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Urban Stream

Resident Welcome

On behalf of the Family Medicine Residents' Association (FMRA) and all of the Family Medicine Residents at the University of Alberta, thank you for your interest in and support of our program. 

The University of Alberta Family Medicine Residency Program offers a diverse clinical experience that can be tailored to suit your areas of interest. Our program offers training in settings such as the Inner City, academic centers, community clinics in the region, as well as a variety of more remote locations to provide you with a training site most similar to your anticipated future practice setting. Our robust program includes guaranteed exposure to acute care and prepares family doctors to work in any setting. Whether you want to do full-scope rural Family Medicine, or work in a team-based urban setting, you will find yourself prepared after completing your residency.

There are opportunities to customize your schedule and your rotations in order to achieve your personal learning objectives. That being said, each resident will be required to complete a selection of mandatory rotations in order to develop a solid clinical foundation. Academic training through clinical and didactic sessions is flexible and comprehensive. Some clinical rotations can be adapted into a longitudinal experience to create a more integrated experience, recognizing the diversity of Family Medicine. You can also engage with horizontal electives that allow you to gain a unique perspective on specialty clinics, with the goals of gaining an understanding of referral criteria and the multidisciplinary healthcare team approach. We are very fortunate to have the most supportive Program Director, Dr. Michelle Morros, who is very open and receptive to resident feedback and makes it a priority to improve the program. 

Outside of the clinical setting, Family Medicine residents at the U of A are the best people. We always have the pleasure of welcoming residents from Edmonton, but also from the rest of the country. Through orientation activities, monthly social events, retreats, and other extracurricular activities, there are many opportunities to meet and enjoy time with colleagues.

Welcome to the U of A Family Medicine program! 

Emily Ling and Levi Ansell 

2023-24 FMRA Co-Leads


Program Highlights

Grounded in Family Medicine: In PGY1, 5 consecutive of family medicine at your home site. In PGY2, 5 months total of urban/rural family medicine. Throughout both years, Bi-weekly continuity clinics at your home site.
Foster Confidence: Our residency program provides robust acute care rotations, which enables graduates to feel self-assured when practicing in diverse healthcare environments.
Discover Your Path: Diverse educational opportunities in integrated programming, electives, horizontals allow for flexibility and learner-driven exposures.

Learn more about the clinical curriculum »

Find Balance: Training at UofA FM is fun (wilderness medicine retreat, yearly resident retreat, resident social activities). Our program offers a dedicated Assistant Program Director for Resident Support to help our residents succeed.


Frequently Asked Questions

How do residents get around? - Are residents required to drive around the city?
Residents should be prepared to drive as rotations can be all over the city or the surrounding community.
What is the call schedule like?
According to PARA home call is on a one-in-three (1:3) basis.  This varies with FM blocktime though as the residents can complete their 7 or 9 home call shifts in a row.
Do Residents do all of their rotations at their assigned "home" sites?

No, not all rotations are available at every site.


Resident Testimonials

We asked our residents what they like about Edmonton, their highlights of the program, and one piece of advice for applicants about the interview process. Here is what a few of them had to say.

Dr. Joshua Beierle

What do you like about Edmonton?
The Preceptors are fantastic (really invested in your learning and care about your general well being) and the Administration staff are phenomenal.

What are the highlights of the program for you:
I like how rigorous it is - the IM and CCU rotations, though daunting, really build confidence in clinical decision making.

What is one piece of advice that you want to share with applicants about the interview process: Spend some time reflecting on what you are looking for from a program (outside of location) and then be yourself - don't try to impress anyone, just be authentic.

– Dr. Joshua Beierle (R1, Edmonton)
Dr. Cara Bergen

What do you like about Edmonton:
Edmonton is a truly friendly & diverse city to live in. It's also sunny most days, people here are on average really kind, and there's an amazing river valley/trail network that runs through the whole city.

What are the highlights of the program for you:
Edmonton's program has a strong mix of rotations to help you become a competent, well-rounded family physician. The vast majority of preceptors I've worked with here, including off-service preceptors, have been helpful, supportive and generous with their teaching. Our program director, Dr. Chmelicek, is incredibly reasonable and supportive (this makes such a big difference to the residency experience). Our annual wilderness medicine retreat is confidence-building & lots of fun!

What is one piece of advice that you want to share with applicants about the interview process:
If you can, try to figure out before the interview period what characteristics you will most value in a residency program (academics, rotation design, call, closeness to friends/family, etc.). Then, during each school's interview process, try to talk to a resident to learn information specific to these characteristics and don't get overwhelmed by all the other, extraneous information. I even scored all the programs on each characteristic and put the scores in a spreadsheet to help with my ranking.

– Dr. Cara Bergen (R2, Edmonton)
Dr. Mahabba Smoka

What do you like about Edmonton:

  1. I love the beauty of the Edmonton river valley, both in summer and winter!
  2. I am a big fan of Edmonton's food scene... so many amazing bakeries, independent coffee shops and innovative restaurants to satisfy my taste buds!
  3. I enjoy the proximity of the mountains! It's so easy to sneak in a weekend getaway for a little R&R!

What are the highlights of the program for you:

  1. I love the flexibility of our program! There are so many diverse clinical experiences to choose from that can be tailored to a particular area of interest. 
  2. There is a good balance of acute care and community medicine! This has enabled me to feel comfortable and confident to work in any setting upon graduation. 
  3. The people!! They make you feel at home even when you're miles away from home :) 

What is one piece of advice that you want to share with applicants about the interview process:

There are many fantastic Family Medicine programs across the country. As important as it is to choose a program with a strong educational curriculum, don't neglect other key aspects! Residency is a challenging journey and you will want to place yourself in an environment where you can thrive. In addition to the strength of our program's academia, there is a great emphasis placed on resident wellbeing. I have always found myself supported by the fantastic faculty and staff that UofA boasts and am thankful for my decision to pursue residency here! 

– Dr. Mahabba Smoka (R2, Edmonton)

What do you like about Edmonton:
Close relationship with the faculty advisor and team at the clinic. Very supportive program. Time to see, examine patients, and plenty of space to do procedures in clinic too!

What are the highlights of the program for you:
The team! Such an incredible program director and entire team so focused on your success and wellbeing.

What is one piece of advice that you want to share with applicants about the interview process:
Be yourself so you can find your new home for the next two years!

– Dr. Dalal Awwad (R2, Edmonton)