Resident Testimonials

Hometown: Kingsville, Ontario

Medical School: Western University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

I'm new to the program but from my electives and my time in the program thus far, everyone is very welcoming and willing to teach. All of the staff and senior residents are open to questions and willing to help you when you need it. There's a lot of support around you.

What I like about living in London: 

The amount of green space! You'll be surprised at how many parks and paths there are throughout the city.

One piece of advice for the interview process: Tell the interviewers what you think, not what you think they want you to say. 

Hometown: Windsor, Ontario

Medical School: Western University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

The staff that are very dedicated to teaching you and are eager to get you involved in the operating room and in patient care. You get the opportunity to work on your independence early in residency and gain confidence in your abilities to manage pre-operative and post-operative issues, in a really supportive environment.

What I like about living in London: 

It's known as the Forest City, and often called the best London in the world! There's a surprising number of trails to hike and nature to explore. If you like plants, there are some amazing local garden centers as well. Nearly everything is drivable within 15 minutes and there are a lot of unique festivals and events to explore throughout the year.

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Tell stories about the things you are passionate about. People often say, "be yourself" and I think the best way you can show who you are is by talking about the experiences and adventures that lead you to this point.

Hometown: Richmond Hill, Ontario

Medical School: Western University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

A great panel of supportive staff eager to see you succeed. 

What I like about living in London: 

Amenities of a big city, but close enough to rural areas to enjoy the peace and quiet. Big catchment area with large diversity of cases from all over Southwestern Ontario. 

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Be yourself and answer honestly. Whenever you can, illustrate important points using anecdotes from your own life. 

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Medical School: Western University 

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Medium-sized program that ensures everyone knows your name and is invested in your development and future, which allows for early operative exposure and greater independence. 

What I like about living in London: 

Small town/city with very little traffic, which makes getting to work and home easier and faster, still has restaurants and entertainment. 

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Take advantage of socials as a time to get to know staff and residents, but also other medical students applying to the programs you’re interested in – good way to get a sense of the culture of the program and whether you’d be a good fit.

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Medical School: University of Toronto

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Extensive exposure to all aspects of General Surgery including trauma and transplant services. Plenty of opportunities to be in the operating room and to be an active member of the surgical team starting from PGY1. Each year of residents works very closely with each other and with only 5 residents per year that means you'll develop tight bonds. The staff are extremely invested in nurturing the growth of residents both as growing surgeons and as individuals.

What I like about living in London: 

Everything is only a 15 min car drive away. Practically no traffic! Beautiful scenery. There's a drive-in movie theatre and a provincial park within a short drive.

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Observe how the residents interact with each other and with staff during the CaRMS process. Wherever you decide to go for residency, you will be joining a team which has it's own flavour so make sure that you are happy with the culture and want to be a part of it!

Hometown: Corner Brook, Newfoundland

Medical School: University of Saskatchewan

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

There are so many things to love about the General Surgery program here at Western. We are offered early independence which facilitates fast paced, yet extensive learning opportunities that allow you to get an excellent foundation of both ward and surgical management of our patients. The staff and senior residents then provide us with ample opportunities to operate early in residency and build a solid foundation prior to entering our senior years. Most importantly, the people involved in the program genuinely care about giving you a world-class education and training the best possible general surgeons. 

What I like about living in London: 

It has all the pleasures of a larger city without the chaos that comes with it. There are countless opportunities to get involved with whatever it is you like to do outside of work and I can’t complain about the warm summers. 

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Prepare your answers ahead of time but be flexible enough to not seem rehearsed. It’s cliché but being yourself really does go a long way. Making your personality shine through a webcam is a difficult task, but once you figure it out, the rest is easy! 

Hometown: Dorchester, Ontario

Medical School: University of Toronto

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Flexibility to get what you need from your training to be successful in whatever type of career you choose, whether academic or community.

What I like about living in London: 

London is close to home for me, so I’m a little biased. I mostly love the small size of the city and lots of green space. 

