How does my funding level progress while in the CIP program and when I return to residency?

Residents remain at their pre-CIP training level when they enter the CIP. Resident progression is tied to creditable clinical residency training; therefore, residents do not progress to the next training level during their research year(s).

The resident will stay at this level for the number of years that they are in research/graduate studies (full time CIP), and proceed to the next training level when they return to clinical residency training – equal to their progression through the RCPSC clinical program.

For example, a PGY3 resident in a 5-year RCPSC program will be appointed to the CIP at the PGY3 level and may stay at that level for two years – returning to full time clinical training at the PGY4 level then promoted to PGY5 in the following clinical year. According to current MOHLTC funding guidelines, residents cannot be appointed and paid at a level beyond the RCSCP length of training. For example, a resident in a 5-year training program could not be appointed and paid beyond a PGY 5 training level.

The Clinician Investigator Program is viewed as a separate RCPSC accredited program and not additional mandatory clinical or research training beyond the requirements of a RCPSC Clinical residency program. Therefore, residents will be considered to have dual certification with RCPSC. The CIP is not considered continuous training and is not part of a resident’s progression through clinical training.

Mandatory residency research training that overlaps with CIP research: Some programs, such as General Surgery or Neurosurgery, require a mandatory year of research as part of their RCPSC residency curriculum. Where a research year is mandatory, residents will be permitted to progress to the next training level during their research year.