Since it’s Medical School Application season, I’ve decided to put together a post for those of us (applicants present and future) that are considering going through the Canadian Forces to help fund a potential Medical School spot. Like others, I’ve noticed that there is little to no (current) information on this pathway, so I’ve decided to compile all the information that I’ve received/researched into this (very) long post. 

What is the Specialist Officer Training Plan (SOTP)?

Formerly known as the Medical Officer Training Plan (MOTP), the SOTP is an education plan paid by the Canadian Armed Forces. In exchange for a minimum of 4 years service after residency and being restricted to a Family Medicine Residency (explained later on), the Canadian Armed Forces pays the entirety of your medical school tuition along with your annual salary for the three to four years that you are attending school. This part will have its own section later on in the post. 

Disclaimer:
This information comes directly from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Recruiting Office. Three main documents will be referenced/used that are current as of February 2026: 
Physicians in the CAF (6 page PDF that you can request - get in touch with one of the Health Recruiters)

Specialist Officer Training Plan (SOTP) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ); 7 Page PDF Reference 

An Officer In the Canadian Armed Forces (2 Page PDF)

This is for the Canadian Armed Forces and its branches (Army, Air Force and Navy)

This pathway is only open to folks who are content with pursuing a Family Medicine Residency. If you want to go into Derm or be an Ortho Bro straight out of school…this will not work for you. The CAF are very clear from the jump that no other residencies will be subsidized. For those of you that are pursuing a dual program (MD/PhD or MD/MBA program), you will not be able to be sponsored. However, if you have completed the PhD or MBA portion of your degree, you may be approved for subsidization under the SOTP for the MD portion/Family Medicine Residency.

I am not affiliated with the Canadian Armed Forces at the time of this post, I’m just a bored soul on vacation trying to keep myself occupied until it’s time to go back to work. If you have questions that aren’t answered in this post, I found it quite helpful to get in touch with your regional Health Services Specialist Recruiter (dependent on where you are located in Canada). I got a response within 24 hours.

Eligibility:

You are only eligible for this pathway if you meet the following requirements:
You must be a Canadian Citizen/Permanent Resident with at least 3 years of Permanent Residency at the time of application 

You must be between the ages of 17 and 47 at the time of application

Have unconditional acceptance to a Canadian Medical School at the time of application 

Note: I did ask about whether applying concurrently to Medical School and the CAF was an option, and yes it is, but your application will not be processed fully until proof of acceptance has been provided and uploaded to the applicant portal. So, what I got from this is: Apply, get the ball rolling, but do not expect any movement until decisions come out in April/May of the following year. After submitting proof of acceptance, the recruitment centre will then provide additional applicant tasks as your application progresses. 

Medical School:

This part is quite dense so I’ll break it up into a few categories: 

Tuition 

Arguably the most “attractive” (and I use this word loosely), part of this pathway is the opportunity to graduate debt-free. Through this pathway, you’re looking at 100% tuition and textbook subsidization meaning that tuition, mandatory fees, required textbooks, medical equipment (e.g stethoscope, suturing kits etc.) are fully covered by the CAF. So, you won’t have to worry about securing a line of credit/student loans in order to pay for schooling. 

Salary 

During the 3 to 4 years you attend medical school (3 years for those of you looking to attend SFU, U of C, McMaster or York) you will be paid an annual salary starting at $65, 808 at a 2LT Pay Increment (PI)(Basic Pay) and capping out at $82,680

You will also be offered a signing bonus (Recruitment Allowance) between $40,000 and $110,000 

Your time in school will also be pensionable and you will start contributing to your pension on the date of enrollment minus any days that you are on leave without pay. 

Military Training 

You will not be required to attend/be available for any military exercises or deployments during your time in medical school and residency as the CAF wants to ensure that you are focused on your studies. However, since you are expected to complete basic training, this is generally deferred until after the completion of Family Medicine Residency 

For those of you in a four-year program (UBC, U of T, TMU, Western etc.), you are expected to “account for your time” during summer break. Meaning: A Basic Training List (BTL) Coordinator will be working with you to help you figure out how you can: pursue on-the-job training within a military clinic, shadowing a Medical Officer, conducting research, completing additional courses and getting two weeks of paid holidays. For those in a three year program, this does not apply as you will most likely be studying through the summer months. 

Bursaries/Grants 

You can’t stack your money unfortunately. You are not permitted to receive any bursaries/grants for tuition while being subsidized under the SOTP. 

Benefits

Not an exhaustive list but the main benefits highlighted were: Parental Leave, Medical/Dental Coverage (starting in medical school), “generous” government pension plan starting from the date of enrolment, 4 to 5 weeks paid annual leave and a salary while attending medical school and doing a family medicine residency. 

Post-Medical School

So, you’ve finished medical school, you’ve gotten your MD…now what? Again, this section is also quite dense so I will be splitting it up: 

Return of Service: The elephant in the room. Under the SOTP plan, you are expected to complete four years of obligatory service in the CAF after the completion of your family medicine residency/licensure. The family medicine residency is listed as approximately 2 years, so your obligatory service does not start until after this is completed. Again, the CAF expects the focus to be on completing your residency so there is no requirement to complete basic training, conduct military exercises or deploy during this time. 

