Program Director of the Year Award
This award is given each year to a program director who has shown a commitment to improving residency (postgraduate) education. Successful candidates have made innovations to medical education that have had an impact beyond their own program.
We present up to two awards per year.
Who is eligible
A nominee must be a current program director of a Canadian residency education program or Area of Focused Competence (AFC-Diploma) program accredited by the Royal College. The nominee must not be a current member of the Co-Chair Committee of the International Conference on Residency Education.
To succeed, nominations should show evidence of the candidate’s
- commitment to innovation in residency education;
- lasting impact on the quality of residency education;
- measurable outcomes beyond their program, within the resources available to them in their local context;
- effective leadership and mentorship; and
- embodiment of the professional characteristics outlined in the CanMEDS Framework.
Unsuccessful candidates may be re-nominated in subsequent years. Previous recipients are not eligible.
Who can nominate
Nominations may be submitted by program directors, deans, postgraduate deans, department chairs or division directors.
Self-nominations are not allowed.
How to write a nomination
Nominations must be submitted as a single PDF file, in either English of French. Please submit your package in this order:
- One nomination letter (maximum of two pages) that addresses each element found above under “Who is eligible.” Provide two to three examples of success for each element. This letter is the key piece of the nomination package. The more information you provide, the better.
- One support letter (a maximum of two pages) from a current or recently graduated resident or AFC trainee.
- An abbreviated CV of the nominee.
Each nomination must be for only one candidate.
Only one nomination package is allowed per candidate. You may need to coordinate the submission if multiple individuals want to nominate the same person.
How we select the award recipient
Recipients are decided by a subcommittee of the Awards Committee of the Royal College.
The institutional affiliation of previous recipients may be considered in determining the recipient, in the spirit of broadening access to this award.
The award
The award is presented at the annual International Conference on Residency Education (ICRE). The recipient receives a plaque recognizing their contribution, as well as complimentary travel and registration to ICRE.
How we use your application information
- If your nominee receives an award, the Royal College reserves the right to reproduce content from the nomination package, including quotes from nomination letters, in promotional communications.
- Nominators’ identities are revealed to the award recipient in their letter of notification.
- Unsuccessful nominees and their lead nominators receive a letter from the Royal College letting them know they were nominated.
Nominations for this award are now closed.
Contact us with your questions.
Past recipients
2023
David JA Callen, PhD, MD, FRCPC, McMaster University
Rob Woods, MD, MMEd, FRCPC, DRCPSC, University of Saskatchewan
2022
Pramod Puligandla, MD, MSc, McGill University
Michael Froeschl, MD, MSc, FRCPC, University of Ottawa
2021
Azim S. Gangji MD, MSc, FRCPC, McMaster University
Jonathan Gaudet, MD, MSc, FRCPC, University of Calgary
