Nephrology: Fellowship Program

Tushar Suryakant Malavade MBBS, MD, DNB, DABIM, FRCPC
Fellowship Program Director, Nephrology
 
Amit Kaushal, MD, MScCH (HPTE), CCFP, FRCPC CHS 
Assistant Fellowship Director, Nephrology

Shelagh Cowie
Fellowship Coordinator
Email: nephrology.fellowships@utoronto.ca

Kim Moffat
Fellowship Administrator
Email: nephrology.fellowships@utoronto.ca

Type of Fellowship: Clinical
Supervisor: Dr. Tushar Malavade
Duration: 2 years, with possibility for extension
Application Open and Close Date: July 1
Anticipated Start Date(s): July 1
Number of position(s) per year: Variable
Description: Applicants must have nephrology certification.  The program encompasses extensive exposure to all aspects of clinical nephrology, dialysis, transplantation and home dialysis throughout the teaching hospitals in Toronto.
International graduates are welcome to apply, but the fellowship does not lead to a practice license in Canada.
Contact Name: Dr. Tushar Malavade
E-mail: nephrology.fellowships@utoronto.ca
Coordinator Contact: Shelagh Cowie
Administrator Contact: Kim Moffat

Type of Fellowship: Clinical
Supervisors: Dr. Jeffrey Zaltzman, Dr. Ron Wald, Dr. Jeffrey Perl
Duration: 1 year
Application Open and Close Date: October 1 to February 28
Anticipated Start Date(s): July 1
Number of position(s) per year: Variable, minimum 1
Description: Advanced clinical nephrology fellowship, Opportunity for Quality Improvement and/or concurrent clinical research, interested candidate can work in chosen area of acute kidney injury, home dialysis, Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease Care, and in-center hemodialysis.
Contact Name: Dr. Jeffrey Zaltzman
E-mail: Jeff.zaltzman@unityhealth.to

Type of Fellowship: Clinical and Research
Supervisor: Dr. David Cherney
Duration: 1 year
Anticipated Start Date(s): July 1
Number of position(s) per year: Varies
Description: The fellowship is designed to train emerging leaders is the area of the prevention of diabetes complications.  Areas of specific focus include: 1) mechanistic human physiology studies - Dr. Cherney’s research program; 2) clinical trials in cardiovascular physiology –at the Peter Munk Cardiac center; 3) clinical trials related to nephropathy and neuropathy prevention with Drs. David Cherney and Bruce Perkins; 4) closed loop insulin pump studies in type 1 diabetes – Dr. Perkins; 5) biomarker studies that will include the longitudinal collection of blood and urine samples for biomarker discovery.
In addition to training future leaders in diabetes research, CARE Fellows will gain expertise in providing integrated diabetes clinical care to patients in the “CaRE” Clinic across cardiac, renal and endocrine areas of expertise. They will gain experience in the use of remote monitoring techniques, such as continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and retinal cameras the can transmit images to off-site ophthalmologists for analysis.
Ultimately, the goal of the UHN-CARE Diabetes Fellowship is to advance knowledge leading to improved clinical outcomes for patients with diabetes.
Based on existing high-profile UHN Nephrology Fellowship programs in Home Dialysis, Geriatrics and Glomerulonephritis, we anticipate that the UHN-CARE Diabetes Complications Fellowship will attract outstanding and qualified candidates who will tend to be new academic physicians who have completed fellowship training and certification, generally in the fields of nephrology, endocrinology or cardiology.
The selection criteria for acceptance to the Fellowship are:
1)    The applicant’s academic and clinical aptitude
2)    A demonstrated interest in diabetes and its complications
3)    Support from the applicant’s home institution. Most applicants will have an understanding with their respective home institutions that they will return to establish diabetes – focused programs.
Fellows are appointed for a one-year period. In addition to their clinical obligations, they are required to participate in ongoing research studies lead by the Division of Nephrology, Cardiology or Endocrinology in the applicant’s area of interest. As such, we expect that all graduates of the program will publish the results of their research at the end of their Fellowship, thereby raising the profile of the program
Contact Name: Dr. David Cherney
E-mail: David.Cherney@uhn.ca

