Prospective Learners

Residency training at Dalhousie University is the essential next step for medical graduates on the path to independent practice in Canada. Residency leads to certification in a specialty or subspecialty through the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) or to certification in family medicine through the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC).

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)

The RCPSC is the national body that governs the education, standards, and certification of medical specialists across Canada. Certification is awarded once residents have successfully completed the required training, assessments, and examinations. Achieving RCPSC certification confirms that a physician or surgeon has met the rigorous national standards for specialist practice.

College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)

The CFPC is the professional organization that establishes and maintains the standards for training, certification, and continuing professional development in family medicine. It also advocates for family physicians, their patients, and the role of family medicine in the Canadian health care system. The CFPC accredits postgraduate family medicine training at all Canadian medical schools, including Dalhousie University.

Pathways to Residency at Dalhousie

The admission pathway into residency training depends on the citizenship and residency status of the applicant:

• Canadian Applicants: Physicians who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.

• International Applicants: Physicians who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents of Canada.

Dalhousie’s PGME Office oversees the recruitment, admission, and administration of residency training, ensuring that all programs meet national accreditation standards while also reflecting the unique health care needs of Atlantic Canada.

Fellowship training at Dalhousie University provides physicians with the opportunity to advance their clinical expertise or research experience beyond residency. These programs are designed as short-term educational opportunities and do not lead to certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) or the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC).

Fellows are appointed in two main categories: Clinical Fellows and Research Fellows.

Clinical Fellows

A clinical fellowship is intended for certified specialists or family physicians who wish to pursue advanced training in a focused area of clinical practice. These fellowships typically last one to three years and allow physicians to acquire subspecialized skills or experience not usually gained during residency training.

It is important to note that clinical fellowships are not a pathway to RCPSC or CFPC certification and, on their own, do not qualify an individual for independent licensure as a specialist or family physician in Canada. Rather, they serve as a “topping off” experience that enriches professional practice and academic development.

Research Fellows

A research fellowship at Dalhousie provides an opportunity for physicians or medical graduates to immerse themselves in structured, supervised research projects. Unlike clinical fellows, research fellows do not engage in patient care and are not required to register with the PGME Office. These positions focus entirely on advancing scholarship, innovation, and academic contributions to medicine.

Eligibility for Fellowship Training

To be eligible for a clinical fellowship at Dalhousie:

• Applicants must already be recognized as a specialist or family physician in their home jurisdiction.

• They must meet licensure requirements for postgraduate education through the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia (CPSNS) or other regulatory bodies where training may occur within Dalhousie’s Maritime network (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island).

• Applications are considered only after a sponsoring department or program at Dalhousie has offered a fellowship position.

The CPSNS provides detailed requirements for medical licensure related to postgraduate education. Applicants are encouraged to consult the CPSNS website for current guidelines and licensure application information.

Fellowship training at Dalhousie is designed to strengthen both clinical and academic expertise, while contributing to the advancement of patient care, medical knowledge, and health systems in Atlantic Canada and beyond.

If you are a postgraduate medical learner seeking to broaden your clinical experience, Dalhousie University offers elective rotations (“visiting electives”) through its Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) office.

Whether you hail from another Canadian institution, an international postgraduate program, or are otherwise non-Dalhousie, there are opportunities to arrange electives throughout the Maritime provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island).

Here’s how it works, and what you need to know:

Eligibility & Scope

• Candidates include non-Dalhousie residents, graduates from international postgraduate programs, or those enrolled in non-LCME/CACMS-accredited medical schools. 

• Training locations are usually in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, or PEI. 

• There are duration limits: electives for international trainees are generally capped at 30 days, with extensions considered only in exceptional circumstances and with program leadership approval.

• For Dalhousie residents, there are also policies governing electives outside the parent program (e.g. how much elective/selective time may be outside of the home institution or outside the Maritime provinces). 

Observers do not register with the Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) Office. Doctors who wish to arrange an observership must do so by contacting the hospital in which they wish to have observer status. 

For more information, please contact the College of Physicians of Nova Scotia