Welcome
The trainee will participate in a 2-year fellowship if a graduate degree is pursued concurrently. Alternatively, the fellowship can be completed in 1 year if there is no graduate degree pursued.
The 1-year fellowship model includes 32 weeks of clinical training, 8 weeks of research, and 8 weeks to be dedicated to clinical scholars.
The 2-year fellowship model includes 32 weeks of clinical training, 48 weeks dedicated to pursuing a graduate degree and research, and 16 weeks dedicated to clinical scholarship.
| 1-year Fellowship | 2-year Fellowship | |
|---|---|---|
| Fellowship Clinical Training | 32 weeks | 32 weeks |
| Clinical Scholar | 8 weeks | 16 weeks |
| Research | 8 weeks | 48 weeks |
| Vacation | 4 weeks | 8 weeks |
| Total | 52 weeks | 104 weeks |
The clinical weeks will be spent primarily in Thrombosis clinics, as well as subspecialty Hematology clinics and laboratory settings at the Hamilton General Hospital, Juravinski Hospital, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and McMaster University Medical Centre sites. Due to the varying concentration of services at each site, various types of hematology and thrombosis issues are more frequently seen at various sites: cancer-associated thrombosis at the Juravinski; bariatric, renal, and rheumatological issues at SJH; arterial, neurosurgical, and trauma issues at the HGH; and thrombocytopenia and pregnancy-associated issues at McMaster.
Concurrently, the trainee will work as a Clinical Scholar (8 weeks per year), which will be the primary funding model for the fellowship.
Both the 1-year and 2-year fellowship trainees will be expected to complete a scholarly project, which could include topics of quality improvement, patient safety, clinical research of medical education scholarly work.
Certification Outcome
The successful completion of the fellowship will grant a McMaster Fellowship Certification.
Entry Requirements
Royal College or equivalent Certification in Hematology, or eligibility to gain certification during the Fellowship.
Application Deadline
6 months prior to the start date.
Goals of Training
By the end of the training, the fellow will:
- Be able to effectively diagnose and treat patients with benign hematologic and thromboembolic disorders.
- Be able to provide patient-centred counselling and education regarding benign hematologic conditions and thromboembolic disorders.
- Act as a local resource and leader in Benign Hematology and Thrombosis in their chosen practice setting.
Length of Training
The program is 12 months, with the possibility of extending over 24 months if the trainee is concomitantly pursuing a graduate degree.
Curriculum Highlights
- Grand Rounds.
- Journal Clubs.
- Rounds.
- Procedures.
Supervision & Feedback
Assessment of Trainee
Setting expectations: An orientation session will take place when commencing work in each new setting to discuss the goals, description, expectations and evaluation metrics with the trainee. The specific objectives of the trainee will be discussed and an attempt made to integrate these objectives into the overall objectives of the Fellowship.
Informal Feedback:
Trainees are provided with feedback during the rotation concerning their proficiency in managing clinical problems and their performance in informal and formal teaching sessions.
Written assessment forms:
A written In-Training Assessment Report (ITAR) form will be completed quarterly (every 3 months), and discussed with the trainee. At the end of the Fellowship, a written final evaluation will be completed and discussed with the trainee. Input for these assessments will be sought from all attending Faculty members, as well as members of the team who have worked with the trainee.
Feedback specifically from non-physician healthcare team members, including Thrombosis nurses and ward staff, will be collected using a Multisource Feedback Form. The Thrombosis Fellow must collect at least 2 Multisource Feedback Forms from 2 different people during the fellowship.
The Fellow must collect 3 mini-CEXs during the fellowship.
- Counselling a patient on the initiation/recent start of a new treatment (for example anticoagulation) in the ambulatory setting.
- Physical examination of a patient with post-thrombotic syndrome.
- Data-gathering (review of records and interview) of a patient regarding the new diagnosis of a benign hematologic disorder (eg. ITP) or thrombosis (eg PE).
The Fellow must collect a minimum of three teaching evaluations, as outlined above.
Meetings with Fellowship Supervisor:
A scheduled assessment session with the trainee will take place quarterly (every 3 months) of the fellowship as well as at the end of the fellowship. At the mid-point meeting, there will be two-way feedback on the rotations and a discussion of the goals for the remainder of the fellowship. Feedback from faculty members, review of the Reflective Practice Logbook, Multisource Feedback Forms, mini-CEXs, teaching evaluations, and the mid-unit and final evaluation sessions will all be used to summarize the trainee’s progress in meeting the goals of this fellowship.