Post Graduate Residency Program

Program Structure and Highlights

We have fully integrated the Royal college Competence By Design (CBD) model into our training.  Please see links below in "Program Details" for specific information about each training year. 

Core training begins with an intensive summer program which ensures that new residents are prepared and confident to begin on-call duties.  The remaining first year curriculum is dedicated to foundational concepts supporting the transition into psychiatry rotations.  A two-year rotating curriculum follows for PGY-2s and -3s, with 7 major units covering the full breadth of psychiatric presentations and contemporary issues in the field.  A parallel psychotherapy curriculum is provided through PGY-1 & -2, enabling residents to begin providing therapy under supervision.  Training wraps up with a thoughtfully selected series of presentations and panels to the senior residents regarding the transition to practice.

The program is shaped by the experiences of the trainees.   The program training team seeks constant feedback through formal and informal processes including regular meetings with the Program Director, educational committee participation, and real time evaluations of lectures and events. Resident needs and interests have inspired multiple educational initiatives unique to Calgary, including these recent highlights:

PGY- 2 & 3 - The Art and Science of the Interview:  Designed to meet the specific needs of the psychiatric trainee, this course teaches foundational and advanced interview skills enabling residents to establish a foundation for efficient, effective, and therapeutic patient care.   

Simulation Training in Psychiatry: As leaders in SIMs, the program has developed a complete junior series which exposes trainees to commonly encountered high acuity situations in patient management. The senior resident series provides experiences in managing less commonly encountered presentations which trainees may only rarely encounter in clinical rotations, but which are critical professional experiences. 

Annual OSCE Day: In addition to annual long case interview practice (STACER), Canadian and American Psychiatry exams, and monthly OSCE resident-created sessions, the program also runs an annual OSCE exam day which simulates the Royal College Exam experience.

Resident Research & Mentoring Committee: To support the knowledge, skill development, and research success of the residents, notable researchers within the department and affiliated with the Matheson Center are matched with each resident to provide direct advice and mentorship.  

All residents participate in retreats twice a year that run a full two days each spring and fall which include both a team building activity and a thorough review of all components of training.  Retreats are protected time away from clinical duties and seminars.

Teaching opportunities:  Residents have taken the initiative in supporting medical student shadowing by both organizing the pairings and providing opportunities for students to shadow the residents.  Residents participate in clerkship teaching on a roster of major psychiatric topics. 

The program supports a culture of respect, collegiality, inclusion, and professionalism.    Through the vertical mentorship program (with groups composed of a faculty lead and a resident from each PGY cohort), near peer-support, biannual BOUNCE (Bringing Our Unique Narrative to Clinical Evolution) events, and a variety of resident led committees and clubs, residents build relationships and become an integrated part of the community.  The program fosters well-being , supporting both individual and institutional approaches to developing resilient physicians who can thrive in future careers.  We strive to balance exposure to the realities of practice with a variety of individualized and group supports as part of our professional identity formation approach.