Than Just Another Resident:

  • Faculty advisor where a faculty member will provide 1:1 support for you throughout your residency training program whether you’re doing on- or off-service rotations. Mandatory meetings/discussions are held quarterly.
  • Resident to faculty ratio is 1:greater than 1 to 2:1 depending on the training site.
  • Patient volume during family medicine training is tailored to the needs and skills of the resident. Generally,
    • PGY1s see patients about every half-hour
    • PGY2s see patients about every 15 minutes
    • On a weekly basis, residents see between 40-50 patients
  • FMRW (Family Medicine Residents of Western) a resident driven organization that looks after your educational and social needs:
    • Annual orientation BBQ and games
    • Annual golf tournament
    • Annual spring formal
    • Informal gatherings throughout the year
    • Annual three-day retreat at a nearby golf resort that emphasizes issues on practice and financial management
  • Strong support for research interests from world-renowned primary care researchers:
    • The Centre for Studies in Family Medicine is a world-renowned primary care research facility
    • Experienced staff at the Centre are available to assist residents who want to undertake research activities during their residency

A Program That's Dedicated to Your Education and Training:

  • Residents as Teachers
    • PARO Resident Teacher Award Winners (Dr. Britta Laslo, Dr. Christina Cookson)
    • We recognize the importance of training Family Medicine resident teachers! At Western, we encourage our residents to develop their teaching skills throughout their residency through various teaching and mentoring opportunities such as:
      • Mentoring an undergraduate medical student interested in Family Medicine
      • Teaching at the undergraduate Family Medicine Interest Group Annual Clinical Day
      • 1:1 teaching with medical students and clinical clerks
      • Facilitating undergraduate medical ethics curriculum small group sessions
      • Completing a Medical Education Family Medicine elective in your PGY2 year
      • Peer teaching during Family Medicine academic morning half days 
  • Family medicine training that lets you take charge of "your” practice:
    • You will be the primary health care provider for the same group of patients throughout your training, ensuring continuity of care for your patients as well as allowing you to experience building special relationships with your patients
    • You will be participating in all aspects of care for your patients: office, house calls, palliative care, child birth, long-term care facilities, acute/chronic hospital care, minor surgical procedures
    • Requires NO half-day back, which is often disruptive to the educational experience in your off-service rotations
  • Ample time and opportunities are provided for educational activities:
    • During family medicine training there are scheduled weekly teaching sessions
    • Throughout the entire residency, there is a weekly half-day of protected time from all clinical duties on Wednesday afternoon for purposes of educational activities. This time is allotted for you to complete the requirements of the academic program. 
    • Participate in simulation-based and/or hands-on training days such as Obstetrical Skills Day and the FamPOCUS workshop
    • Develop your grant-writing skills while obtaining methodology and writing support as you apply for up to $5000 in research project funding through the FM Resident Research Grant Competition
  • A behavioural medicine curriculum that replaces mandatory psychiatry rotations at most programs. It includes:
    • Mental health teaching seminars on selected Wednesday mornings
    • Small group learning on effective interviewing, communication and relationship building skills
    • Regular direct observations of your patient encounters with feedback done by your family medicine preceptors
    • Opportunities to work with other mental health professionals (e.g. social workers)
    • Optional clinical psychiatry rotations for some programs
  • A comprehensive procedures curriculum that is based on multimedia teaching tools such as videos and anatomic models. 
  • A comprehensive palliative care curriculum that includes choices in different type of palliative care rotations and education sessions
  • A wide variety of PGY3 programs (all are one year in duration unless otherwise specified):
    • Academic Family Medicine
    • Anesthesia
    • Care of the Elderly
    • Child Health
    • Emergency Medicine
    • Hospitalist Program - Windsor
    • Palliative Care - Windsor
    • Palliative Care - London
    • Obstetrics (6 months)
    • Sports and Exercise Medicine
    • Women's Health
    • Individualized Program (6-12 months)
  • A program where you can make a difference:
    • We have resident representation on almost every committee, subcommittee and task force of our postgraduate programs
    • Regular feedback sessions are held at each teaching site
    • Evaluations of all rotations and educational seminars are reviewed regularly and necessary improvements made

Family Medicine Rural Regional Program

Family Medicine Windsor Program

Family Medicine London Urban Program