Testimonials

“I find one of the greatest strengths of our resident cohort is their passion for physiatry - not only as a whole, but towards their diverse interests in subspecialties of the field. Our residents have been enthusiastic and hardworking in creating new resident experiences and rotations, exploring areas of interest and further desired exposure, and providing feedback to help improve the training experience of those that will follow them.

Some specific examples include:

• Residents co-creating elective rehabilitation rotations

• Developing and carrying through longitudinal research projects, beyond their conventional 3 blocks of research

• Innovation of the academic half day curriculum, including new anatomy review sessions and collaborative physical examination OSCEs

• Initiating and maintaining high-yield resources, clinics and experiences for future residents”

Dr. George Francis, FRCPC, Residency Program Director

"Being the first resident year to go through the CBD curriculum, support and communication from the program has been crucial. Our Program Director and CBD lead have really been there every step of the way. We requested to substitute one of our PGY-1 rotations for a Palliative Care rotation based on our personal feedback that this would better meet our learning objectives - this was immediately implemented. This is just one example of how the staff's approachability and receptivity to our ideas will continue to make our program and curriculum the best possible experience for our residents."

Dr. Lisa Murphy, PGY-5 Resident

"The University of Calgary PM&R Residency program has offered me an excellent and unique residency experience, that has far exceeded my expectations. Coming in with a specific interest in cancer rehabilitation and research, I was motivated to continue to seek opportunities for additional training in these areas. Our program director and department as a whole have been incredibly supportive, allowing me flexibility early on to do additional electives in research and cancer-related areas. Specifically, the program director helped to create a new Cancer Rehabilitation rotation which included inpatient and outpatient experiences, targeted teaching sessions, specific sessions with cancer rehabilitation therapists, as well as a chance to apply cancer rehabilitation concepts to palliative and Ortho-oncology clinics. 

I was also afforded the opportunity to have a longitudinal research block with a specific bi-weekly cancer rehabilitation research clinic, allowing me to have continuous learning experiences in my area of interest, while also collecting and analyzing research data ongoing. Further to this, I have been supported to apply for my own grants, help supervise graduate students, and teach at the medical school, all while continuing to complete my core residency blocks. I am confident the substantial support and encouragement from the residency program to continue to explore my interests will be very beneficial going into my fellowship and for jobs in the future."

Dr. Lauren Capozzi, FRCPC, Calgary PM&R Grad 2024

"U of C’s PMR program and leaders have been receptive and innovative in allowing me to create new training opportunities to meet my own learning needs and future goals.  I was able to create an elective block to improve my understanding of assessments and therapy techniques used by our allied health colleagues in acute and tertiary rehabilitation.  Through this opportunity, I gained a great understanding of how our rehab team works together for our patients, and what our patients experience directly in rehab.  

The program also allowed me to forge a longitudinal experience during my final year, half a day per week, to target specific and advanced training in my area of interest in future practice.  The program has empowered me to take charge and direct my learning toward my needs, goals, and future practice."

Dr. Nancy Scholz, FRCPC, Calgary PM&R Grad 2022

"Calgary’s PM&R program strives to support the clinical, research, and educational interests of each of its residents. During my residency, I was afforded the flexibility to complete my research in a longitudinal fashion and engage in multiple educational initiatives, including designing/delivering bootcamp to the R1’s. I was also granted the time and funding support to pursue extra training in regenerative medicine through the University of Toronto. In addition to supporting these interests, I felt Calgary's clinical exposures and core rotations prepared me well for both the Royal College and CSCN EMG examinations." 

Dr. Jacqui Stone, FRCPC, Calgary PM&R Grad 2021

"I graduated from the University of Calgary (UofC) Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) Residency Program in 2020 and now have a general Physiatry practice in Nanaimo, BC, where I provide both inpatient and outpatient care. My practice is highly varied and includes neurorehabilitation, spasticity management, general musculoskeletal care, ultrasound-guided injections, and electrodiagnostics. The UofC residency program provided me with excellent training across the full breadth of PM&R. It gave me the confidence to establish a diverse practice coming out of residency and provided me with opportunities to pursue training in the more subspecialized areas of ultrasound-guided injections and electrodiagnostics. Throughout my training I encountered many amazing preceptors and mentors and felt fully supported in all stages of the program. I would highly recommend the UofC PM&R residency program to any potential applicant."

Dr. Phil Motyka, FRCPC, Calgary PM&R Grad 2020