Admissions have been opened for the Southern Alberta Medical Program. The SAMP is a three-year Doctor of Medicine program focused on rural and regional health care.
The program has been brought to life through a partnership between the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine and the University of Lethbridge. Students can earn a U of C medical degree while completing their training in southern Alberta.
In December, Dr. Richard M. Buck was named the regional lead of the program.
READ MORE: Lethbridge doctor named regional lead of new medical program
“We’ve been building this program with students in mind from the very beginning,” says Dr. Buck. “From curriculum design to clinical placements, every element is centred around preparing future physicians for the realities of rural and regional care.”
The Rural Medical Education Program Training Centres are funded by the provincial government. Officials say they will use a educational model focused on continuity of care, community connection and clinical readiness.
“Training physicians in southern Alberta requires trust, relationships, and long-term commitment,” says Dr. Rebecca Schiff, Deputy Provost at the University of Lethbridge. “Through this partnership, we’re helping students form ties to the people and places they’ll serve, beginning in medical school and continuing throughout their careers.”
The program’s first group of students will start learning in July 2026.
“The launch of admissions marks a significant milestone in our quest to deliver education and training solutions for the health workforce in rural areas and Indigenous communities,” says CSM Dean Dr. Todd Anderson, MD.
“This innovative distributed medical education program offers an exceptional opportunity for students, especially those with strong roots in rural and regional communities, to begin their medical journey closer to home.”
Applications can be submitted through the U of C’s admissions website.
