Curriculum & Academics

Transition to Discipline (TTD)

• 3 blocks of core Emergency Medicine (EM) to orient and immerse you in the specialty from day one.

Foundations of Discipline (FoD)

• 2 blocks of Emergency Medicine
• 2 blocks of Pediatrics
• 2 blocks of Internal Medicine
• 1 block of Anesthesia

 You’ll develop essential resuscitation, diagnostic, and communication skills across key disciplines.

Core of Discipline (CoD)

• 21 blocks of Emergency Medicine (NOSM University teaching sites)
• 2 blocks of Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM)* at Western University (London, ON)
• 2 blocks of Community Emergency Medicine* (e.g, Kenora, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Timmins)
• 2 blocks of EM/ Trauma* at the University of Manitoba (Winnipeg, AB)
• 3 blocks of Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
• 2 Selectives tailored to your interests (e.g., Diagnostic Imaging, Orthopedic Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Research, Public Health)
• Longitudinal Toxicology exposure including course work
• 1 block each of:
  • Anesthesia
  • Cardiac Care Unit* (CCU – Sudbury, ON)
  • Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
  • Elective
  • General Surgery
  • Obstetrics
  • Orthopedics
  • Plastic Surgery
  • Transport Medicine

This stage provides diverse, high-volume exposure across urban, rural, and tertiary care centers.

Transition to Practice (TTP)

• 6 blocks of Emergency Medicine
• 1 block of Community Emergency Medicine* (e.g, Kenora, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Timmins)
• 6 blocks in an Area of Special Interest (ASI), where you can deepen expertise in education, research, ultrasound, global health, simulation, or another field aligned with your career goals.

*Travel required for core rotations will be spread out during training.  Housing and travel for core rotations are financially supported by NOSM University.

This comprehensive training ensures you’re well-prepared for the wide range of clinical environments and patient populations that define the Canadian emergency medicine landscape.

Our academic program is designed to offer high-impact, practical learning that goes beyond the classroom. Residents benefit from robust point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training, integrated throughout the curriculum and reinforced by hands-on workshops in airway management, trauma care, and other essential emergency procedures. We also provide simulation-based learning, exam preparation, and structured wellness support. Additionally, our program is enriched by close collaboration with the University of Manitoba’s Royal College EM program and NOSM University’s Family Medicine/Emergency Medicine (FM/EM) program, fostering shared academic sessions, collegial exchange, and a broader community of emergency medicine learners.

With a blend of didactic teaching, simulation, scholarly work, and protected learning time, our program emphasizes both clinical excellence and academic growth.

Key features include:

• Weekly Academic Full days: Protected time for high-yield, case-based, and evidence-informed teaching every Tuesday. Mornings will focus on hands-on training while most afternoon sessions will be provided virtually with the University of Manitoba. The academic curriculum is based on a three year cycle of core Emergency Medicine topics with objectives geared to both senior and junior level of learners.

The University of Manitoba academic sessions utilize a “flipped classroom format” to make the sessions as interactive and informative as possible based on pre-reading of core Emergency Medicine topics.

• Simulation-Based Education: High-fidelity simulation sessions to build crisis resource management and procedural confidence.  The Simulation curriculum brings residents to the Clinical Learning and Simulation Facility at least once per month for dedicated simulation training.
• Journal Club & Research: Frequent Journal Clubs and dedicated research afternoons to support scholarship and critical appraisal skills.
• Procedural Skills Training: Hands-on training focused on core and advanced EM procedures.
• Wellness Curriculum: Regular sessions supporting resident resilience, reflection, and well-being.
• Grand Rounds: Interdisciplinary rounds to sharpen diagnostic reasoning and deepen systems-based learning. These include participation from Emergency Physicians at both teaching and community hospitals as well as our urgent care facilities. Residents are expected to present at Grand Rounds throughout residency.
• Exam Preparation: Practice oral exams, CITE sessions, and structured review to support success on RCPSC exams.
• Multi-Day Workshops: Residents in our program will take part in multi-day workshops such as ultrasound, resuscitation, and wilderness medicine throughout training.
• Ultrasound Training: The Ultrasound curriculum is designed so that all residents attain their Independent Practitioner status. 
• Certifications: NOSM University covers the cost of ACLS, ATLS and PALS.

Further to the NOSM University EM academics program, residents are required to participate in the PGY1 Core Curriculum. These are additional education activities provided by the Postgraduate Medical Education Office at NOSM University for all residents in their first year of training.