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Accreditation of Residency Programs
All residency training programs at Western University are accredited by the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada and/or the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Accreditation ensures programs meet national standards for postgraduate medical education and supports continuous quality improvement.
Accreditation is based on CanERA (Canadian Excellence in Residency Accreditation), which supports consistent evaluation and continuous quality improvement across residency programs and institutions. CanERA aims to:
→ Ensure excellence in residency education
→ Evaluate programs against national standards
→ Prepare residents for future healthcare needs
The PGME Office supports accreditation compliance by:
⇒ Conducting internal reviews of all residency programs at least once per accreditation cycle
⇒ Following up at 6 and 12 months after reviews to monitor progress on AFIs
⇒ Providing ongoing consultation and continuous quality improvement support
⇒ Collecting confidential resident reports every two years to assess compliance from the resident perspective
Quick Links
Accreditation Framework & Review Cycle
• General Standards of Accreditation for Residency Programs
• General Standards of Accreditation for Institutions with Residency Programs
• CFPC “Red Book” standards
• Royal College specialty-specific standards (including Areas of Focused Competence programs)
Winter 2022
- Internal reviews begin for a select group of programs.
- Internal review schedules are disseminated to the PGME Committee, Program Directors, and Program Administrators.
Spring 2022
- Resident report dissemination and collection begins (collected every two years for program evaluation).
- Contact: Lindsay Curtis, PGME Program Evaluation & Project Coordinator (CQI & Accreditation), for information on the resident report process.
- Preparation begins for 2023 internal reviews.
- PGME preparatory sessions available for Program Directors and Program Administrators.
Fall 2022
- External reviews are conducted.
- Action Plan Outcome Reports (APORs) submitted to the Royal College and CFPC in response to the 2019 accreditation survey.
Winter 2023 – Fall 2025
- Internal reviews of regular review and APOR programs take place.
- Additional follow-up reviews conducted for select programs as required.
November 2027
- Next regular accreditation onsite survey.
Accreditation Status & Areas for Improvement (AFIs)
Under Canadian Excellence in Residency Accreditation (CanERA), programs receive one of two statuses:
- Accredited Program
- Accredited Program on Notice of Intent to Withdraw Accreditation
Programs are also assigned a follow-up based on identified Areas for Improvement (AFIs):
- Next Regular Accreditation Review: Program meets standards; ongoing quality improvement is expected.
- Action Plan Outcomes Report (APOR): Significant AFIs require evidence-based follow-up within two years.
- External Review: Significant or persistent AFIs require follow-up by external reviewers.
Programs placed on Notice of Intent to Withdraw Accreditation always require an external review due to major concerns about program quality, oversight, or failure to complete required follow-up.
Areas for Improvement (AFIs) identified during accreditation reviews are categorized as either:
- AFI-2Y: Must be resolved before the next regular accreditation review in 2027, typically through an APOR or external review within two years.
- AFI-RR: Must be addressed before the next regular onsite accreditation survey.
Response requirements depend on the program’s assigned follow-up process:
- Programs without APOR follow-up must respond to both AFI-RR and AFI-2Y items in CanAMS using narrative responses.
- Programs with APOR follow-up are only required to respond to AFI-2Y items.
APOR submissions must clearly include:
- Actions taken to address each AFI
- Evidence demonstrating the outcomes of those actions
Programs are encouraged to work with the PGME Office for guidance and support.
Questions?