Type of Fellowship: Clinical
Supervisor: Dr. Lisa Dubrofsky
Duration: 1 year
Application Open and Close Date: File review and interviews: 12-18 months before expected fellowship date
Anticipated Start Date(s): July 1
Number of position(s) per year: 1
Description: The Division of Nephrology at the University of Toronto is accepting applications for the Complex Hypertension Fellowship. This training program allows the fellow the opportunity to develop expertise in complex and secondary hypertension. Participation in scholarly activity and medical education throughout the fellowship is strongly recommended and will be fully supported.

The fellowship will be based out of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre with opportunities to work at Women’s College Hospital and other University of Toronto affiliated hospitals if applicable.

Fluency in English is required. The applicant must have passed or be eligible for independent licensure in Ontario, or must be eligible for an education license (minimum of 4 years of residency training following medical school). Outstanding applicants with equivalent training in other medical systems are also encouraged to apply.

Interested applicants should submit the following documents to the email below:

• Up-to-date Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter
• Contact information of 3 potential referees

Contact Name: Dr. Lisa Dubrofsky
E-mail: Lisa.Dubrofsky@wchospital.ca

Type of Fellowship: Clinical and Research
Supervisor: Dr. Christopher Chan or Dr. Joanne Bargman
Duration: Flexible
Application Open and Close Date: Flexible
Number of position(s) per year: Flexible
Description: The EXPLORE program at University Health Network provides advanced training in the management of patients in home dialysis, with an emphasis on peritoneal dialysis and nocturnal home hemodialysis.
Contact Name: Elysia Batista
E-mail: Elysia.Batista@uhn.ca

Type of Fellowship: Clinical and Research
Supervisor: Dr. SV Jassal
Duration: 6 months, or 12 months
Application Open and Close Date: 30 September (for following January); 30 April (for following July)
Anticipated Start Date(s): January 1st (July 1st)
Number of position(s) per year: 1
Description: Trainees will gain experience in applying the findings from a comprehensive geriatric assessment to the patient with renal disease with the goal of maximizing wellbeing in the context of renal therapies and chronic disease. Although the training experiences will extend across all stages of renal disease there will be a strong emphasis on palliative dialysis, symptom management, rehabilitation with dialysis and on providing comprehensive conservative renal care. Trainees will be exposed to critical appraisal and given the opportunity for clinical research training if applicable.
Contact Name: Samantha Gunness
E-mail: Samantha.gunness@uhn.ca

Type of Fellowship: Clinical
Supervisor: Dr. Heather Reich
Duration: 1 year
Application Open and Close Date: Flexible, July 1
Number of position(s) per year: 1
Description: The Toronto Glomerulonephritis (GN) Registry at the University Health Network (UHN) is accepting applications for a fellowship in GN.  The GN fellowship opportunity offers access to a breadth of specialized quaternary care clinics for treatment of GN at multiple hospital sites, and clinical care is fully integrated with research under the auspices of the Toronto GN Registry.
This training program will educate future leaders in the care and study of patients with GN.  Clinical activities will occur at UHN and Sunnybrook.
Fluency in English is required, and candidates will have completed clinical training in nephrology.  The applicant must have passed or be eligible for independent licensure in Ontario, or must be eligible for an educational license (minimum of 4 years of residency training following medical school).  Outstanding applicants with equivalent training in other medical systems are also encouraged to apply.
Interested individuals should provide a cover letter, their current curriculum vitae and contact information of 3 potential referees. 
Contact Name: Marion Butt
E-mail: marion.butt@uhn.ca

