Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship

Drs. Philip Solomon & Richard Rival

General Description

The emphasis in the practice is on cosmetic and reconstructive facial surgery, with aesthetic and reconstructive rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty and rhytidectomy being the most common procedures performed. Other procedures performed include neck and facial liposuction, otoplasty, scar revision and excision of facial lesions, flaps and grafts about the face. The fellow is provided a well-rounded exposure to facial plastic surgery. Facial laser resurfacing (ablative and non-ablative), facial skin tightening with radio frequency, dermal fillers, neuromodulator injections, deoxycholic acid injections and management of anti-aging skin with medical grade skin care products and PRP treatments performed in the office.

Fellowship Type (Clinical %, Research %)

100% Clinical. This is not an AAFPRS-sponsored fellowship.

Fellowship Director(s)

Drs. Philip Solomon & Richard Rival

Objectives

  1. To provide Royal College Fellows and the University of Toronto eligible surgeons or equivalent advanced training in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.
  2. To enhance the fellow's exposure to research through the provision of clinical material for retrospective and prospective studies. To supervise the preparation of research papers for presentation at national and international meetings. To encourage and aid presentations at hospital and departmental rounds.
  3. To stimulate the fellow's interest and provide experience in teaching medical students, residents and peers, such that fellows returning to academic appointments will have improved teaching skills.
  4. To provide the fellow insight and experience in the management of a contemporary medical office to enhance his or her professional management skills.
  5. To provide the fellow and his or her family exposure to a different professional, social and cultural milieu to enhance his or her professional and personal growth

Principal Locations

Private CPSO certified level III surgi-centers in Community Clinics as well as Community Hospitals

Dr. Philip Solomon:

Nasal and Facial Surgery Center
57 Centre St Thornhill Ontario L4J 1G2
305 Davernport Rd Toronto Ontario M5R 1K5

Mackenzie Health Hospital
10 Trench St. ,Richmond Hill Ontario L4C 4Z3


Dr. Richard Rival:

Rival Facial Cosmetic Surgery
581 Davis Drive, #104
Newmarket Ontario, L3Y 2P6

Southlake Regional Health Center
596 Davis Drive
Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 2P9

Duration of Fellowship

The length of the fellowship is 12 months.

Required Prior Residency Training

The candidate must have completed a recognized residency program in Otolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery or Plastic Surgery in the United States or Canada or equivalent.

Foreign Graduate Eligibility Requirements

Must have completed Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery residency equivalent to North American standards.

Annual Stipend/Salary

The stipend for the fellow is $60,000 per annum in Canadian dollars, or alternatively self-funded. Additional funds are available for presentation and publication of papers. Malpractice insurance is arranged through the Canadian Medical Protective Association in Ottawa by the fellow on the basis of an educational license. This should be in a effect prior to arrival. This cost is covered by the Fellowship Director. Health insurance for the fellow is obtainable through the university and is paid by the Fellowship Director. Comprehensive, relatively low cost health insurance is available for dependents.

Additional Benefits (e.g. meetings, housing)

The fellow is given two (2) weeks leave during the year, this to be arranged as closely as possible with absences of the Fellowship Director from the practice. One week is given to attend a meeting at which no presentation is being made. Further time is allowed for presentation of papers at meetings as deemed appropriate. All time away from the practice must be cleared in advance with the Fellowship Director.

On Call Responsibilities

The fellow is on-call for after-hours and weekend call, with some visits required to the office on weekends for suture removal, etc. During the Fellowship Director’s absence from the practice for meetings etc., (this currently is about 8 weeks per year) the fellow is able to visit other cosmetic and reconstructive facial surgeons in Toronto,  prepare for examinations, and make headway on research projects.

Case Mix

Primary site for patient follow ups, new consultations and minor procedures are performed at Dr Solomon’ s Nasal and Facial Surgery Center; 57 Centre St Thornhill Ontario  and 305 Davenport Rd  Toronto Ontario and Dr. Richard Rival Facial Cosmetic Surgery in Newmarket Ontario.

