The MD Family Medicine Focus (MD-FM Focus) is specifically designed for those who want to become involved in primary care at the start of their training. Through early exposure, ongoing mentorship and personalized learning experiences, you will be trained to excel in a general, community-based, and patient-centred practice.

• 4 spots in the anglophone stream and 4 spots in the francophone stream
• Longitudinal integration of family medicine throughout the curriculum
• Personalized mentorship with family medicine practitioners in the first year
• Clinical rotations in urban and rural settings
• Customized for preclerkship, clerkship and transition to residency
• Full compliance with the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) competence standards and national standards

Note: Learning objectives and assessment strategies are aligned with those of the general cohort to ensure that all students get quality training.

Preclerkship: Principles of family medicine

Starting in first year, you will be introduced to the core principles of family medicine: continuing care, patient-centred care and the importance of social determinants of health. You will also get some experience through placements and have the opportunity to take part in prestigious events such as Family Medicine Forum.

• Early exposure to primary care medicine through placements in community and in hospital settings
• Vertical mentorship
• Networking opportunities: Attend key conferences and events to immerse yourself in family medicine

Clerkship: Ongoing training in family medicine

During clinical rotations, family medicine will be the focus of your training. Every week, you will spend one day in a family medicine clinic, ensuring continuing care while developing your skills. In addition, rural rotations will be integrated to the program for a full and diverse educational experience.

At the end of the program, you will be able to demonstrate your leadership and clinical skills through a capstone project with real-life cases. You will also have the opportunity to choose specialty rotations in family medicine such as geriatrics, palliative care and indigenous health.

Eligible candidates may bypass the CaRMS residency matching process and secure a residency position at the University of Ottawa Family Medicine Postgraduate Program, provided they meet the program’s established benchmarks.

Note: The residency program reserves the right to choose candidates through this internal process. Should a student decide not to continue in family medicine, they can cancel their enrolment in the MD-FM Focus and join the general cohort.