Paediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship

Dr. Sharon Cushing

General Description

The Fellowship Program in Paediatric Otolaryngology at the Hospital for Sick Children is one year of clinical duties with the option of an additional second year of research.

Fellowship Type (Clinical %, Research %)

  • Year 1: 90% clinical, 10% research
  • Year 2 (optional): 100% research.  May help out with clinical duties when Year 1 fellow on vacation.

Fellowship Director(s)

Dr. Sharon Cushing

Participating Faculty

Drs. Blake Papsin (Otolaryngologist-in-Chief), Paolo Campisi, Adrian James, Evan Propst, Nikolaus Wolter

Objectives

  • Maintain a collegial and collaborative working relationship with the chief resident(s) and other staff.
  • Act as an advisor to the Residents as they participate in ward rounds and see consultations from the Emergency Department and General Wards (not intensive care units).
  • Lead the consultation service for the Intensive Care Units (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Cardiac Critical Care Unit) and provide daily input to them regarding patients our service has consulted on.
  • Participate in all major surgical cases unique to the practice of paediatric otolaryngology – head & neck surgery.
  • Participate in all surgical cases that evolve from consultations from the Intensive Care Units.
  • Supervise appropriate operative lists during the final six months of training. The fellow will be supported in achieving these goals.
  • Run a fellow’s clinic one half day per week (at the discretion of the fellowship director).
  • Participate in special interest clinics (i.e. Voice clinic, complex sleep disorders clinic, balance clinic, etc.)
  • Attend teaching rounds (Wednesday morning teaching rounds, Friday morning university rounds, monthly journal club evenings).
  • Prepare pathology rounds (once every 6 – 8 weeks) and morbidity and mortality rounds (once every 3 - 4 months)
  • Develop a plan within the first month regarding a research project that can be completed longitudinally throughout the year.  The Fellow should strive to present this research at a meeting and submit a manuscript for publication.  The Fellow is encouraged to contact the Fellowship Director well before beginning the fellowship to discuss ideas and plan a topic so he/she can “hit the ground running”.
  • Participate in Resident call coverage at least one weekday evening per week when necessary.

Principal Locations

The Hospital for Sick Children

Duration of Fellowship

One year clinical with the option of an additional year of research.

Required Prior Residency Training

Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery

Foreign Graduate Eligibility Requirements

All clinical fellows require licensure by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), the body that regulates the practice of medicine in Ontario.  All candidates must be recognized as a medical specialist in the jurisdiction where they have been practicing medicine prior to the clinical fellowship.

Please visit the Post MD Education Office website for detailed information: http://pg.postmd.utoronto.ca/applicants/apply-for-fellowship-training/

Annual Stipend/Salary

$72,000 CDN per year (includes stipend for backup call)

Additional Benefits (e.g. meetings, housing)

Fellows will be reimbursed for conferences where they are presenting a research project (at the discretion of the Otolaryngologist-in-Chief).

CMPA malpractice insurance.

Health care coverage.

On Call Responsibilities

Participate in resident call coverage at least one weekday evening per week when necessary.  Additionally provide backup call to the PGY-1 Resident. Additional days may be required when short residents.

Case Mix

Due to the referral pattern of the hospital, the majority of surgical cases are at the tertiary/quaternary care level.

Typical Weekly Timetable

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
6:30am Round with residents Round with residents Round with residents, Teaching Rounds, Radiology Rounds Round with residents Round with residents
7:35am Huddle in OR Huddle in OR Round with residents, Teaching Rounds, Radiology Rounds Huddle in OR University Rounds
8:00am 8am-4pm Surgery 8am-4pm Surgery Round with residents, Teaching Rounds, Radiology Rounds 8am-4pm Surgery Huddle in OR
9:00am 8am-4pm Surgery 8am-4pm Surgery Fellows' clinic 8am-4pm Surgery 9am-4pm Surgery
12:00pm 8am-4pm Surgery 8am-4pm Surgery Join Surgery 8am-4pm Surgery 9am-4pm Surgery
4:00pm Round with residents Round with residents Round with residents Round with residents Round with residents

International trainees will undergo a 12 week Pre-Entry Assessment Program (PEAP) at which point a full CPSO license will be issued if deemed appropriate.

US and Canadian trained fellows do not need to complete the PEAP and should obtain their full CPSO license prior to arriving so they may commence clinical duties immediately.

