Transfers

Postgraduate Medical Education offices across Canada are supportive of transfers from institution to institution. These guidelines are intended to provide a transparent process that is clear to both the resident and universities involved. Prior to engaging in a discussion regarding a transfer, it is the responsibility of the resident to review the national guidelines as well as his or her home school’s transfer guideline/policy. Please see National Transfer Guidelines on the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) website for more information. 

Principles

• Programs should be flexible and be open to changes that facilitate residents’ future careers.
• Programs should not be forced to take candidates who do not fulfill the Program’s admission standards.
• Programs must have capacity and resources to be able to consider accommodating additional residents. Accreditation status of the receiving program must also be considered in accepting transferring residents.
• The Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) Office will facilitate internal transfers wherever possible, while maintaining student confidentiality.
• Current MOH funding quotas and resource allocation for individual Programs should be respected.
• Transfers are not to be perceived as an alternative to the CaRMS match.
• Resident funding is not transferable between universities, i.e. if a resident transfers to another PGME program elsewhere in Ontario or even the rest of Canada, the funding does not follow.
• IMG residents are eligible to apply for transfer between provinces but must notify Return of Service (ROS) provider(s).

Implementation

• Internal transfers at the University of Ottawa should be aligned with the start of the academic year, but are still subject to PGM:COFM policy with respect to restrictions in the PGY1 year.
• A transfer process is initiated by a resident by following the transfer application process.
• The selection process is overseen by the individual program’s RPC. The selection process and selection criteria for entry into the transfer program are the same as those for selection at the PGY1 level for new graduates of faculties of medicine. If the "transferring" resident is deemed acceptable by the Program Director and there is capacity in the program, a written letter of offer will be sent to the PGME Office, which will state the date of transfer and level of training. The resident and the PGME Office must jointly request a release from the current program.

Notice of Use of Data

• The personal information on this form, collected under the authority of the University of Ottawa Act 1965, will be used for the purposes of processing transfer request to another postgraduate residency program at Ottawa or another University as requested. This information will be shared with the concerned Program Director(s), Residency Program Committee(s) or Postgraduate Vice-Dean(s) and will become a part of your permanent academic file. If you have any questions or concerns about the information collected or how it will be used, please contact Postgraduate Medical Education, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Rd, Room 2014, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8M5 or by telephone at (613) 562-5800 ext. 8623.

Principles for transfers in Ontario residency programs (PDF)