CaRMS

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Thank you for your interest in the Western University psychiatry residency program. Our Post Graduate Year One (PGY 1) residency positions are filled annually through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS). Please visit the CaRMS website for full details on how and when to apply.

Since July 2015, Western University has offered psychiatry residency positions at the London and Windsor campuses.  If you are interested in a residency position at either site, please apply for both locations through the CaRMS process.  Your interest in both sites can be discussed during your interview and we will answer any questions about either site at that time.  

The size of our program is ideal for supporting residents’ development into competent psychiatrists.  The number of residents is small enough to allow for effective direct clinical teaching through regular one-to-one supervision from highly skilled faculty.  Trainees also learn a tremendous amount from their peers as our size facilitates cohesiveness among residency cohorts.  With an array of settings and patient populations from which to choose, our residents enjoy individualized learning experiences.  Our residents are deeply committed to their education and take an active and substantive role in the program’s continuous improvement.

Western psychiatry residents have trained at medical schools across the country, adding to our richness and diversity. New residents moving to the city of London or Windsor typically have no difficulty locating affordable accommodations.  Known for their centrality and ease of access to multiple metropolitan areas, the beautiful “Forest City” and Windsor provide attractive options for young people and families.

Once here, many of our residents choose to join our faculty to help educate the next generation of psychiatrists.  This continuity helps build a strong community within our department.

In 2022, the Royal College Residency Accreditation Committee provided our program with the status of an Accredited Program with 2-year follow-up.  The new accreditation standards and the CBD curriculum have stimulated significant development of our program. 

Selection Criteria

Our program seeks candidates with excellent interpersonal skills, sound clinical judgment, high ethical and professional standards, and a genuine interest in psychiatry. Selection is based on the dossier you submit and in-person interviews during the CaRMS interview period. The interview segment is mandatory. The major factors influencing candidates’ ranking are their academic record’s strength as measured by the Medical Student Performance Record and Medical School Transcript, Letters of Reference, Personal Letter, and the interview. 

For the CaRMS match process, please note the following:

  • A letter of reference from Western is not a criterion for file review or ranking;
  • You are not required to submit a letter of recommendation from a psychiatry program as part of your application;
  • You may submit up to three letters of reference;
  • Electives in psychiatry are not required and are not a component of file review or ranking.

Program Highlights

  • Our trainees start their program with a month-long orientation to community services, research opportunities, and clinical programs. With this robust introduction, when our trainees start taking call, they are ready to help patients find the best treatment pathway;
  • Favourable faculty to resident ratio, usually allowing for 1:1 supervision for residents in PGY-2 through 5;
  • Excellent research supervisors and facilities at Lawson Health Research Institute and Robarts Research Institute;
  • We are international leaders in neuroimaging, development, trauma, and first episode mood and psychosis research endeavors;
  • Selectives during core rotations and a significant duration of elective time (for the entire PGY5 year) allow residents to tailor their learning experiences according to their interests.
  • Superb Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Geriatric Psychiatry subspecialty opportunities. The Child and Adolescent subspecialty program received accreditation from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons Canada in 2012, making Western one of the longest-running CAP programs in the country;
  • Rural rotations are fully supported and encouraged through the Distributed Education Network (DEN) and Ontario Psychiatric Postgraduate Education Network (OPPEN);
  • A national leader in resident exam preparation;
  • Resident-created mentorship program to help ease the transition to residency and provide helpful information for your first year;
  • Graded call experience with a senior resident on call with a junior resident for added teaching and support;
  • Residents are valued and active participants in the program’s continuous improvement, with resident representation on most departmental committees;
  • The medium-sized program promotes cohesion and camaraderie amongst the resident body and with faculty;
  • Favorable cost of living and attractive lifestyle opportunities in the City of London and City of Windsor. See Future Residents for additional details.