Resident Storytelling Project
Your story.
Your voice.
The real experience of residency.
There are moments in residency you don’t forget.
The shift that changed you. The person who made a difference. The day you wondered whether you belonged. The moment you surprised yourself. Something that made you angry, made you laugh, or reminded you why you chose medicine in the first place.
Resident Doctors of Canada want to share resident stories.
The Resident Stories Project
RDoC is bringing together stories from residents across Canada for a published collection about what residency is really like – told by the people living it.
The project aims to create connection through shared experiences while giving others a better understanding of the realities of residency. We want the collection to reflect the breadth and diversity of residency across Canada – across specialties, communities, identities, stages of training and paths through medicine.
Who will read these stories?
The collection will be published and shared broadly with residents, medical students, educators and physicians, as well as the broader public.
For residents, it is a chance to see their experiences reflected in the stories of others. For those in medicine, it offers a window into the lived experience of residency – what’s working and where there is the need for change. For the public, it offers a better understanding of the experiences, challenges, growth and humanity that are part of becoming a physician in Canada.
What kind of stories are we looking for?
There is no single kind of “resident story.”
It might be about a patient encounter, a mentor, finding belonging, navigating identity, a challenge, a success, a lesson learned, or a moment of joy or humour – something extraordinary or simply a moment that stayed with you.
Stories do not need to be dramatic. They need to be yours.
You don’t need to be a writer
You do not need to submit a finished story to express interest — and you do not need to consider yourself a writer. At this stage, we simply want to hear about the story or experience you might like to share. If your idea is selected, you can write your own story or work with a professional narrative coach who can help you tell it in your own voice, on your own terms.
Interested?
Complete the short Expression of Interest form and tell us a little about the story you are considering.
You do not need to write the story yet.