Rural - Family Medicine
University of CalgaryRural, AlbertaCMG stream
From the 2026 match (R-1 2026). See the 2027 version
- 10 positions
- 2 years
- CMG
- Family Medicine
- 201–400
- 76–100%
- Accredited
- 30260
Summary
The University of Calgary Rural Family Medicine Residency Program in Lethbridge offers a comprehensive two-year training experience focused on preparing future rural family physicians. Residents receive extensive hands-on training across diverse rural settings, with an emphasis on full-scope comprehensive care and developing clinical independence.
Training
- Research
- Residents are required to complete and present a Quality Improvement Scholarship project and participate in journal club, with an annual Resident Scholarship Day.
- Training setting
- Primarily rural and regional settings in southern Alberta, with home base in Lethbridge. Training occurs in multiple rural communities including Bassano, Brooks, Camrose, and others, with some specialty rotations at Chinook Regional Hospital.
- Teaching approach
- Training future rural family physicians in the actual settings they will practice, with an emphasis on individualized learning, progressive independence, and comprehensive care across multiple clinical environments.
- Setting types
- Rural community hospitals
- Regional medical center
- Community family practice clinics
- Focus areas
- Rural Family Medicine
- Comprehensive Primary Care
- Rural Emergency Medicine
- Rural Obstetrics
- Rural Surgical Skills
- Patient populations
- Rural community patients
- Pediatric patients
- Geriatric patients
- Obstetric patients
- Emergency medicine patients
- Palliative care patients
- Highlights
- 16 weeks of Rural Family Medicine in first year
- 24 weeks of Rural Family Medicine in second year
- Opportunity for interprovincial and international electives
- Annual Spring Conference
- Annual Resident Scholarship Day
- Quality Improvement Project requirement
- Monthly academic days and rounds
- Simulation training
- Multiple certification courses (ACLS, BLS, ATLS, NRP, ACoRN, ALARM)
- Strengths
- High-quality teaching by experienced rural preceptors
- Extensive rural family medicine exposure
- Individualized training approach
- Access to full academic resources of University of Calgary
- Comprehensive procedural skills training
- Strong focus on community-based care
- Enhanced skills
- Care of the Elderly
- Family Practice-Emergency Medicine
- Family Practice-Anesthesia
- Palliative Medicine
- Addictions Medicine
- Sports & Exercise Medicine
- Maternal & Newborn Care
- Health Equity
- Chronic Pain
- Sexual/Reproductive Health
By year
- PGY-1
- Family Medicine2 x 8 weeks
- Family Medicine24 weeks
- Elective8 weeks
- Obstetrics & Gynecology8 weeks
- Elective6 weeks
- Pediatrics4 weeks
- Pediatric Emerg4 weeks
- Psychiatry4 weeks
- Orthopedic4 weeks
- Surgery4 weeks
- ICU4 weeks
- Palliative Care2 weeks
- Internal Medicine4 wks IM, 4 wks Hospitalist
- Emergency & Anesthesia6 wks EM, 2 wks Anesth
Selection
- What the program looks at
- FMProC assessment
- MCCQE Part I
- 3 Family Medicine structured reference letters
- Personal letter
- Medical Student Performance Record
- CV/Transcript
- Applications per year
- 201–400
- Applicants offered interviews
- 76–100%
Interviews
- Dates (2026 match)
- 22 Dec 2025; 19, 20 and 22 Jan 2026
Pay
| Level | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| PGY-1 | $67,440 / year |
| PGY-2 | $74,153 / year |
Benefits
- Annual vacation
- 4 weeks/yr
- Call Stipends
- weekday in-house – $118.02weekend in-house / holiday – $178.72weekday home call – $59.01weekend home call / holiday – $89.35
- CMPA dues paid
- $1,500
- Dental plan
- 75% premium paid
- Educational leave
- 14 days paid leave
- Extended health insurance
- 75% premium paid$1000 per year Flexible Spending Account*
- Frequency of calls
- In-house call: 7/28. 2/4 weekend call.Home call: 9/28. 2/4 weekend call**A Resident scheduled on Home call but who is required to work more than four hours in hospital during the call period, of which more than one full hour is past 12:00 a.m. and before 6:00 a.m., or more than six (6) hours in hospital during the call period, shall be remunerated at the rate for In-House call.$100 per day for each scheduled weekend day of patient rounds when not on-call
- Life insurance
- 100% towards $150,000 coverage
- Life Support Course Costs (Program Approved
- 100% paid
- Long-term disability insurance
- 100% paid for 75% gross income
- Maternity Leave
- 18 weeks total (17 weeks paid to match 90% of salary when combined with EI)
- Parental Leave
- 2 weeks leave with full pay and benefits;52 weeks (inclusive of Maternity/Paternity/Adoption Leaves) – unpaid leave
- Practice Stipend
- $1,500
- Provincial dues (% of salary)
- .95%
- Sick leave
- Up to 3 months or to end contract paid leave, whichever occurs first
- Statutory holidays
- Paid days. Additional days off are given if resident works the day before and part of a named holiday.
Call
- Call (provincial max)
- 1 in 4 in-house
Teaching sites
- Chinook Regional Hospital
- Various rural community hospitals
Hospital facts
Hospital size and activity: Alberta doesn't publish this as open data.
Contacts
Contacts weren't collected for the 2026 match.
The current program director and contacts are on the 2027 version of this program and on the CaRMS program page(opens in a new tab).
Location
Rural, Alberta
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