Rural Collingwood - Family Medicine
McMaster UniversityRural Collingwood, OntarioCMG stream
At a glance
- Approx. quota
- 4
- Length
- 2
- Applications per year
- 601+
- Offered interviews
- 76–100%
CMG stream · open to Canadian medical graduates
Wed 18 Nov 2026,7:00–8:30 pm ESTvia CANPREPP source (opens in a new tab)
Interviews
4 dates, 16–26 Jan 2027
Rural Collingwood, 2 teaching sites · based in a rural community
What stands out about this program
Family physicians lead the newborn care roster ('baby doc') covering neonatal emergencies at Collingwood hospital.
From “Training sites” on the CaRMS page
A family practice anesthesia group provides anesthesia and call services at the hospital.
From “Training sites” on the CaRMS page
Emergency department with a high volume of injuries near Blue Mountain, with a full-time casting technician who teaches.
From “Training sites” on the CaRMS page
- This is a 2-year McMaster family medicine program at the Collingwood rural site, designed to prepare residents for careers as rural family physicians.
- Homebase clinics are in communities including Collingwood, Stayner, Wasaga Beach, Creemore, Meaford, Clarksburg and Thornbury, with pediatrics in Owen Sound.
- Second year includes 2 blocks of rural family medicine and 3 elective blocks, and residents must have access to a car.
Based on what the program says about itself.
- You’re open to training at sites across a region, not at one hospital.
Show the quote
What training looks like
- Setting
- Rural / remote
- Regional community
- Rural exposure
- Based in a rural community
- Focus areas
- Rural / remote
- Getting around
- A car is required
By year
- PGY-1
- Family Medicine4 blocks
- Care of the Hospitalized Adult2 blocks
- Emergency Medicine2 blocks
- Women's Health and Obstetrics2 blocks
- Care of Children2 blocks
- Family Medicine/Academic Programming (Block 7)1 block
- Continuity Family Medicine homebase clinics
- PGY-2
- Family Medicine4 blocks
- Elective3 blocks
- Rural Family Medicine2 blocks
- Core Medicine/Surgery Selective (site-based options)2 blocks
- Care of the Elderly1 block
- Family Medicine/Academic Programming (Block 7)1 block
- Continuity Family Medicine homebase clinics
Where you train
Rural Collingwood, Ontario: 2 teaching sites; based in a rural community. A car is required.
- Collingwood General & Marine Hospital (Collingwood)
- Bright Shores Meaford (Meaford · rural or distributed site)
Distributed across a region
Record systems at the listed sites: MEDITECH at 1 of 2; no published record for 1.
Hospital facts
What official sources say for hospitals named above, each with its source and the date we read it. They describe the hospital, not the program. We match names to the sources by name, so check each source before you rely on it.
Collingwood General & Marine Hospital
- Clinical record
- MEDITECH Expanse (CARE4 shared record), system named (how far it goes is not stated)
Hospital size and activity: Ontario doesn't publish this as open data.
About Collingwood
People
24,811residents, 2021 Census
Housing
4.5%rental vacancy rate
Winter and summer
−5.0 °CJanuary mean20.8 °CJuly mean
Job outlook
Very goodfor the specialty here, 2025–2027
How they choose
- Application file components
- CV
- Electives
- Examinations
- Extra-curricular
- Leadership skills
- MSPRs
- Personal letters
- Reference documents
- Research/Publications
- Transcripts
- Other file component(s)
- Return of service
- Not stated on CaRMS page. Check the provincial return-of-service rules.
Interviews and info sessions
- Interview dates (2027 match)
- 16, 18, 20 and 26 Jan 2027
- Format
- Virtual
- MMI or rotating station
Info sessions
Wed 18 Nov 2026
7:00–8:30 pm EST
Social · VirtualCANPREPP source (opens in a new tab)
Pay and call
| Level | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| PGY-1 | $73,367 / year |
| PGY-2 | $79,670 / year |
Call
- Call (provincial max)
- 7 nights in 28 in-house
- Post-call rule (provincial)
- No new patient responsibilities after 24 hours in-hospital, except what clinical handover needs
- Max continuous duty (provincial)
- 24 hours in-hospital, then relieved after handover (up to 2 hours)
After residency
Family doctors in Ontario can join a model that pays for enrolled patients, hours worked and visits: the Family Health Organization (FHO), FHO+ since 1 April 2026. A new graduate is a physician who joins a patient enrolment model within three years of completing a family medicine residency; the status runs for 12 months from joining. Entry is capped: 40 physicians a month for FHO, 60 a month for FHO+ in the first year of the 2024-2028 agreement; later years to be determined. Compare provinces
Year by year
2027 match
| Stream | Positions | Length | Interviews | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMG stream | 4 | 2 years | 4 dates, 16–26 Jan 2027 | Nothing noted |
2026 match
| Stream | Positions | Length | Interviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMG stream | 4 | 2 years | 5 dates, 16 Dec 2025 – 27 Jan 2026 |
The 2026 page of the CMG stream: our summary of its CaRMS description
- McMaster University's Family Medicine Rural Collingwood program offers comprehensive training for family physicians in a picturesque Georgian Bay setting.
- The program provides diverse clinical experiences across multiple rural communities, emphasizing generalist skills, community care, and comprehensive medical practice.
- Research
- Scholarship opportunities through Inquiry sessions and evidence-based medicine learning
- Training setting
- Rural training sites across Georgian Bay region, including Collingwood, Stayner, Wasaga Beach, Creemore, Meaford, Clarksburg, and Thornbury, with multiple community clinics and hospitals.
- Teaching approach
- Competency-based, learner-centered education focusing on comprehensive care, with a graduated approach to independence and strong emphasis on community needs and diverse practice settings.
- Enhanced skills
- Not stated on CaRMS page
- What the program looked at
- CV/Life experience
- Electives
- Extra-curricular activities
- Leadership skills
- Medical Student Performance Record
- Personal letter
- Reference documents
- Research/Publications
- FMProC Situational Judgement Test
Contacts and links
- Program director
Dr. Heather WatersPostgraduate Program Director
Per CaRMS. Staff change during the cycle, so check the CaRMS program page(opens in a new tab) before emailing. Site staff and other contacts are listed there too.
Videos and podcasts
From the program
Public podcast episodes and videos where the program presents itself. The short descriptions are ours; each link goes to the original.
From residents
Public podcast episodes and videos where residents describe this program. The short descriptions are ours; each link goes to the original.
Family Medicine elsewhere
Nearest to Rural Collingwood
- Rural
- Regional
- Rural
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