Type of Fellowship: Clinical
Supervisor: Dr. York Pei
Duration: 1-3 years
Application Open and Close Date: Open September 1 & Closes February 1
Anticipated Start Date(s): July 1
Number of position(s) per year: 1-2
Description To provide a stimulating and nurturing environment for the trainee to acquire:
(i) Expertise in clinical care of patients with polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD, ARPKD and other rare renal cystic diseases) and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), including the management of renal and extra-renal complications, the use of clinical, image-based and molecular diagnostic tests, as well as conventional and experimental drug treatments.
(ii) Expertise in clinical care of patients with other rare familial renal disorders (e.g. familial glomerulonephritis (GN) including Alport’s syndrome, familial renal tubular acidosis, cystinosis, Bartter’s and Gitelman’s syndrome).
(iii) Expertise in advanced imaging technologies for diagnosis and for monitoring progression and complications in ADPKD and TSC.
(iv) Clinical, genomic, and translational research opportunities in polycystic kidney disease and familial GN.
Contact Name: Dr. York Pei
E-mail: York.pei@uhn.ca

Type of Fellowship: Clinical and Research
Supervisor: Dr. Joanne Bargman
Duration: 6-12 months
Application Open and Close Date: Flexible, July 1 start is preferred
Number of position(s) per year: 1-2
Description: The purpose of this fellowship is to acquire expertise in home dialysis modalities, comprising peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis. Fellows will attend clinics for both, manage drop-ins, and attend pre-dialysis clinics to learn more about education around choice of dialysis modality. Preference will be given to Canadian applicants.
Contact Name: Shelagh Cowie
E-mail: Shelagh.Cowie@uhn.ca

Type of Fellowship: Clinical
Supervisor: Dr. Jeffrey Schiff
Duration: 1 year
Anticipated Start Date(s): July 1
Number of position(s) per year: 3-4
Description: This fellowship will allow trainees to develop competency in managing all aspects of kidney and kidney-pancreas transplantation. It includes rotations on both the renal transplant and pancreas transplant inpatient services. The remaining blocks may include rotations on the Transplant Infectious Diseases service; HLA lab; outpatient clinics; renal transplant pathology; pediatric transplant nephrology; and research. There is an assigned longitudinal post-transplant clinic, as well as pre-transplant donor and recipient assessment clinics.
The educational program includes renal transplant seminars, transplant journal club, Multi-Organ Transplant (MOT) rounds and MOT Fellows’ seminars. There is also a hands-on seminar in renal transplant ultrasound and biopsy performance. The fellowship is based at the Toronto General Hospital, with some clinics at St. Michael’s Hospital and the Hospital for Sick Children. It is accredited by the American Society of Transplantation Transplant Nephrology Fellowship Training Accreditation Program.
Contact Name: Samina Noman
E-mail: Samina.Noman@uhn.ca

Type of Fellowship: Clinical
Supervisor: Dr. Jeffrey Zaltzman
Duration: 1 year
Anticipated Start Date(s): July 1
Number of position(s) per year: 1
Description: Eligible candidates will have completed a minimum of two years of core training in adult nephrology and be eligible for licensure by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
The one year fellowship is intended to provide the recipient with focused training in one of the following disciplines in nephrology: hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, critical care nephrology or kidney transplantation. In parallel with the clinical experience, it is expected that the training period will foster the development of an academic program, in the domains of clinical research, health quality improvement or medical education. The selected fellow will be based at St. Michael’s Hospital and receive mentorship from members of the St. Michael’s Division of Nephrology as well as scientists and researchers based at the hospital’s Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and the University of Toronto..
Contact Name: Dr. Jeffrey Zaltzman
E-mail: Jeff.Zaltzman@unityhealth.to