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Practice some unique/unexpected interview questions with classmates to overcome that panicked feeling before your interviews! 

Hometown: London, Ontario

Medical School: University of Ottawa

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Strong, supportive faculty and senior residents who are interested and dedicated to teaching. London has a massive catchment area, so the volume is great. Western emphasizes early operative exposure (I’m 2 blocks in and have already been primary operator on 4 appendectomies, 1 cholecystectomy and several perianal cases). Looking forward to what the next 5 years have to offer!  

What I like about living in London: 

London has a tight-knit community and small town feel. There are awesome bike paths and parks in the city, and you are only 45 minutes away from some of the nicest beaches in the country. Great restaurants and bars as well!  

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Be yourself and be prepared with lots of scenarios and experiences from medical school. Use the interview process to determine which school will be the best fit for you and your training goals. Go to the socials and take notes about your experience to help make your ranking decisions easier.  

Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia

Medical School: Western University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

How committed everyone is to my learning, from seniors to staff alike! Amazing breadth and depth for the field, and the program takes resident feedback seriously. 

What I like about living in London: 

Smaller town feel, people actually say hi to each other in the streets, better traffic than the big cities, kind neighbours, and good train access to the rest of Ontario. 

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

While you are trying to put your best foot forward, don't try to be someone you are not. It should be a mutual fit when it comes to matching instead of trying to fit into an imaginary box. And remember you are also interviewing the programs too, so don't forget to ask questions and take notes for ranking! 

Hometown: Ajax, Ontario

Medical School: Western University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

I chose the Western General Surgery program because it seemed like a good fit for me based on the personalities in the program, the program's strong national reputation for clinical excellence, and my own support networks within the city. 

What I like about living in London: 

My favourite part about living in London is that it is a landlocked city with plenty of day trip destinations in every cardinal and ordinal direction if you like cycling or even just driving.  From the cafes in Port Stanley to beach in Grand Bend to the chocolate shop in Stratford to the autumn leaves in Dorchester, there's plenty to do in and around the city.  The roads are nice and quiet and well suited for bicycles. 

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

It's okay to be nervous for your interviews.  A little bit of nerves can be good.   

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Medical School: Western University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Early exposure to the operating room and managing patient care, amazing staff who are genuinely interested in teaching and helping you reach your career goals, and an amazing group of supportive and fun co-residents! 

What I like about living in London: 

Beautiful green spaces with lots of walking/running trails and close enough to take day trips to Toronto or one of the nearby lakes.   

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Reflect and make a list of clinical experiences that display important qualities that you can adapt to different questions and be yourself! It sounds generic but they aren't looking for a perfect answer, they just want to get to know who you are.   

Hometown:  St. Albert, Alberta

Medical School:  University of Alberta

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

The faculty and residents are truly passionate about the program and this reflects in their teaching! This mentorship and support is  what drew me to Western! In addition, I loved the rotation schedule and the programs focus on surgery rotations. 

What I like about living in London: 

The river valley is beautiful and has great walking/biking/running paths! I look forward to exploring all the beaches around London!  

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

I know everyone says “be yourself” but it’s true! My best interviews were the ones that I didn’t sound scripted and where I was able to have an organic conversation with residents and staff. When preparing for interviews, prep multiple stories - whether they are clinical or not - that you can draw different themes from. That way no matter what unexpected question you are asked, you will have an example in your back pocket!  

Hometown:  Goderich, Ontario

Medical School:  Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Great Program Director who is incredibly welcoming and supportive and co-residents who make you feel like part of the family right   away.

What I like about living in London: 

 Lots of green space in the city, good restaurants and easy access to walking trails by the river.

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Be yourself, don't say what you think people want to hear, say what is truly representative of you as a person and as a learner.

Focus on what experiences have made you well suited to a career in General Surgery, whether that is skills you have built through leadership roles, research experience or clinical encounters.

Pay attention to how you feel about your interactions with different programs and trust your gut with where you think will be the best fit for you. 

Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Medical School: Western University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

This is a well-integrated program across sites and years of residency.  There is a strong emphasis on teaching that is seen from junior residents to senior staff.

What I like about living in London: 

London offers a great quality of life as a resident.  It is small enough to get to either site quickly, but large enough to have all the amenities.

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Prepare for the common questions and reflect on your own experiences.  What you think will be your best fit.  And what is going to be the best fit for your goals.

Hometown: Medicine Hat and Edmonton, Alberta

Medical School: University of Calgary

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

There is a strong emphasis on teaching at all levels of the program. They will push you to be your best, and you will receive the necessary tools from both formal and informal teaching and mentorship. We have a supportive PD who cares about each resident's success and wellbeing as a surgeon and as a human. It's a small enough program that you don't get lost in the shuffle - you can get to know your allied health colleagues and learn the system well, but services are busy with high volume, opportunities for exposure, and early independence with accessible backup.

What I like about living in London: 

It's a great mid-sized city with a beautiful cycling path along the river that makes for a pleasant bike commute between hospitals. 

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Communicate what you need during the interview period to your family, partner, roommates, and/or friends as applicable (e.g. a calm interview environment, help with practicing answers, fun distractions, time to yourself to decompress, pep talks, etc). Don't overthink the process itself, just try to be mentally and emotionally present for every virtual event and go with the flow!

Hometown: North York, Ontario

Medical School: Western University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Small cohort with lots of support, early independence with good balance of learning the medicine behind clinical decisions and practical skills training. Focused and relevant off-service rotations with dedicated endoscopy block. The high volume of patients given the large catchment area provides numerous opportunities for developing clinical skills.

What I like about living in London: 

I’ve been here since undergraduate studies so I call it a second home now! Not super busy compared to my hometown in North York but offers all the amenities that I need (plus two Costco’s)! It also has great bike trails by the Thames river!

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Be honest with yourself and the interviewers and try to think about why you truly want to come to Western General Surgery. And it’s normal to be nervous. Just know that everyone’s in the same boat and just try your best! It’s always helpful to practice lots with your friends and learn more about yourself through the process and make those silly mistakes early. Lean into your interests, it helps you stand out. You got this :)

Hometown: St. John's, Newfoundland

Medical School: Memorial University of Newfoundland

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Extremely supportive and dedicated faculty and senior residents with a strong emphasis on teaching. Western also offers early operative experience, high volume, and access to all aspects of general surgery including transplant and trauma.

What I like about living in London: 

Beautiful green spaces, warm summers, and great restaurants so far!

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Reflect on your experiences and patients who have influenced you to pursue general surgery. Try and think ahead of time about what you are looking for from a residency program and keep that in mind when going to the socials and learning about each program.

Hometown: Montreal, Quebec

Medical School: McGill University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Well organized research curriculum.  Very convivial and supportive environment among the staff, administration staff, and fellow co-residents.  Emphasis on developing technically and clinically excellent surgeons through a culture of success that pervades the program.

What I like about living in London: 

Multiple sports base activities available to residents both indoors and outdoors.  Everything is within a 20-minute drive.  Green spaces abound.

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Be genuine, and be honest to yourself and your interviewer about your likes and dislikes and strengths and weaknesses.  This is how I believe trust in a candidate is built.

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Medical School: Calgary Cumming School of Medicine

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Definitely the people.  I truly appreciate the wonderful support from my co-residents, senior residents, staff, and especially our program director.

What I like about living in London: 

The ever-growing number of diverse food options, along with plenty of greenery and bike lanes.

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Reflect on the experiences that have brought you to this point.  Be yourself, but make sure to present your best self!

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Medical School: Western University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Everyone is so invested in your learning and truly wants you to succeed. The resident group is tight-knit, and staff/senior residents give a lot of independence to juniors both in and out of the OR, which I think sets us up for success later in residency. Also, great exposure to all types of general surgery, from community rotations to transplant. 

What I like about living in London: 

It’s a great sized city and not hard to find fun things to do, whether that’s walking/running along the riverside paths, going to great restaurants and patios, seeing concerts (a surprising number of artists come to London), or visiting beautiful beaches only 45 mins away. 

