Rhinology, Skull Base and Head & Neck Oncology Fellowship

The Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Sinai Health, sees a wide variety of complex nasal and sinus problems and head and neck oncologic cases. The fellowship experience includes advanced rhinology, endoscopic and open anterior skull base surgery, head and neck oncologic surgery and microvascular reconstructions. Most operations take place at Mt. Sinai Hospital (part of Sinai Health System) and most endoscopic and open skull base surgeries take place at Toronto Western Hospital (part of the University Health Network). Fellows attend a multidisciplinary head & neck oncology clinic at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and participate in Tumour Board Case Conferences and Head & Neck Oncology Rounds.

A broad range of open and endoscopic sinus operations are performed including significant exposure to endoscopic revision surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis, benign tumours (e.g. inverted papilloma, angiofibroma) and CSF leak/meningoencephalocele repairs. Experience in endoscopic resection of skull base benign and malignant neoplasms is gained (e.g., esthesioneuroblastoma, meningioma, chordoma). The fellow has significant exposure to endocrine, salivary, ablative mucosal head & neck surgery, robotic surgery and microvascular reconstructions.

80% Clinical, 20% Research

Dr. Eric Monteiro
Dr. Allan Vescan

• Dr. Joel Davies
• Dr. Eric Monteiro
• Dr. Allan Vescan
• Dr. Ian Witterick

Fellows will have the opportunity to work with all participating faculty depending on interests and goals of fellowship training.

1. To gain advanced training and expertise in the diagnosis and management of:

• common and rare nasal and sinus diseases.
• anterior skull base neoplasms.
• endocrine, salivary and mucosal neoplastic diseases of the head and neck.

2. To learn and conduct advanced endoscopic and open sinus surgeries.

3. To gain experience in endoscopic and open anterior skull base resections.

4. To gain experience in endocrine, salivary and mucosal surgery of the head and neck using open and endoscopic / robotic techniques.

5. To gain experience in microvascular reconstructions of the head and neck.

6. To complete 1 or 2 clinical research projects to be agreed upon at the start of the fellowship and presented at a national or international scientific meeting.

7. To be actively involved in the teaching and academic development of medical students and residents rotating through Sinai Health.

1999

• Sinai Health
• University Health Network

The clinical fellowship is typically for a period of one-year preferably starting on July 1st unless appropriate licensing cannot be obtained prior to that time. The fellowship ends on June 30th of the following year regardless of when the fellow started (unless special arrangements are made). Consideration will be given to requests for a two-year fellowship experience based on interest and goals of the fellow.

One

Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery

Yes

All clinical fellows require licensure by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), the body which regulates the practice of medicine in Ontario. A key requirement for the licensure of clinical fellows by the CPSO is that the candidate must be recognized as a medical specialist in the jurisdiction where the candidate has been practicing medicine prior to the clinical fellowship.

Detailed information about basic application requirements for clinical fellows is accessible through the Post MD Education Office website at http://pg.postmd.utoronto.ca/

At the University of Toronto, compensation for clinical fellows is equal to or greater than the salary of a PGY3 resident.

Support to attend academic meetings and courses as arranged with the faculty.

Fellows will help with on call responsibilities backed up by faculty.

Approximately 200 endoscopic sinus surgery procedures/year plus significant exposure to head and neck oncology cases, transoral robotic surgery, endoscopic and open skull base resections for benign and malignant neoplasms plus 50-70 microvascular reconstructions per annum.

 Fellows will typically be in the operating room 2-3 days per week, clinics 1-2 days per week with approximately 1 day per week for research. In order to help with the transition to independent practice, fellows are encouraged to run a weekly fellow’s clinic. In this clinic, fellows will have the opportunity to see and work up new patients, consent patients for surgery, and follow patients post-operatively.

April 15th of the preceding year.

The decision regarding the July 1st fellowship is usually made by May/June of the preceding year (i.e. 12-14 months in advance).

Fellows attend monthly Head & Neck Fellow’s Rounds, monthly Skull Base Rounds, monthly Thyroid Tumour Boards, weekly Head & Neck Tumour Boards, weekly Sinai Health Resident Rounds and weekly University of Toronto Grand Rounds.

Fellows have many opportunities to teach medical students and residents in clinics and the operating room. Fellows also help teach in an annual resident sinus dissection course and have the opportunity to teach in other hands-on courses. The University Department has numerous visiting professor lectures and continuing professional development courses each year that fellows are encouraged to participate in.

In special circumstances, a purely research fellow has been accepted with no hands-on clinical component.

As a condition of their medical educational licensure, clinical fellows must register with the University’s Post MD Education Office. Orientation resources including an Orientation Handbook are available at https://pgme.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.

Send a letter of interest, updated curriculum vitae and the names and contact information including email addresses of three references to Dr. Eric Monteiro and Dr. Allan Vescan at the email addresses 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 Post MD Education Office directly from the sponsoring agency. For details, please consult the Post MD Education Office website at http://pg.postmd.utoronto.ca/applicants/apply-for-fellowship-training/

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.

Dr. Eric Monteiro                                           

Eric.Monteiro@sinaihealth.ca

Dr. Allan Vescan                                           

Allan.Vescan@sinaihealth.ca

Mailing Address
Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
Mt. Sinai Hospital
413-600 University Avenue
Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 1X5                                                           

Tel: 1-416-586-4800 x7954                                                                   

Fax: 1-647-660-4350

• 2024-25 Dr. Daniel Wong (Canada)
   

• 2023-24 Dr. Alexander Dickie (Canada) and Dr. Maru Gete (Israel)
• 2022-23 Dr. Maru Gete (Israel)
• 2021-22 Drs. Neil Arnstead (Canada), Maru Gete (Israel)
• 2020-21 Dr. Eran Glikson (Israel)
• 2019-20 Dr. Vikram Padhye (Australia)
• 2018-19 Dr. Peter Tomazic (Austria)
• 2017-18 Dr. Jay Wong (Canada)
• 2016-17 Dr. Ben McArdle (Australia)
• 2015-16 Drs. Christopher Chin (Canada), Elhamy Samak (Egypt) (Research Fellow)
• 2014-15 Drs. Eric Monteiro (Canada), Yazeed Alghonaim (Saudi Arabia)
• 2013-14 Dr. Cassiana Burtet Abreu (Brazil) (Research Fellow)
• 2012-13 Dr. Rataphol Chris Dhepnorrarat (Australia)
• 2011-12 Dr. Kristian Macdonald (Canada)
• 2010-12 Dr. Marcela Fandino (Columbia) (Clinical and Research Fellow)
• 2010-11 Dr. Victor Manuel Orostegui (Columbia) (Research Fellow)
• 2009-10 Drs. Eng Ooi (Australia), Majid Baniata (Jordan)
• 2008-09 Dr. Iman Naseri (United States).
• 2007-08 Dr. Arif Janjua (Canada)
• 2006-07 Dr. Ali Moshaver (Canada)
• 2005-06 Dr. Denny Lin (Canada)
• 2004-05 Dr. Luis Velázquez-Villaseñor (Mexico)
• 2003-04 Dr. Raanan Cohen-Kerem (Israel)
• 2002-03 Dr. Miguel Bravo (Philippines)
• 2001-02 Dr. Jack Kolenda (Canada)
• 2001-02 Dr. Tariq Tatwani (Saudi Arabia)
• 2000-01 Dr. Vinita Bindlish (Canada)
• 1999-00 Dr. Richard Gall (Canada)