Application Deadline 

All applicants must apply through the San Francisco Match.  Please refer to the SF Match and ASPO websites for deadlines:

https://www.sfmatch.org/MatchCalendar.aspx

https://aspo.us

Decision Deadline

Please refer to the SF Match and ASPO websites for deadlines:

https://www.sfmatch.org/MatchCalendar.aspx

https://aspo.us

Additional Features of the Fellowship

Fellow are expected to give 2 informal teaching sessions per month to residents on a topic of their choosing.

Fellows are expected to present a research paper at the annual Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Percy Ireland Research Day and at a national/international conference.  

Fellows are encouraged to discuss any difficulties, conflicts or grievances with the fellowship director as they arise and at introductory, mid-rotation and final meetings.

Clinical fellows must register with the University of Toronto’s Post MD Education Office. An Orientation Handbook with a timeline for registering can be downloaded at: http://pg.postmd.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/OrientationBooklet_WEB.pdf

How to Apply

All applicants must apply through the San Francisco Match.  Please refer to the SF Match and ASPO websites for deadlines:

https://www.sfmatch.org

https://aspo.us

If you have additional questions regarding the SF Match Website, please contact Dr. Sharon Cushing, c/o Anne Rodriguez-Hall, Administrative Assistant, Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Room 6133, 6th Floor Burton Wing, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada.

To All Applicants:
If you have also applied to the U.S match through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP), please be advised that the University of Toronto is a participating institution and adheres to the match policy. The policy states that "Applicants who have matched to a program or have accepted a position during the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), shall not apply for, discuss, interview for, or accept a concurrent year position in another program prior to the NRMP granting the requested waiver." More information is accessible at https://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2022-MPA-Institutions-1.pdf.

Contact Information for Applicants

Dr. Sharon Cushing
Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Toronto
Staff Otolaryngologist - Head & Neck Surgeon, The Hospital for Sick Children
555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada
Office: 416.813.7654 x228427
Fax: 416.813.5036
sharon.cushing@sickkids.ca

Current Fellow

  • 2023-24 Drs. Jianli Samantha Goh, Alexander Marc Treble

Previous Fellows

  • 2022-23 Drs. Khaloud Al Bahri, Abeer Alali, Jianli Samantha Goh, Tal Honigman
  • 2021-22 Dr. Anne-Sophie Prevost
  • 2020-21 Dr. Patricia Purcell
  • 2019-20 Drs. Sebastian Ranguis, Nichtima Chayaopas (Research), Colin Leonard (Research)
  • 2018-19 Dr. Sunil Sharma
  • 2017-18 Drs. Erynne Faucett, Gavin le Nobel, Faisal Zawawi
  • 2016-18 Dr. Faisal Zawawi (Saudi Arabia)
  • 2014-16 Dr. William Parkes (United States)
  • 2013-15 Dr. Shazia Peer (South Africa)
  • 2012-14 Dr. Luis Vilchez (Costa Rica)
  • 2011-13 Dr. Sohit Kanotra (India)
  • 2010-12 Dr. Alex Osborn (United States)
  • 2009-11 Dr. Yamilet Tirado (United States)
  • 2009-10 Dr. Faisal Abdulkader (Qatar)
  • 2008-10 Dr. Neil Chadha (United Kingdom)
  • 2008-09 Dr. James Ramsden (United Kingdom)
  • 2007-09 Dr. Arie Gordin (Israel)
  • 2006-08 Dr. Alok Sharma (United Kingdom)
  • 2005-08 Dr. Keith Trimble (Ireland)
  • 2004-06 Dr. Lily Nguyen (Canada)
  • 2003-05 Dr. Ana Licup (Philipines)
  • 2003-04 Dr. Raanan Cohen-Kerem (Israel)
  • 2002-04 Dr. Paolo Campisi (Canada)
  • 2001-03 Dr. Sam Daniel (Canada)
  • 2000-02 Dr. Adrian James (United Kingdom)
  • 1999-01 Dr. Hamdy El-Hakim (United Kingdom)
  • 1998-00 Dr. Hamid Daya (United Kingdom)
  • 1997-99 Dr. Claudine Gysin (Switzerland)
  • 1996-98 Dr. Eyal Raveh (Israel)
  • 1996-97 Dr. Andrew de Jong (United States)
  • 1995-96 Dr. Albert Park (United States)
  • 1994-95 Dr. Anna Messner (United States)
  • 1993-94 Dr. Robert Gaffney (Ireland)
  • 1991-92 Dr. Paul Walker (Australia)
  • 1988-89 Dr. Khalil Sendi (Saudi Arabia)
  • 1986-87 Dr. Steve Conley (United States)
  • 1985-86 Dr. Vito Forte (Canada)