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Think of a few clinical and non-clinical stories that you think demonstrate why you’d be a good general surgeon and be flexible during the interview itself – try not to worry if a question is unexpected and just answer honestly and reflect on your experiences. Also don’t be afraid to ask questions and go to socials to really figure out which program would be the best fit for you! 

Hometown: St. Thomas, Ontario

Medical School: Western University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Western's General Surgery Program stands out for many reasons. At Western you will get early operative exposure as a PGY1, staff and fellow residents that are dedicated to teaching and fostering an inclusive learning environment, on top of a program designed for a wide breadth of exposure and a large patient catchment. As a PGY1, we spend most of our time in first year on service which serves us well and quickly acclimates us to life in General Surgery and provides us with indispensable early operative and clinical exposure. This program prides itself on having high expectations for learners that ultimately serves to produce very strong General Surgeons ready for practice in 5 years.  

What I like about living in London: 

London is such a great place to live, one might say underrated! London is close to great beaches and hiking trails within a 40km radius. London is home to many community events that pop up throughout the year, great options for dining, and it within a 2 hour drive to both Toronto and Detroit. London overall is affordable as well compared to other cities in Canada. If you enjoy quaint small towns with lots of character, London is surrounded by them! 

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

The interview is designed to get to know you as a person and get an idea for how you will function as a resident. It sounds cliche but be yourself. Spend time thinking about what matters to you in a career and what you want to get out of your training. Residency is 5 years, and it goes by fast! Make sure you think about your goals and ensure the program matches you as a person/your personality. Remember, you’re picking the program as much as they are picking you! Come prepared but relax, breathe. If you are well prepared, you’ll have lots of room to let your personality shine which gives programs a chance to get to know the real you!  

Hometown: Markham, Ontario

Medical School: Queen's University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

High and early operative exposure, with staff and residents who actually care about your wellbeing.  

What I like about living in London: 

As a person who has never been to London until my elective, London is absolutely lovely! There's lots of diversity, green spaces and lots of good food options. 

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Be yourself and don’t stress too much! It is also an opportunity for you to assess the schools to choose the one that best fits you!

Hometown: Victoria, British Columbia

Medical School: University of British Columbia

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Tight-knit group of residents, attendings dedicated to resident learning and facilitating longitudinal operative exposure. High operative volume and variety of patients across all general surgery subspecialties with few fellows which in turn enhances the acquisition of academic and practical knowledge. Flexible program with strong research focus and excellent community exposure. 

What I like about living in London: 

Nothing compares to the Pacific Ocean, but the city has lots of trails, parks, trees to explore. Good amount of restaurants and brunch places. Everything is within 10 minutes driving distance with loads of bicycle trails.

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Reflect on why this program and remember to be yourself. 

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario

Medical School: Western University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

High clinical and operative volume, early hands-on surgical experience, and a strong sense of collegiality among residents and staff.

What I like about living in London: 

There’s plenty of surrounding nature — perfect for hiking and spending time outdoors.

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Take time to reflect on your experiences early and write them down — it’ll help you speak about them more naturally and confidently.

Hometown: London, Ontario

Medical School: Western University

Highlights of the General Surgery Program: 

Without a doubt the people!! Every day I feel inspired, challenged and supported by fellow residents and staff. 

What I like about living in London: 

We have most of the perks of a bigger city including a thriving arts and food scene, with access to green space and "easier" living in terms of commuting, running errands, etc. 

One piece of advice for the interview process: 

Honour yourself by taking time to reflect on what is drawing you to the specialty or place - it might feel obvious to you, but being able to identify and clearly articulate your motivations is an important part of this process. I did this through solo activities (swimming, running, sitting quietly with my cat) and in discussions with family and friends. Also, try and get exposure to any programs you are seriously considering whether through electives, info sessions or speaking with residents there. Fit is very important but can be hard to feel out as CaRMS remains virtual. Good luck!