Residency Selection Criteria

• All program applications must occur through the CARMS program.
• Application includes a curriculum vitae and a personal statement letter

• Personal references are required and should include an orthopaedic surgeon who is familiar with the candidate.

• Final selection for the candidate ranking is done on a point system.

Interviews

• Committee prescreens the application files. Selected candidates are then invited for an interview.
• Each candidate will be interviewed by a minimum of five people in two separate panels
• The Orthopaedic resident’s will show candidates the facilities.
• There will be an informal social afterwards.

Personal Letter

A personal statement letter should discuss the candidate’s background and interests as well as outline a general interest in orthopaedics.

References

Minimum of two required. One should be from an orthopaedic surgeon. Late references will be accepted until the end of December.

Selection Policy

Preference will be given to Canadian medical school graduates who have not had previous post M.D. clinical training. All other Canadian citizens and landed immigrants will be considered in the second iteration of the match. International medical graduates must have passed the Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Exam (MCCEE) and part 1 of the LMCC.

All areas of Orthopaedic Surgery are treated within the Division at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Center and the IWK Hospital.  Sub-specialty expertise is now available in Joint Arthroplasty, Spinal Surgery, Upper Limb, Sports Medicine, Trauma, Musculoskeletal Oncology, Pediatric Orthopaedics, and General Orthopaedics.

The Division of Orthopaedic Surgery is vital and dynamic.  The Division contributes greatly to teaching programs of Dalhousie University, both Undergraduate and Postgraduate.  Research activity has blossomed over the past few years with extensive involvement of most of the Divisional members.  The Research Committee, capably chaired by Dr. Michael Dunbar, now coordinates research.

The Division has felt very close relationships with the other Orthopaedic Centers in Nova Scotia and as well, in the rest of the Maritime Provinces.  Orthopaedic Surgery is being practiced in Dartmouth, Kentville, Sydney, and New Glasgow.  Many of these surgeons are Dalhousie trained and there is a close working relationship between all groups.

The Division continues to be the tertiary care center for the Maritime Provinces, providing expertise upon request from our peripheral colleagues.  A very close working relationship has also developed between the Orthopaedic Surgeons of the Dartmouth General Hospital, as we work toward the integration of Orthopaedic Surgical Services within the Capital Health District.

The greatest challenge facing the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery is managing the ever-increasing clinical load with our dwindling resources.  The demographics of our population clearly revealed that the need for Orthopaedic Surgical Services over the next two decades would far outpace our ability to provide these services, given our present level of resources.  The Division fully intends to champion the needs of our patients as we progress into the new century.

The Division is presently fine-tuning our excellent wait list project, which will provide very significant data concerning the requirements of Nova Scotia patients awaiting Orthopaedic Surgical Services.

The Division continues to grow in an ever-dynamic fashion, looking forward to meeting the challenges that will present themselves in the very near future.

Current Programs Director:

Dr. W. M. Oxner

Past Program Directors:

Dr. R. Yabsley Dr. J. Hyndman Dr. G. Reardon Dr. P. C. Cook