Primary surgical sites are Mackenzie Health Hospitals and Southlake Regional Hospital performing approximately 500 cases annually. Rhinoplasty is the major focus making up approximately 70% of cases. 10-15 cases per week. Facial aging surgery (face lift, brow lift, blepheroplasty) would make up 20% of cases(3-5) cases per week. The remaining 10% would include functional nasal and sinus surgery and otoplasty (2-4 cases per week). In the office, minor surgical procedures including excision of benign and malignant skin lesions, laser skin resurfacing, non surgical fat reduction,neuromodulators and filler injections are performed. General endocrine procedures of the head and neck are also performed.

Typical Weekly Timetable

The practice is essentially a private practice with a university affiliation. One (1) to three (3) full days per week are spent in the private office. Operating time between the two surgeons currently consists of four (4) full days for adult cosmetic procedures performed in the office or in the surgical centers. Elective students, residents and fellows and visiting surgeons intermittently spend time in the office. The fellow is responsible to assist in the office with patient care. He or she is responsible to assist in the operating room, obtaining increasing "hands-on" responsibilities as deemed appropriate for the level of skill exhibited and the specifics of the case. The fellow may be allowed to access other faculty members who may add value to the fellow’s education , subject to the Fellowship Directors’ approval. In general, the time spent away from the Fellowship Directors should not be more than one day per month.

Application Deadline 

The fellow for the following year is to send their application direct to Dr. Philip Solomon and Dr. Richard Rival.

Decision Deadline

The decision regarding the July 1st fellowship is made in appropriate manner depending on the applicant, timing etc.

Additional Features of the Fellowship

Toronto is a cosmopolitan city of 3 million people, the greater Toronto area 5.7 million people, situated on the north shore of Lake Ontario. It is about 500 miles from New York and Boston, 365 miles from Montreal, 100 miles from Buffalo and 250 miles from Detroit. The fellow has every opportunity to enjoy the cultural amenities of a large international city. The United Nations has recognized Toronto as the most multicultural city in the world, and it consistently ranks in the top 10 of the best cities in the world in which to live. Toronto has several professional sports teams, hundreds of art galleries and museums, and the third largest theatre scene in the world after London and New York. There are extensive park and trail networks for strolling, running and cycling. There are also many parks and waterfront activities in Toronto for summertime activities. Beautiful lakes and wooded country are within one to two hours driving from the city, and alpine skiing in the wintertime is within two hours driving. A wide variety of accommodation is available downtown or on the subway system. The public school system is generally considered one of the best in North America. The University has many academic, cultural and social activities. The city is noted for its safety, cleanliness, public transportation and cosmopolitan nature. If you have any questions or require any further details, please do not hesitate to contact me, or my office staff. We have also enclosed a list of former fellows who would be pleased to speak with you about our program.

As a condition of their medical educational licensure, clinical fellows must register with the University’s Post MD Education Office. An Orientation Handbook can be downloaded here: https://pg.postmd.utoronto.ca/current-trainees/before-starting-a-new-training-session/resources-for-new-trainees/ The Handbook contains useful information for new fellows, including a timeline for the registration process.

How to Apply

Send a letter of interest, updated curriculum vitae and the names of three references to Dr. Philip Solomon and Dr. Richard Rival at the email address below. Personal interviews are recommended, as this is a highly competitive fellowship.

Postgraduate training agreements are currently in place between the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine and sponsoring agencies from a number of countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE. Applications for fellowship training from citizens of these countries must reach the PGME Office directly from the sponsoring agency. For details, please consult the PGME Office website.

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 Philip Solomon
MD, FRCSC
Nasal and Facial Surgery Center
57 Centre St Thornhill Ontario
305 Davernport Rd Toronto Ontario
Tel: 1-905-764-7799
cpsolomon@rogers.com

Dr. Richard Rival
MD, FRCSC
Rival Facial Cosmetic Surgery
581 Davis Drive, #104
Newmarket Ontario, L3Y 2P6
Tel: 1-866-229-3223
rrival3@gmail.com

Current Fellow

  • 2023-24 Dr. Ziyad Abdullah Alabduljabbar
  • 2023-24 Dr. Nisreen Al-Musaileem

Previous Fellows

  • 2022-23 Drs. Aseel Osama Doubi, Islam Alzayadneh
  • 2021-22 Dr. Eran Glikson
  • 2020-21 Dr. Islam Alzayadneh
  • 2019-20 Dr. Chew Lip Ng