Below you will find helpful information about how to arrange electives at schools across the country. Many residents take this time as a way to try out possible job opportunities for after graduation or to put their best foot forward prior to fellowships applications.

When planning for your electives, it is important to remember that you will need to apply for a license with the college of physicians and surgeons in the province you will be practicing in for the elective. This can take some time to obtain so keep this in mind when arranging electives and give yourself enough time to arrange prior to the start of your elective.

University of British Columbia

Program Directors: Dr. Tracy Scott, Dr. Ahmer Karimuddin

Program administrator: Luiza Shamkulova (luiza.shamkulova@ubc.ca)

Website: https://surgery.med.ubc.ca/divisions/general-surgery/ 

Fellowships available:

How to arrange an elective: https://postgrad.med.ubc.ca/prospective-trainees/postgraduate-visiting-electives/

University of Alberta

Program Directors: Dr. Athena Bennett, Dr. Deng Mapiour

Program Administrator: Raelin Lightfoot (gsurgpg@ualberta.ca)

Website: https://www.ualberta.ca/surgery/divisions/general-surgery/index.html

Fellowships available:

How to arrange an elective: All electives must go through the PGME office. Check out their policies at https://www.ualberta.ca/surgery/programs/residency/electives.html

University of Calgary

Program Director: Dr. Ryan Rochon

Program Administrator: Erin Layton (Erin.Layton@albertahealthservices.ca)

Website: https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/departments/surgery/sections/general-surgery/education

Fellowships available:

  • Colorectal (PD: Dr. Donald Buie)
  • Endocrine Surgery (PD: Dr. Janice Pasieka)
  • Endoscopy (PD: Dr. Nauzer Forbes)
  • Hepatobiliary (PD: Dr. Francis Sutherland)
  • Paediatric Surgery (PD: Dr. Andrea Lo)
  • Surgical Oncology (PD: Dr. Antoine Bouchrd-Fortier)
  • Thoracics (PD: Dr. Colin Schieman)
  • Trauma (PD: Dr. Paul McBeth)
  • Upper GI and Laparoscopic surgery (PD: Dr. Neal Church)
  • Additional information:  https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/departments/surgery/education/graduate-education/fellowship-programs 

How to arrange an elective: https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/pgme/canadian/visiting-electives

University of Saskatchewan

Program Director: Dr. Gavin Beck

Program Administrator: Karen Bader (karen.bader@usask.ca)

Website: https://medicine.usask.ca/department/clinical/surgery-divisions/general.php

Fellowships available: 

  • Acute Care and Community Surgery (PD: Dr. Niroshan Sothilingam and Dr. Suzie Harriman)

How to arrange an elective: https://medicine.usask.ca/contacts/incoming-pgme-electives.php

University of Manitoba

Program director: Dr. Justin Rivard

Program Administrator: CAthay Hamiltone (gen.surg@umanitoba.ca)

Website: https://umanitoba.ca/faculties/health_sciences/medicine/units/surgery/

Fellowships available:

  • Colorectal (PD: Dr. Ramzi Helewa)
  • Head and Neck surgery (PD: Dr. Alok Pathak)
  • Minimally Invasive Surgery (PD: Dr. Ashely Vergis)
  • Pediatric General Surgery (PD: Dr. BJ Hanock)
  • Thoracics (PD: Dr. Richard Li)
  • Additional information: email surg.fellowships@umanitoba.ca for more details

How to arrange an elective: email surg.fellowships@umanitoba.ca for more information

Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Program Director: Dr. Eric Davenport

Program administrator: Hailey Masiero (hmasiero@nosm.ca)

Website: https://www.nosm.ca/generalsurgery/

Fellowships available: N/A

How to arrange an elective: Contact program coordinator. https://www.nosm.ca/education/medical-electives/

University of Western Ontario

Program Director: Dr. Julie anna Van Koughnett

Program administrator: Rachel Liston (Rachel.Liston@lhsc.on.ca)

Website: https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/generalsurgery/ 

Fellowships available:

How to arrange an elective: https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/medicine/postgraduate/future_learners/visiting_resident_electives/index.html

McMaster University

Program director: Dr. Ilun Yang

Program administrator: Katie Niblock (niblock@mcmaster.ca)

Website: https://surgery.mcmaster.ca/divisions/general-surgery

Fellowships available:

How to arrange an elective: https://pgme.mcmaster.ca/apply/electives-application/

University of Toronto

Program director: Dr. Savtaj Brar

Program Administrator: Madeline Ng (madeline.ng@sunnybrook.ca)

Website: https://surgery.utoronto.ca/residency-division-general-surgery 

Fellowships available:

