Resident Testimonies and FAQs

Our residents often share some of their experiences with our program as well as what they like about Edmonton, their highlights of the program, and one piece of advice for applicants about the interview process. Here is what one resident had to say.

Daniel Levin

Dr. Daniel Levin

Resident, 2024-2026

What do you like about Edmonton?

In the summer, Edmonton has many biking/running trails located right in the heart of downtown, in addition to a driving range/golf course that was just a 10-minute walk from my house. There are great restaurants, and the main hospital we worked at (U of A) is close to downtown and well connected to the LRT system.

What are the highlights of the program for you?

Excellent teaching from staff and above-average exposure to leukemia cases. Getting the opportunity to take outside RAAPID calls under the supervision of a staff physician really improved my confidence in taking phone consults, which is a separate skill in itself, and was highly valuable for when I started doing the same as a staff physician, both for internal medicine and hematology. Since we are a smaller program, it feels that the entire department is directly invested in helping you achieve your career goals and finding you opportunities for success.

What advice would you give to applicants about the CaRMS interview process?

Being yourself and letting your personality shine through is pivotal to a great interview. Finding out more about the city you are interviewing in is helpful, as it not only demonstrates interest but will help you when making your final program ranking decisions.

Don't forget to take a deep breath before it starts and remember that the interviews always seem to go much faster than you think they will!

Frequently Asked Questions

Hematology Academic Half-day is on Tuesday afternoons from 13:00 to 16:00.

Residents participate in one clinic per week, year-round under the mentorship of a hematologist for the full two-year program, providing the trainee with a wide experience in initial and ongoing management of all aspects of outpatient hematologic care.

Residents complete Thrombosis rotations that include outpatient thrombosis clinics and dedicated teaching sessions. Residents are expected to comprehensively manage DVT, PE, cancer-associated thrombosis, anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome, and anticoagulation complications.

Residents complete a rotation at the Cross Cancer Institute that is 3 blocks, split with 2 blocks in PGY4, and 1 block in PGY5. The rotation is largely comprised of outpatient malignant hematology clinics. These clinics include patients with the following diagnoses: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, CLL, multiple myeloma and post-allogeneic bone marrow transplant follow-up patients. Residents will also spend two weeks on the in-patient CCI hematology service to gain experience in autologous bone marrow transplant and CAR-T cell therapy.

Residents are provided with both formal and informal mentorship.

  • Each resident is assigned an academic advisor whom they meet with at least four times per year, before each competency committee meeting.
  • The divisional director typically meets with each resident one or two times per year to discuss career planning goals.
  • The program director meets with each resident individually, formally twice per year and informally with the residents as a group at least four times per year, as well as on an as-needed basis.
  • Many residents develop mentorship relationships with their longitudinal clinic preceptor, as they have clinic together weekly for two years.
  • Residents meet with our research coordinator within the first few months of residency, who pairs residents with appropriate research mentors if they do not already have an ongoing research project.

No, electives at the University of Alberta are not considered in the ranking process and are not required for a CaRMS interview.

Please reach out to our Medical Education Program Coordinator (MEPC) at mednhem@ualberta.ca to learn more about requirements and availability.