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PHPM Program Overview

Key components of the five-year PHPM residency program include:

  • Weekly academic half-days, regular academic full-days, and biannual program retreats
  • A minimum of 12 months of clinical training, in collaboration with NOSM U Family Medicine
  • A minimum of 2 semesters of academic training
  • A minimum of 18 months of public health and preventive medicine training
  • A scholarly project

Clinical training

Most residents choose to complete 24 months of clinical training with the NOSM U Family Medicine Residency program, leading to certification with the College of Family Physicians.  Alternatively, residents may choose to complete 12 months of basic clinical training.

Academic training

NOSM U PHPM residents participate in weekly academic half-days (AHDs), regular academic full-days, and biannual program retreats.  Regular academic activities include Discussion of the Week (DOW) and Knowledge & Skills sessions, journal clubs, joint academic rounds with other PHPM residency programs, practice OSCEs, and practice written examinations.  PGY1-2 residents are expected to participate in the DOW (but can attend more of the Academic Half Day if other duties allow), while PGY3-5 residents attend the whole AHD.

NOSM U PHPM residents can choose to complete a Master of Public Health during their training.  Residents work closely with the program director to select a Canadian or international university program that meets their interests and the Royal College requirements.  Residents with previous academic training may be credited, resulting in additional elective time or a reduction in training time.

Public health and preventive medicine training

NOSM U PHPM residents complete 6 core rotations:  

NOSM U PHPM residents complete the majority of core rotations within NOSM U’s geographical service area in Northern Ontario, and complete all their core rotations at sites with training experiences relevant to NOSM U’s social accountability mandate.  Residents are required to live and work in multiple communities.

NOSM U PHPM residents pursue a wide variety of public health and preventive medicine electives at the local, provincial, national, and international level.  Some examples include: 

  • Occupational Health
  • Surveillance and Health Informatics
  • Emergency Preparedness
  • Cancer Prevention and Screening
  • Global Health

Elective rotation learning objectives are guided by the learning plans listed below, if not more directly related to one of the core rotations:

Example Training Pathways

Example 1: CCFP/Royal College certification + 12-month MPH

Example 2: Royal College certification + 18-month MPH

Example 3: CCFP/Royal College certification for resident with prior academic training

Research

Research activities occur throughout the five years of residency. This includes a family medicine research project for those who complete the family medicine residency program, academic projects during graduate degree completion, and senior research experiences during PHPM rotations, including a scholarly project.

Public Health and Preventive Medicine