Type of Fellowship: Clinical
Supervisor: Dr. Christopher Chan
Duration: 1 year
Application Open and Close Date: January 4 to February 28
Anticipated Start Date(s): July 1
Number of position(s) per year: 1
Description: Since January 2015, the Divisions of Nephrology and Hematology/Oncology at the University Health Network have collaborated to form an Onco-Nephrology clinical program.  The present clinical fellowship program aims to extend the clinical training of recently graduated nephrology trainees to:
1. Enhance clinical care of Oncology patients with specific renal disorders.
2. Facilitate and standardize the ongoing clinical management of certain renal disorders in Oncology patients.
3. Provide a clinical unmet need for cancer survivors who require ongoing management of chronic kidney disease and hypertension.
Areas of specific focus will include one or more of apheresis, bone marrow transplantation, myeloma, amyloidosis and clinical epidemiology and translational Research. Salary will be $76,210 CAN per annum and $8,790 for attending conferences and meetings.
Successful candidates will be fluent in English, have completed clinical training in Nephrology, and be eligible for an educational license as an internal medicine specialist in the province of Ontario (minimum of 4 years of residency training following medical school).
Contact Name: Dr. Christopher Chan
E-mail: christopher.chan@uhn.ca

Type of Fellowship: Clinical
Supervisor: Dr. Alireza Zahirieh
Duration: 1 year
Application Open and Close Date: October 1 - December 1
Anticipated Start Date(s): July 1
Number of position(s) per year: 1
Description: This fellowship program offers the fellow an opportunity to develop expertise in the use of point of care ultrasonography in clinical practice.  Participation in scholarly activity and medical education throughout the fellowship is strongly recommended and will be fully supported.

The fellowship will be based out of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre with opportunities to work at other University of Toronto affiliated hospitals.

Contact Name: Faye Marzan
E-mail: kriszia.marzan@sunnybrook.ca
Please cc Jacqueline Sealy at Jacqueline.Sealy@sunnybrook.ca

Type of Fellowship: Clinical
Supervisor: Dr. Darren Yuen
Duration: 1 year
Application Open and Close Date: November - December
Anticipated Start Date(s): July 1
Number of position(s) per year: 1-2
Description: The St. Michael’s Hospital transplant fellow will complete a 1-year fellowship designed to provide in-depth training in transplant nephrology. Fellows will gain experience in: (1) evaluation of living donors (including ABO incompatible donors and kidney paired exchange) and deceased donors (including expanded criteria donors and donation after cardiac death), (2) evaluation of potential kidney transplant recipients, (3) perioperative kidney transplant management and immunosuppression, and (4) evaluation and management of short- and long-term transplant complications.

The fellowship is generally divided into thirteen 4-week blocks:

• 9 blocks of transplant in-patient ward service (including perioperative transplant care and management of post-transplant complications)
• 4 blocks reserved for research time, and exposure to renal transplant radiology (including biopsies), renal pathology, and HLA lab

The fellow will also participate in pre-transplant recipient assessment, living donor assessment, post-transplant, and failing transplant clinics at St. Michael’s Hospital. They will also participate in monthly 1-hr group case discussions around pre-transplant recipient assessments, as well as a monthly 1-hr group combined radiology/transplant surgery/nephrology rounds.

St. Michael’s Hospital is the second largest renal transplant program in Canada, performing over 100 kidney transplants per year. Our post-transplant clinic follows roughly 1800 prevalent kidney transplant recipients, and our pre-transplant clinics service a wide ESRD catchment area encompassing much of the province of Ontario. The Transplant Division is composed of 3 full-time transplant nephrologists, 2 nephrologists performing living donor assessments, and a nurse practitioner. The Transplant program is part of a larger 11 member Nephrology Division at St. Michael’s Hospital. Transplant patients are admitted to the Nephrology ward at St. Michael’s Hospital. The Division runs a full academic program, including Monday Case Rounds, Tuesday Nephrology Rounds, Wednesday afternoon University of Toronto City-Wide Rounds, and Thursday General Nephrology Teaching rounds.​​​​​​​

Contact Name: Dr. Darren Yuen
E-mail: Darren.Yuen@utoronto.ca