Welcome

The McMaster Sleep Disorder Medicine AFC Program provides comprehensive training in sleep medicine with broad exposure to respiratory and non-respiratory sleep disorders. The core longitudinal clinical experience is uniquely provided both at St. Joseph’s Healthcare teaching hospital as well as at the community-based Hamilton Sleep Disorders Clinic. Additional clinical experiences occur on the inpatient sleep medicine service, pediatric sleep and complex care ventilation clinics, sleep-ENT clinics, dental/maxillofacial clinics and cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-i) sessions. The program offers a nice balance for senior trainees with flexibility for self-directed learning as well as a structured weekly academic half-day curriculum. The trainee is appointed a clinical scholarship which entails self-funding through clinic billings and AFP membership, which past trainees have found to be a helpful experience in transitioning to independent practice.

Certification Outcome

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) Area of Focused Competence (AFC) credential, with diploma and Diplomate (DRCSPC) designation eligibility.

Requirements for College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) Sleep Medicine Pathway 1 are met.

Entry Requirements

As per AFC requirements, the candidate must be enrolled in a Royal College accredited residency program or have Royal College certification (or equivalent acceptable to the Royal College) in (adult) General Internal Medicine, Neurology, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Psychiatry, or Respirology.

Successful candidates will be appointed as a Clinical Scholar at McMaster University, which is a 1-year faculty appointment with university-mandated criteria including:

a) Be a Canadian citizen or have obtained Permanent Resident status.
b) Have successfully completed the requirements for Royal College certification, or equivalent.
c) Hold an independent practice license with appropriate scope from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) and have an OHIP provider number and malpractice insurance from the CMPA.
d) Obtain medical staff membership and privileges at Hamilton Health Sciences and/or St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.

Application Deadline

Applications including CV, letter of intent and 3 reference letters must be submitted to the program director by October 15. Interviews are held annually in early November.