Teaching is central in the program – which is so important in a hands-on residency like cardiac surgery. Our program is also small so cohesiveness amongst residents and staff is very important as we work in close proximity for the full duration of our 6-year residency. Everyone has been extremely supportive in encouraging us to pursue our passions and interests, within the realm of cardiac surgery and outside of it as well.

Within our program, staff have gotten out of their way to involve residents in research projects and educational projects. There are always opportunities that we get to get involved in and the mentorship extends beyond the training to all facets of residency – work-life balance, wellness, etc.

Our senior residents have been incredible role models in terms of professionalism, teaching, and patient care. It is great to be able to work alongside people whom are well-respected as residents from their peers and staff alike, and have them guide juniors with their experience.

McMaster’s residency program, if I compare to my peers in other centers, seems to really have a work-life balance mindset, even in the surgical residencies. In terms of residency environment, everyone has been more than supportive. I know that my fellow residents have my best interest at heart, in terms of learning and wellness. In addition, there are great opportunities in the field of medical and surgical education, a personal interest of mine.

I have been to the MAD days and the mini MAD in the past, which were both incredibly informative and topical – for instance, the latest MAD day was on innovation, and it’s wonderful that McMaster acknowledges the changing landscape of healthcare.

McMaster has a well-known culture for inclusivity, welcomeness, and focus on wellness so I was confident that it would support my growth as both a learner and a junior physician. Furthermore, the city of Hamilton was rapidly developing to offer more for young professionals, so I was excited to stay here and experience the changes.

I was fortunate to have also done my undergraduate medical education at McMaster. I had a number of mentors that offered advice and guidance, even prior to choosing my specialty. Furthermore, the staff that were my mentors not only proactively looked for opportunities I could be involved in, but reached out to their personal network whenever I had interests that were outside of their own.

Senior residents have always been supportive, compassionate, and approachable regardless of their specialty. McMaster also encourages a focus on residents to develop as role models, mentors, and teachers as they progress through their residency.

The Niagara site’s curriculum is unique in that our PGY1 is truly horizontal, with complete integration of Family Medicine and our core rotations in Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emergency medicine and Pediatrics.

The size of our community is ideal for training Family Physicians, as we are nearly always the most senior trainees on a team. This affords us learning opportunities (e.g. procedures) that would otherwise be assigned to a learner from that specialty. We are fortunate to work and review cases directly with very enthusiastic Faculty.  We also have the opportunity to teach McMaster medical students from the Niagara Regional Campus. While our program is small (7 urban and 3 rural residents per year), the Niagara Health System is large enough to offer fairly acute services including ICU, Special Care Nursery, and oncology programs.

Our cohort of residents is very keen and interested in working with one another outside of mandatory sessions to enhance our learning. Two of my colleagues planned an entire EDE point-of-care ultrasound course for the residents in Niagara. Our cohort also started a Journal Club amongst ourselves, and some of us will be meeting informally for Narrative Medicine evenings in the future.

McMaster is unique in that it is always ahead of the game on innovative approaches to education. For example, during 1 block of weekly academic afternoons, residents had the opportunity to select between various Enrichment sessions, including ‘The Art of Seeing in Medicine’, Narrative Medicine, Mindfulness and others. We also have a Faculty Mentorship program in which our Family Medicine and General Surgery residents, Emergency Medicine Fellows and Primary Care Faculty meet informally in groups of about eight. I feel very supported in Niagara.

As a Hamilton resident planning on working in a small community, I took advantage of the extended rural Family Medicine experience to continue to develop my skills working in an environment similar to that in which I would be practicing.

The Family Medicine program offers unique training in Mental Health and Behavioural sciences. This program prepares us for challenges that family doctors face in the community managing patients with mental illness, substance abuse and interpersonal conflicts. This unique experience pairs us with faculty mentors and allows residents to share their experiences with each other to learn from our successes as well as the mistakes we make along the way.

In my experience, the faculty at McMaster as well as the associated mentors in the community, have been very supportive of my career goals.  As someone with a good sense of the type of practice I want to have, the faculty here has played a key role in helping me to tailor my learning objectives such that I get a targeted learning experience- while still receiving comprehensive training that encompasses the wide breadth of family medicine.

As someone new to Hamilton I was pleasantly surprised by the number of things to do in the community. I’m a person who likes to be involved in community sports and I was quickly able to build connections with people playing in a variety of different adult sport leagues.

Hamilton is a growing city. Its population and economic growth, juxtaposed with the historic economic factors, offers a very diverse patient population for family medicine residents. This unique opportunity allows learners to both develop their comprehensive family medicine skills and discover niche areas of interest.

Many of the McMaster family medicine preceptors are both academics and clinicians. Their dedications to family care truly foster a culture of learning and excellence within the program. My preceptor, Dr Ainsley Moore, is actively involved with the Canadian Taskforce for Health Prevention while providing primary care and women’s health in multiple clinic and hospital settings. When your preceptor is leading by example, it is hard not to be inspired to become excellent too.

Our Medical Oncology program at McMaster is excellent. The staff oncologists give the residents a lot of autonomy in clinical decision making, particularly in the longitudinal clinics where we get to have our own patients. What excites me most about our program is the culture and cohesive nature of the department.

I have had the good fortune of having some incredible mentors at McMaster. When I did Internal Medicine, I was lucky enough to work with Dr Wasi clinically and in research. She really took me under her wing and became more than just my supervisor – she became my mentor! It can be a scary transition from medical school to residency, and to have so much responsibility as a senior resident, but Dr Wasi gave me confidence and was always available when I needed her ear. I think McMaster is lucky to have someone like her, among many other incredible mentors to the residents!

I have now been in Hamilton for a few years as I trained in Internal Medicine here. I am blown away by how much the city has changed over the past 4 years. Cliché as it may seem, the waterfalls and conservation areas are stunning and it is my mission to visit as many as I can before leaving Hamilton! Moreover, the food scene has transformed over the past few years so whether you are into dessert or fine dining, there is something for everyone

I was extremely excited to match to McMaster for Orthopedic Surgery and embark on this incredible journey of surgical training.

As resident numbers have decreased over the years, the ratio of staff to residents has improved, optimizing the individualized learning obtained by each resident and enhancing our hands-on surgical experience.

MacOrtho is a strong surgical training program with numerous outstanding mentors, but what makes us stand out is our exceptional research production. MacOrtho is the hub of many international clinical trials and produces countless publications that impact the practice of Orthopedics world-wide.

I have now lived in Hamilton for the better portion of eight years and am still constantly exploring its many great aspects. There is a diverse selection of great restaurants year round. For those interested in the outdoors, there are numerous beautiful hiking trails and waterfalls to be explored.

As a pediatric resident you are provided a staff coach who provides academic/professional guidance. In addition, we are encouraged to choose a staff advisor, someone we connect with during out rotations who can help give personal support and advice throughout residency. This helps facilitate a supportive learning environment regardless of what struggles may arise.

I consider myself very fortunate to be counted among the Pediatric Resident body as McMaster Children’s Hospital. My fellow residents are some of the most accomplished and intelligent individuals I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. The residency atmosphere is one of support and encouragement.  Throughout my residency career, the teaching, mentorship and guidance of my fellow residents has been critical in my continued success. I am lucky and thankful to call this group of amazing people my friends.

There is a great emphasis at McMaster on Residency Wellness and the teaching of skills that will facilitate success and personal happiness, not only throughout residency but during out entire medical careers.