Resident doctors have dual status: they are both postgraduates enrolled in a residency program in a medical faculty, and unionized employees associated with a healthcare establishment.
So, academic questions concerning residency (academic progression, successful completion of rotations, or validity of rotations) come under the programs and medical faculties and the different faculty or university rules. But work conditions associated with delivery of patient care within the framework of residency are set out in the provincial collective agreement, since resident doctors unionized more than 40 years ago.
The FMRQ and the four affiliated associations which represent members in each of the four university networks (AMRM, ARM, AMReQ, and AMReS) are legally recognized and mandated to negotiate the provisions of the province-wide collective agreement with the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS). That agreement notably requires resident doctors to be members in good standing of their association, said membership being one of the essential conditions of the employer-employee relationship with Quebec healthcare establishments.