Orientation
This information is for trainees who have recently been accepted to the University of Calgary postgraduate medical fellowship or residency training programs. This section will provide information and resources available within the PGME website.
Review of this orientation page and the included information is required. Please complete the below Attestation of Completion prior to your training start date. As per the PARA Agreement – Article 6: Conditions of Residency, all orientation requirements must be completed.
Attestation link: https://forms.office.com/r/mQw89vUjd9
Welcome!
On behalf of the Cumming School of Medicine, welcome to PGME at the University of Calgary. We have over 1200 postgraduate learners in Calgary, Lethbridge, and Medicine Hat, along with many other sites in Southern Alberta. Our PGME office oversees 65 residency programs accredited with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) and the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC). We also offer a wide variety of clinical and research fellowships which welcome fellows from around the world.
In my role as Associate Dean, I am responsible for ensuring that our institution and programs meet accreditation standards and that we provide high quality central programming and support for our trainees. Along with our PGME Staff and Program Directors, my goal is to ensure that we offer excellent training in a safe and inclusive learning environment.
I invite you to explore our website to learn more about our programs, supports, policies, and procedures.
Sincerely,
Melinda Davis, BMed, FANZCA
Associate Dean, PGME
Resident versus Fellow
Academic Accommodations can be requested prior to your start date, or at any time during your residency training through a confidential process. Accommodations are based on protected grounds as per Human Rights legislation.
To request academic accommodations, please review the PGME Policy on Accommodations (link to policy page). You will be requested to complete an Accommodation Request Form, as well as submit supporting documentation with your request. If you had accommodations in Undergrad, please also consider attaching that documentation to your request.
Questions about the accommodation process can be directed to pgmeaccom@ucalgary.ca . The process can take from 1-3+ months for review and implementation.
To request workplace accommodations, based upon restricted grounds as per Human Rights legislation, please complete the Employee Request for Accommodations form found on the AHS website http://insite.albertahealthservices.ca/frm-19566.pdf.
Trainees will receive both a UCalgary and an AHS email address. Trainees MUST NOT transfer any patient related information to or from their UCalgary account.
UCalgary email accounts are coordinated as part of the registration process and will be set up by the trainee directly. Information will be sent out via the PGME registration team (pgme@ucalgary.ca)
AHS emails will be provisioned by AHS IT and will be available approximately 45 days prior to your start date. If you have not received your email account and your start date is less than 4 weeks, please reach out to the MEO office at cal.medicaleducationoffice@albertahealthservices.ca.
It is requested that all learners check their UCalgary emails on a regular basis for PGME related information.
External email accounts such as Gmail or Hotmail are not supported. PGME will not communicate with personal accounts.
Trainees can forward their UCalgary email to their AHS accounts for streamlined email use. Please follow the below directions:
https://it.ucalgary.ca/ > IT Services > Order Something> Email and Calendar > Email Forwarding
AHS Orientation & Resources
This page includes reference information and online modules that will introduce you to AHS’s values, polices, procedures and other important information: http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/careers/Page12728.aspx;
D2L (Desire to Learn)
The D2L online resource module contains mandatory orientation information from key stakeholders. The non-mandatory information in this module is a resource and should be referenced as needed.
The in-person orientation is scheduled for Wednesday, June 25th, 2025. This in person component is mandatory for all PGY1 (core/primary) residents, new sponsored trainees, and re-entry residents. Subspecialty trainees and those new to Calgary or Cumming School of Medicine are encouraged to attend. Rural residents are exempt but should attend as schedules permit.
During the in-person orientation, trainees will receive information from AHS, as well as their AHS badges, and be able to participate in various information sessions around success in residency, wellness resources, learner supports and EDIA.
Additional virtual sessions on Financial Literacy, your PARA Contract and AHS Benefits will be available in the afternoons of June 25th and 26th in conjunction with University of Alberta.
If you have travel plans, please ensure that you are available in Calgary and able to participate in the in-person orientation.
Orientation will be held at the Foothills Medical Centre Campus in the Heritage Medical Research Building. Further details will be forthcoming via email.
Some programs require mandatory PPE training prior to your start date. Those programs who require it will correspond with trainees in their programs directly. A SIM course will be arranged on specific dates the week of June 24th-28th.
If your program does not require PPE training, please ensure you have reviewed the online course and have the completion certificate. https://ecme.ucalgary.ca > e-Learning Courses > Personal Protective Equipment Certification Course
For a complete listing of PGME staff members, your program ombudsperson or the list of residency programs at Cumming School of Medicine, please visit the Contact Us Page
To access learner supports, resources, EDIA information or to contact our Resident Wellness Office directly, please visit the Wellbeing page.
For information on completing your registration with Cumming School of Medicine PGME, please visit (onboarding page)
To view all PGME policies and documents, please visit the policies page.
If you are new to the Calgary area, there are a variety of resources available to assist in your transition to Calgary.
UCalgary has information about the campus
Wellness Resources provides links around childcare options, lactation rooms, finding a new family doctor, fitness facilities, housing, etc.
Attestation link: https://forms.office.com/r/mQw89vUjd9