Unity Health Toronto (UHT) Hospitalist Fellowship

OVERVIEW OF THE FELLOWSHIP: The Unity Health Toronto Hospitalist Fellowship Program is a unique 12-month competitive training opportunity for both Canadian and International physicians who are graduates of a residency program in Family Medicine or Internal Medicine, to acquire advanced skills in the management of complex, hospitalized medical patients. In addition to caring for acutely-ill patients affected by multi-system disease or presenting with undifferentiated problems, excellence and compassion in treating inner city patients will be a focus. This includes the pharmacologic treatment of substance use and addictions, advanced discharge planning and mobilization of community supports for those experiencing homelessness, culturally-sensitive care, assessment and management of the frail elderly, and more.

Trainees will have access to distinct teaching by faculty who are experts in their field and will receive ample protected time and strong faculty mentorship for education, research, quality improvement, and leadership endeavors. Graduating fellows will have the necessary skills, experience, and confidence to practice independently anywhere in the world and will be highly sought after for permanent hospitalists positions in a faced-paced, diverse health care settings that may include urban, community, or rehabilitation sites.

WHO SHOULD CONSIDER THIS FELLOWSHIP:

This fellowship would be of benefit to physicians in practice or residents approaching graduation who are planning on working as a hospitalist anywhere in the world and are seeking additional training in caring for complex medical inpatients. Fellows must be graduates from a recognized residency program in Internal Medicine or Family Medicine.  Applicants must have worked with hospitalized patients in a general internal medicine setting within the previous 3 years at the time of application.

FORMAT OF THE FELLOWSHIP: This is a 12-month, hospital-based fellowship focused on experiential learning that is supplemented by a strong, formal education curriculum. Twelve blocks are spent on core rotations and 1 block is dedicated to an elective rotation, and up to 20 half-days are protected for independent, scholarship endeavors.

The core rotations include learning on the general medical ward, the Emergency Room, the rapid referral medicine ambulatory clinic, and on a variety of in-patient specialties such as cardiology, neurology, and geriatrics. St. Michael’s Hospital, the primary training site, is a busy urban center in downtown Toronto, well-known for its focus on the care of patients with marked social inequities and multiple, advanced medical illnesses. The hospital provides care to the largest number of unhoused individuals in the GTA. The population it provides care for reflects the diversity of the local population and includes a large number of Indigenous community members.

A broad range of specialties are represented, many of which are not available elsewhere in the city. For example, the gastroenterology service provides an innovative therapeutic endoscopy focus; the respirology inpatient ward is the only one in Toronto that cares for both general respirology and cystic fibrosis patients; the geriatric inpatient unit is the only one led by geriatricians; and the Addictions Consult team provides round-the-clock support of hospitalized patients, including cutting-edge pharmacotherapy options and a well-developed ambulatory program. Fellows will also spend time at Providence Healthcare, focusing their learning on issues relevant to rehabilitation, palliation, long-term care, and community outreach settings.

EDUCATION CURRICULUM: In addition to an emphasis on teaching related to the care of patients, fellows will partake in an education “boot camp” early in training to ensure they are prepared to meet the urgent demands of their patients. The program will also protect time for fellows to partake in the robust residency teaching sessions that are part of the core rotations and provide regular academic half-days to round-out the training.

CALL REQUIREMENTS: Fellows will be responsible for up to 3 in-house overnight call shifts or the equivalent per rotation block (exception is Critical Care where 5 in-house overnight call shifts is required). Careful attention has been given to ensure that the nature of the call requirements enhance the fellows’ training experience and that fellows are appropriately supported.

START DATE OF FELLOWSHIP: Fellowships begin on July or January of each year.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Applicants to the Fellowship must have been engaged in direct patient care of hospitalized patients, on a general internal medicine ward, within the previous 3 years. This program is designed to further the skills of Family Medicine and General Internal Medicine physicians, and recent clinical experience in these areas is a requirement of the program. Only physicians with this background need apply.

Prerequisite experience:

• Experience caring for general internal medicine patients in a hospital setting in the past 3 years (as a trainee or attending)
  • Subspecialists welcome to apply, but must meet the above criteria
• Graduation from a residency program in internal medicine or family medicine

Application requirement documents:

1. A letter of intent expressing the applicant’s interest in the Fellowship and how the Fellowship relates to their previous training and work experience and what they hope to gain by completing the Fellowship
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Applicants who are currently in training, or who graduated in the past 1 year, must include copies of in-training evaluations received during residency and a supporting letter from their Program Director
4. Names and contact information for three (3) referees
5. International Medical Graduates must contact Mr. James Berlin for further application details

Applications will only be reviewed by the recruitment panel once ALL components of the applications have been received. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all components are received in a timely manner.

DEADLINES: Applications will continue to be accepted while there are openings.

Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Mr. James Berlin at [email protected] to inquire about availability and ensure they meet the application criteria.

The following are guidelines and ongoing recruitment will continue while spots remain. :

Start date: January  - Submit application by June 30 the year prior

Start date: July  - September 3 the preceding year

Note: For July 2024, inquire ASAP

Unity Health Toronto invites applications from all qualified individuals. We are strongly committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and encourage applications from Black, racialized/visible minority and Indigenous/Aboriginal people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLLGBTQ+ persons. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. Unity Health Toronto will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation during the interview process, please contact Mr. James Berlin at [email protected].

NUMBER OF SPOTS: Fifteen (15)/year.  Only successful applicants will be notified about an interview.