Career Planning Resources

As a resident, there are a number of resources available to help you navigate through your medical career as you transition from residency into practice.

General transition to practice resources

  • UBC has a program geared towards providing residents with the skills and competencies needed as they transition from residency training into practice: Transition into Practice. Monthly workshops are put on. Topics include insurance planning, locum contracts, tax planning, and licensing, billing, and credentialing. Additional resources include writing a successful CV, preparing for a job interview, and participation in a mentorship program for physicians new to rural practice in BC.
  • Resident Doctors of Canada offers a number of informative resources to assist you in your career planning.
  • The Physician Health Program offers free short-term career and life coaching for residents.
  • While these resources are predominantly based for residents looking to practice in Ontario, Health Force Ontario’s Transition into Practice Toolkit provides information such as tips for finding your ideal practice.

Specialty specific transition to practice resources

  • The Canadian Medical Association profiles each medical specialty, including information such as workload, income and satisfaction, educational requirements, supply, and demographics.
  • The Association of American Medical Colleges has an online self-assessment tool that incorporates your interests, values, skills, and personality to provide information about planning your medical career.
  • The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons offers a comprehensive Transition into Practice resource collection.
  • The College of Family Physicians of Canada offers similar career resources for ‘The First Five Years’.

Resources for future training

  • The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada’s eTool Future MD Canada provides resources for those involved in medical training (including applicants to medical school, Canadian medical students, international medical students, and residents). Resources for current residents include information about future training opportunities beyond residency training.
  • Joule, a Canadian Medical Association company, has a Practice Management Curriculum available to residents, which involve speakers and online modules for topics such as financial planning, staffing and human resources in practice, and evaluating practice opportunities for both family practice and specialty physicians. Information is provided in regards to steps for residents to follow as they transition from residency to practice.
  • Joule also offers a Physician Leadership Institute with numerous resources to help develop leadership skills as you progress through your career.