Training/Courses

Basic Military Officer Qualification (BMOQ): Basic Military Training is mandatory for everyone in the CAF. Since you will be going in as an officer, you will be attending a condensed version of BMOQ (Condensed Health Services Basic Military Officer Qualification) at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School (CFLRS) in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. This condensed version of BMOQ consists of two weeks of distance (online) learning and four weeks of in-house training at CFLRS. This includes a rigorous physical fitness program and they advise you to make sure that you are physically fit prior to starting BMOQ

Topics covered: general military knowledge, principles of leadership, regulations and customs of the CAF, basic weapons handling, first aid, parade drill, confidence/obstacle course, leadership and management, map-reading, public speaking, military field exercises, weapon handling and military law. 

Common Health Services Officer Course (CHSOC): Common to all Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS) Officer occupations and is an eight-day learning course available on the Defence Learning Network (DLN). This course Introduces CFHS Officers to Canadian Armed Forces policies and procedures as well as HR Management of military members and civilian personnel

Rank Qualification Capt - Medical: During first year of service as a Medical Officer, you will be required to attend the Rank Qualification Capt - Medical Course at the Canadian Forces Health Services Training Centre (CFHSTC) in Borden, Ontario 

Course is 5 weeks in length (2 to 3 weeks in person) and is said to introduce you to: Organizational structure/history of the CAF Medical Branch and the unique aspects of practising medicine in the CAF, to include primary care, providing health information and advice, Force Health Protection and Operational medical support 

Residency 

Family Medicine/Further Specialization: As mentioned above you are initially restricted to a two-year Family Medicine Residency which is the only residency subsidized under the SOTP is Family Medicine Residency. There is no option to apply to a +1 year such as CCFP (EM) or to a Royal College Residency (e.g Anesthesiology, Neurology, General Surgery etc.). There is no wiggle room here. However, after approximately 3 to 4 years of practicing Family Medicine and being in good standing, physicians may potentially apply to a 4-6 year specialty residency in the following specialties: Orthopedics, General Surgery, Anesthesiology, Radiology, Psychiatry, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine or Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

There are also opportunities to apply for Post-Graduate training in one of six medical subfunctions: Aerospace Medicine, Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine, Preventive Medicine, Occupational Medicine and CCFP-(EM), and Sports and Exercise Medicine after a period of skill consolidation as a Medical Officer 

Note: Here in Canada we have the Certificate of Added Competence in Emergency Medicine Pathway (CCFP-EM) which is open to Licensed Family Physicians who are willing to complete an extra year or so of Emergency Medicine training on top of their Family Medicine residency. I believe that this can also be subsidized by the CAF. This pathway may allow you to further complete advanced training in the following areas:

Aviation Medicine 

Canadian Medical Emergency Response Team (CMERT)

Forward Aeromedical Resuscitation Team

Mobile Surgical Resuscitation Team

Nuclear, Chemical and Biologic Threats and Response 

Forward Acute Care Resuscitation Team Training 

Undersea Medicine 

Epidemiology and Research 

Medical Education and Simulation 

Military and Health Care Leadership 

CaRMS: SOTP students are only able to apply to Family Medicine Residency Seats in the following three streams: SOTP-MMTP, Regular Stream including SOTP/MMTP, CMG Stream including SOTP/MMTP

Note: The MMTP (Military Medical Training Plan) is a pathway for people already serving in the Canadian Forces

You are not guaranteed to remain at the same school or even same providence that you completed medical school in

Not all Family Medicine Residency programs offer seats to SOTP students, but CAF will work with all 18 (at the time of this post) Canadian Family Medicine Residency Programs to gain access to seats for SOTP students. Available programs are: 

University of British Columbia

University of Alberta

University of Calgary

University of Saskatchewan

University of Manitoba

NOSM

University of Toronto

Toronto Metropolitan University 

Western University

Queen’s University 

McMaster University

University of Ottawa

McGill University 

Laval University

University of Montreal 

University of Sherbrooke

Dalhousie University 

Memorial University of Newfoundland 

Salary: As a Family Medicine Resident the annual salary range is dependent on SOTP subsidization enrollment and ranges from $72,360 to $95,244

Signing bonus (Recruitment allowance) is between $150,000 and $180,000

You are not permitted to be paid by the province and the CAF during residency. During residency, SOTP salaries are paid by the CAF, so you cannot receive payment/stipend from the province 

Becoming a General Duty Medical Officer (GMDO)

After Residency and becoming officially licensed, this is where you start your four years as a Family Medicine physician in the CAF. From what I gathered the job duties are primarily analogous to civilian Family Medicine with additional chances to practice military/occupational medicine. So you’re looking at a job that includes: Primary Care, Periodic Health Assessments, Occupational Medicine, Public Health and Operational Support, Emergency/Trauma, Operational Medicine. 