  • Breast (PD: Dr Wey Long, Dr. Adena Scheer)
  • Colorectal (PD: Dr. Helen MacRae)
  • Endocrine (PD: Dr Jesse Pasternak)
  • HPB (PD: Dr. Trevor Reichman)
  • MIS (PD:  Dr. Timothy Jackson)
  • Pediatric surgery (Contact Shannon Hannah, Education Coordinator, shannon.hanna@sickkids.ca))
  • Surgical Oncology (PD: Dr. Frances Wright)
  • Thoracics (PD: Dr. Andrew Pierre)
  • Transplant (PD: Dr. Trevor Reichman and Dr. Chaya Shwaartz)
  • Trauma/ACS (PD: Najma Ahmed)
  • Additional information:  https://surgery.utoronto.ca/fellowship-program 

How to arrange an elective: Contact the PGME electives program at https://electives.pgme.utoronto.ca/pgme/electives/

Queen's University

Program Directors: Dr. Sarah Jones and Dr. David Robertson

Program administrator:  Sierra Slegtenhorst (sierra.slegtenhorst@kingstonhsc.ca)

Website: https://surgery.queensu.ca/postgraduate/general-surgery

Fellowships:

How to arrange an elective: https://meds.queensu.ca/academics/postgraduate/prospective/admission/postgraduate-electives

University of Ottawa

Program Director: Dr Maher Mater

Program administrator: Taylor Pyefinch  (chiefs@uottawagensurg.com)

Website: https://www.uottawagensurg.com/ 

Fellowships available:

  • Breast (PD: Dr. Angel Arnaout)
  • Colorectal (PD: Dr. Husein Moloo)
  • HPB (PD: Dr. Jad Abou-Khalil)
  • MIS/Bariatrics (PD: Nicole Kolozsvari)
  • Pediatric Surgery (PD: Dr. Kyle Cowan)
  • Surgical Oncology (PD: Dr. Carolyn Nessim)
  • Thoracics (PD: Dr. Patrick Villeneuve)
  • Trauma (PD: Jacinthe Lampron)
  • Vascular (PD: Dr. Dalibor Kubelik)
  • Additional fellowship information: https://med.uottawa.ca/surgery/divisions/general-surgery/fellowships 

How to arrange an elective: https://med.uottawa.ca/postgraduate/electives

McGill University

Program Director: Dr. Sender Liberman; Assistant PD: Dr. Kate McKendy

Program administrator: Rita Piccioni at (rita.piccioni@muhc.mcgill.ca) 

Website: https://www.mcgill.ca/generalsurgery/education/residency#:~:text=The%20training%20program%20is%20under,(Division%20Director)%20and%20Dr

Fellowship available:

  • Colorectal (PD: Marylise Boutros)
  • HPB/Transplant  (PD: Dr. Peter Metrakos)
  • MIS Bariatric (PD: Dr. Amin Andalib)
  • MIS General (PD: Dr Liane Feldman)
  • Pediatric Surgery (PD: Dr. Pramod S. Puligandla)
  • Surgical Oncology (PD: Dr. Elliot Mitmaker)
  • Thoracics (PD: Dr. Jonathan Spicer)
  • Trauma (PD: Dr. Jeremy Grushka)
  • Additional information: https://www.mcgill.ca/generalsurgery/education/fellowships 

How to arrange an elective: https://www.mcgill.ca/pgme/electives

University of Montreal

Program Director: Dr Frank Vandenbroucke

Program administrator: Yamina Bachi (ybachi.hmr@ssss.gouv.qc.ca)

Website: https://chirurgie.umontreal.ca/letter-from-the-chair/ 

Fellowships available:

How to arrange an elective: contact the program administrator or department for more information

University of Sherbrooke

Program director: Dr Émilie Comeau

Program administrator: Lise Gaudy (chirurgieprogramme-fmss@usherbrooke.ca)

Website: https://www.usherbrooke.ca/dep-chirurgie/

Fellowships available: N/A

How to arrange an elective: contact the program administrator or department for more information

Université Laval

Program director: Dr Mony Chhiv

Program administrator: (programmesdeptchirurgie@fmed.ulaval.ca)

Website: https://www.fmed.ulaval.ca/programmes-detudes/etudes-en-medecine/residences-etudes-medicales-postdoctorales/residence-en-chirurgie-generale/

Fellowships available:

How to arrange an elective: contact the program administrator or department for more information

Dalhousie University

Program Director: Dr. Lucy Helyer

Program Administrator: Chantelle Brown (ChantelleM.Brown@nshealth.ca)

Website: https://medicine.dal.ca/departments/department-sites/surgery/divisions/general-surgery/education/residency.html 

Fellowships available:

How to arrange an elective: https://medicine.dal.ca/departments/core-units/postgraduate/visiting-doctor-electives.html

Memorial University

Program director: Dr. Craig Stone

Program Administrator: Stacy Hicks (stacy.hicks@med.mun.ca)

Website: https://www.med.mun.ca/Surgery/Home.aspx

Fellowships available: N/A

How to arrange an elective: https://www.med.mun.ca/PGME/Visiting-Residents-Electives-Observerships/Electives.aspx