Remote Nunavut Medical Elective
Location: Qikiqtani General Hospital, Iqaluit, NU
Duration: 4 week minimum
Nunavut, meaning "Our Land" in Inuktitut, was born in 1999 after years of tireless advocacy by Inuit leaders. It's a place like no other — stunningly vast, rich in culture, and home to the Inuit, who make up about 85% of the population. Inuktitut, one of the strongest Indigenous languages in Canada, is still the first language for many.
Training in Nunavut means more than just incredible hands-on experience in rural and remote healthcare — it's also an opportunity to immerse yourself in a vibrant culture.
As a resident or student you'll be based in Iqaluit at Qikiqtani General Hospital, with the chance to work in smaller communities across the territory. The challenges are real, but so are the rewards.
If you're ready for an unforgettable experience in one of the most unique places in the world, Nunavut is waiting for you.
Objectives and Overview
Our mandate is to nurture and train future doctors that will serve our communities, or bring the skills they learned here to better serve Inuit, Indigenous, and other communities around Canada.
Completing this elective should enable you to:
- obtain a wide range of clinical experiences in a remote resource-limited context
- gain further understanding of the role of a physician as a health advocate
- expand your understanding of the impact of the social determinants of health
- increase the scope of your procedure and clinical skills, with mentors who are generalist physicians
Preference is given to those who have demonstrated a deep commitment to Indigenous Health, are themselves Indigenous, or for those who are from Nunavut or Inuit Nunangat.
We can only accommodate learners registered as students or residents at an accredited Canadian medical school.
Funding is available for travel to Iqaluit (residents only). Comfortable shared accommodations are provided (residents and students).
Medical Students
Most of our medical learners are residents, and we are able to take a few final-year medical students. The medical student elective is a generalist family medicine rotation. Core rotations should be completed before the Nunavut elective.
Family Medicine
The family medicine elective (final-year medical students or second-year family medicine residents) is a generalist family medicine rotation, including clinic, emergency department, and obstetrics. There is usually the opportunity to focus slightly on specific areas of interest while maintaining a balanced rotation.
Other opportunities may include:
- Community visits (to hamlets in the Qikiqtaaluk region)
- Corrections medicine
- Family Practice Anesthesia
- Fracture clinic
- Inpatient care
- Medivacs
- Paediatrics
- Psychiatry
- Tuberculosis program and care
- Telehealth
Other Specialties
Rotations are also available in:
- Family Practice Anaesthesia
- Family Practice +1EM
- General Surgery
- Obstetrics/Gynaecology
- Paediatrics
- Psychiatry
Deadline for Elective Requests
For electives from July – December: February 1
For electives from December – June: August 1
Successful applicants will be notified by March 1 (for July-Dec electives) or September 1 (for Dec-June electives).
If the above deadline has passed for your desired timing, feel free to contact us. We can sometimes fit in late applicants.
How to Apply
Please send a copy of your CV and a letter of interest, indicating:
- Your reasons for applying for this elective
- Why you have chosen family medicine or another specialty as a career
- Your past experiences or interest in Indigenous Health
- Where you intend to practice upon completion of your training
- Your preferred dates for the 4-week rotation
Contact Information
Please email all questions and applications to our Medical Student and Resident Coordinator at medicaleducation@gov.nu.ca.