The resource document includes a “Five best things about being a physician in the CAF” list which are as follows: 
Team-Based Care: As a Medical Officer (CAF Family Physician) you will be leading the healthcare team, but you will be working in close collaboration with civilian and military physicians and specialists, nurse practitioners, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, physiotherapist, mental health professionals and other clinicians 

Time with Patients: CAF Family Physicians only see around 18-20 patients per day compared to civilian Family Physicians…who see way more than that. There is an emphasis here on spending more time with patients and consolidation of clinical skills and knowledge by using this additional time to collaborate and learn from more experienced colleagues

High-Quality Health Care Services: CAF members receive a spectrum of care that is normally equivalent to what the most generous provincial or other federal government program would provide in the same area and both their medical and dental care is 100% funded. 

Getting out of the Office: Medical Officers in the CAF have the opportunity to practice medicine in both an office environment (in-garrison) and an operational environment to include support in the field to the Canadian Army, on a flight line with the Royal Canadian Air Force or at sea with the Royal Canadian Navy

Additionally as part of Maintenance of Clinical Readiness (MCRP) there are opportunities to work at local civilian hospitals (Emergency Department or as a hospitalist) to maintain a spectrum of acute care, geriatric and pediatric skills and other areas of medicine. This is called “moonlighting” where Medical Officers are given the opportunity to work an average of one day per two weeks in a civilian health care facility as means of maintaining and enhancing clinical skills

This is generally permitted as long as it does not interfere with military duties 

All income earned through moonlighting is paid directly to the Medical Officer in the same manner as civilian counterparts 

Continuing Professional Development: As mentioned above, Medical Officers have the opportunity to enhance medical skills in different areas including but not limited to: Aerospace Medicine, Diving and Submarine Medicine Training Courses, Master’s degree programs associated with Aerospace Medicine, Diving Medicine, Public Health or Occupational Health post-graduate training, CCFP-EM, Leadership training and Second language training. CAF Physicians also receive 5 days off annually to attend Continuing Professional Education (CPE)

Salary (Upon Licensing and Certification in the College of Family Physicians (CCFP) certification:

Annual Salary Range (Rank Dependent): $194, 256 to $364,212 (plus a $39,000 yearly pay differential). The pay scale 

Captain: $194,256 to $279,240

Major: $271,500 to $302,400

Lieutenant-Colonel: Up to $364,212

Signing bonus (Recruitment allowance) between $80,000 and $225,000

The above pay scale increases annually (as per CAF pay increments). Typically Captain Medical Officers are offered promotion to Major after four years of service if they have performed well within their peer group 

Benefits: 

Paid Annual Leave (20-25 working days/year)

Regular office hours (no evenings and weekends - dependent on training and deployments). Those of you that already work in Healthcare, I’m sure you can appreciate the no evenings and weekends!

Paid continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities 

Parental Leave Benefits 

Comprehensive Medical & Dental Coverage 

Government Pension Plan

Annual Licence Reimbursement 

Disability Insurance 

Discounted Life Insurance Benefits 

Relocation benefits to include future positing to Base/Wing locations 

Crown Liability and Indemnification 

Posting

After becoming a Medical Officer, you will be posted..somewhere. Unfortunately, you can’t choose where you are posted but the resource document does say that the CAF will do what they can to accommodate you. There is a disclaimer that the “needs of the military outweigh personal preference”, which is fair. 
Posting Length: Postings are said to generally last 3 to 5 years with a disclaimer that if you are posted to a larger base and there is more than one job to perform as a Medical Officer, it is potentially possible to stay at that one location longer based on the needs of the CAF. So, expect to be posted after residency and then approximately every three to 5 years thereafter

Postings are also apparently dependent on individual and CAF requirements for which “all relocation expenses are funded by the CAF as per the Canadian Armed Forces Relocation Directive”

Posting Locations Within Canada:

British Columbia: Esquimalt (Victoria), Comox

Alberta: Edmonton, Wainwright, Suffield, Cold Lake

Saskatchewan: Moose Jaw

Manitoba: Shilo, Winnipeg 

Ontario: Borden (Barrie), Kingston, Ottawa, Petawawa, Toronto, Trenton (Belleville)

Québec: Valcartier (Quebec City), Bagotville, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Longue-Pointe (Montreal)

New Brunswick: Gagetown (Fredericton)

Nova Scotia: Halifax, Shearwater (Dartmouth), Greenwood (Annapolis Valley)

Newfoundland and Labrador: St. John’s 

Out of Country: Germany, Belgium, Washington D.C

Deployment

As a medical officer you will most certainly deploy overseas in some capacity. The CAF is responsible for choosing where you deploy, but they ensure that you will be prepared. Types of deployments include:
Domestic Deployments: Assisting civilian authorities during natural disasters (floods, forest fires), the olympics, pandemics etc.

Humanitarian Deployments with the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART): Assisting with humanitarian aid (e.g Haiti in 2010, Philippines in 2012, Nepal in 2016, the Bahamas in 2018

International Deployments: These deployments are generally a minimum of 3 months and up to 6 months in duration but can be extended to nine months depending on CAF needs.

So, that’s all for now. If you’ve gotten this far, thank you for reading. As I gather more information I will continue to update this post.