University of Toronto Department of Medicine Fellowships

There are two main types of fellowships offered by the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Toronto.

1. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) equivalent training for Rheumatology 

This 2-year fellowship is available to qualified physicians who have successfully completed an approved internal medicine training program from outside of Canada and wish to pursue subspecialty training in general rheumatology. Candidates in this fellowship program follow the same training program as Canadian trainees (PGY 4 and 5 years) who will become rheumatologists. Candidates would be eligible for the RCPSC Subspecialty Examination Affiliate Program (SEAP) and thus, be eligible to sit the RCPSC rheumatology certification examinations at the end of training.  Goals and objectives for the SEAP fellowship are described on the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada website for the objectives and training experiences for all Canadian rheumatology training programs.  The application process is competitive and outlined on the University of Toronto, Postgraduate Medical Education website.  Candidates interested in the pathway can visit the University of Toronto PGME website for details or reach out to the PGME and Department of Medicine Fellowships Offices or the Rheumatology Program Coordinator (see below). Intake is scheduled for July 1 of each academic year. 

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada - Rheumatology training programs

Also see RCPSC website and review Adult Rheumatology Competencies, Entrustable Professional Activities and Subspecialty Training Requirements.     

 Email: fellowships.medicine@utoronto.ca

2. Advanced Clinical/Clinical Research Rheumatology Fellowships

These fellowships at the University of Toronto provide advanced subspecialty training for physicians who have completed approved core rheumatology training in Canada or abroad. Each of the specific fellowships offer structured, high-level clinical and academic training in a focused areas of rheumatology, preparing fellows for careers as sub-specialist clinicians and academic leaders. There are opportunities to align clinical training with graduate degree studies for those who are interested in clinician investigator or clinician scientist careers and have access to the necessary funding.  A fellowship in our division typically entails 1–2 years of advanced subspecialty training but may be longer in selected circumstances. (e.g. concurrent PhD studies)  Trainees are classified as clinical fellows or clinical and research fellows. 

Fellowships in the Division of Rheumatology are normally aligned with special programs. A list of our current fellowships can be found here. 

The advanced fellowships aim to:

• Provide in-depth exposure to complex and clinical care within a defined rheumatologic subspecialty.
• Build expertise in advanced diagnostic approaches, including imaging, laboratory evaluation, and procedure-based assessment relevant to the subspecialty.
• Support fellows in developing independent skills in evidence-based therapeutics and multidisciplinary management.
• Foster academic growth through participation in teaching, journal clubs, interdisciplinary rounds, and divisional educational activities.
• Ensure meaningful engagement in research or quality-improvement projects, including study design, data interpretation, and dissemination of scholarly work.
• Promote the development of leadership and communication skills essential for academic and tertiary-care practice.

Please contact the respective program first if you wish to apply for a specialised fellowship. All positions are competitive. Specific timing of interviews can vary across the fellowship programs although the start dates are generally January or July of the calendar year.   Candidates will need to provide suitable documentation of credentials, letter of interest, curriculum vitae and references for initial consideration. Further documentation will be required for those applications that move forward. 

Upon successful completion of all requirements for a fellowship, fellows receive a University of Toronto Certificate that acknowledges their advanced training. 

Kindly note that we do not offer research, only fellowships. 

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine: https://deptmedicine.utoronto.ca/rheumatology  

Post Graduate Medical Education: https://pgme.utoronto.ca/fellowship-training

 Please note:   

• The Division of Rheumatology does not provide fellowship funding and does not accept self-funded applicants.
• Applicants must provide proof of funding from their institution or other funding agency equivalent to a PGY-3 salary as defined in the collective agreement between Professional Association of Residents in Ontario salary and the Ontario Teaching Hospitals. PARO salaries increase on an annual basis.
• Sponsoring agencies must cover the cost of Workers Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) fees that are required for all clinical fellows. 
• Postgraduate sponsorship agreements exist with agencies a number of the Gulf State Countries. Potential candidates from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE can explore these options if relevant. Learners from these countries should contact pgme.sponsorship@utoronto.ca  and follow PGME approved processes. 

For candidates from outside of Canada, the process to obtain a work permit and CPSO licensure is lengthy, often 6-8 months. This will be considered when start dates are planned. 

Denis Poddubnyy, MD, PhD, MSc (Epi)
Fellowship Program Director, Division of Rheumatology
University of Toronto