In Canada, psychiatry training is completed in a full-time five year residency program, consisting of a mix of longitudinal and horizontal clinical experiences. Specialty training requirements in psychiatry are set by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; documents can be found on their website. Training requirements are implemented by the University of British Columbia Department of Psychiatry uniformly and centrally across all the distributed program tracks (Fraser Health Greater Vancouver, Vancouver, Victoria, North, Research).

Clinical rotations mandated by the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada


PGY1-Basic Clinical Training (12 months)
PGY2-General Adult Psychiatry (12 months)
PGY3-Child & Family Psychiatry (6 months)
PGY3-Geriatric Psychiatry (6 months)
PGY4-Consultation-Liaison (3 to 6 months)
PGY4-Chronic Care (3 to 6 months)
PGY4-Collaborative/Shared Care (2 to 3 months)
PGY5-Selectives (6 months with no less than 3 months per rotation)
PGY5-Electives (6 months with no less than 2 months per rotation)

For further details of each year, including sample schedules, please click on the links below:

Postgraduate Year (PGY) 1
Postgraduate Years (PGY) 2-3
Postgraduate Years (PGY) 4-5

Longitudinal training mandated by the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada


a) At least two years of supervised treatment of patients (and their families) with a severe and persistent psychotic illness for no less than two direct care hours per month, which must be documented and evaluated separately from other rotations.

b) Training in evidenced-based psychotherapies sufficient to meet the Objectives of Training in Psychiatry. This must involve no less than 32 weeks or 8 months of the PGY2-5 experience.

For further details of the concurrent & longitudinal training please click on the links below:

Longitudinal Training: Psychotherapy
Longitudinal Training: Addictions Psychiatry, Chronic Mental Illness