Calgary - Neurosurgery
University of CalgaryCalgary, AlbertaCMG stream
At a glance
- Approx. quota
- 2
- Length
- 6
- Applications per year
- 0–50
- Offered interviews
- 76–100%
CMG stream · open to Canadian medical graduates
Fri 5 Feb 2027,time not stated
Interviews
2 dates, 4–5 Feb 2027
Calgary, 5 teaching sites
What stands out about this program
Intra-operative MRI and robotic arm program.
From “Additional information” on the CaRMS page
Combined complex ortho/neuro spine program with exposure to endoscopic spine surgery.
From “Additional information” on the CaRMS page
All adult neurosurgery is consolidated at one institution.
From “Additional information” on the CaRMS page
- The University of Calgary Neurosurgery program is a 6-year residency based at Foothills Medical Centre and Alberta Children's Hospital.
- PGY-3 to 6 include 25 blocks of neurosurgery, 6 of pediatric neurosurgery, and a mandatory 13-block research rotation.
- Interviews are held virtually, and there are no mandatory rural rotations.
What training looks like
- Setting
- Academic / tertiary hospital
- Rural exposure
- Not stated on CaRMS page
- Research
- Required · research project · protected time
By year
- PGY-1
- electivean additional block
- Neurosurgery
- Internal Medicine
- General Surgery
- PGY-2
- Neurosurgery6 blocks
- ICU4 blocks
- Neurology3 blocks
Other rotations
- neurosurgery (PGY-3 to 6 · 25 blocks)
- pediatric neurosurgery (PGY-3 to 6 · 6 blocks)
- endovascular neurosurgery (PGY-3 to 6 · 2 blocks)
- neuropathology (PGY-3 to 6 · 3 blocks)
- neuroradiology (PGY-3 to 6 · 3 blocks)
- research (PGY-3 to 6 · 13 blocks (1 year))
Where you train
Calgary, Alberta: 5 teaching sites.
- Alberta Children's Hospital
- Foothills Medical Centre
- Peter Lougheed
- South Health Campus
- Rockyview Hospitals
Record systems at the listed sites: Epic at 5 of 5.
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.
- Clinical record
- Epic (Connect Care), fully electronic record since Nov 2024
Hospital size and activity: Alberta doesn't publish this as open data.
About Calgary
People
1,306,784residents, 2021 Census
Housing
4.9%rental vacancy rate
Winter and summer
−7.6 °CJanuary mean16.9 °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
- Return of service
- Not stated on CaRMS page. Check the provincial return-of-service rules.
Interviews and info sessions
- Interview dates (2027 match)
- 4 and 5 Feb 2027
- Format
- Virtual
- Traditional (one on one/two on one)
Info sessions
Fri 5 Feb 2027
time not stated
Social · Virtual · For all applicants · Listed under interviews on CaRMS
Pay and call
| Level | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| PGY-1 | $67,440 / year |
| PGY-2 | $74,153 / year |
| PGY-3 | $80,058 / year |
| PGY-4 | $86,281 / year |
| PGY-5 | $92,698 / year |
| PGY-6 | $98,414 / year |
Call
- Call (provincial max)
- 1 in 4 in-house
- Post-call rule (provincial)
- No new responsibilities after the 24th hour of duty, apart from handover
- Max continuous duty (provincial)
- 24 consecutive hours, plus 2 hours for handover
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*
- 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.
Past matches
No repeated vacancies in CaRMS’s lists of open positions, 2019–2026.
What this means
- A position can go unfilled because of where the site is, because it is open to IMGs only or to another restricted stream, or because the quota changed late.
- It says nothing about the quality of the training or how heavy the workload is.
- A site’s numbers are shown when it had positions open after round 1 in at least 2 of 8 years or at least 3 in one year.
Year by year
2027 match
| Stream | Positions | Length | Interviews | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMG stream | 2 | 6 years | 2 dates, 4–5 Feb 2027 | Nothing noted |
2026 match
| Stream | Positions | Length | Interviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMG stream | 2 | 6 years | Interviews not stated |
The 2026 page of the CMG stream: our summary of its CaRMS description
- The University of Calgary Neurosurgery Residency Program offers a comprehensive 6-year training experience focused on providing world-class education in neurological surgery.
- Residents will develop proficiency in cranial, spinal, and peripheral nerve neurosurgical practices while gaining expertise in subspecialized neurosurgical care.
- Research
- Mandatory 13-block research rotation with opportunities for clinical or basic science projects, collaboration with Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and potential Master's or PhD pathways.
- Training setting
- Urban academic medical centers in Calgary, including multiple hospital sites with comprehensive neurosurgical resources and a Level 1 trauma facility.
- Teaching approach
- Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) with progressive independence, focusing on individual competency assessment, frequent formative feedback, and alignment with evolving patient needs.
- Enhanced skills
- Not stated on CaRMS page
- What the program looked at
- CV completeness
- Elective experiences
- Medical Student Performance Record (MSPR)
- Reference letters
- Research/publications
- Interview performance
Contacts and links
- Program director
Dr. Michael YangResidency Program Director
CaRMS lists no email for the director.
- Program office
Program Administrator
Per CaRMS. Staff change during the cycle, so check the CaRMS program page(opens in a new tab) before emailing.
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.
Neurosurgery elsewhere
Nearest to Calgary
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