Certification Outcome
The successful completion of the fellowship will grant a Fellowship McMaster Certification.
Entry Requirements
- Applicants will have completed an MD (or equivalent), Internal Medicine training and should be nearing completion of postgraduate training in Rheumatology with the exception of full certification from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (or equivalent).
- Interested applicants are required to submit an application form and comply with McMaster University Postgraduate Medical Education requirements for residents and fellows.
Application Deadline
General Application deadline is November 1 for the upcoming academic year.
General start date is July 1, however, may be flexible based on availability of clinical supervisors.
Goals of Training
The Scleroderma Fellowship at St. Joseph’s Healthcare/McMaster Hamilton is mentored training program of one year for physician-investigators who have a strong interest in scleroderma and wish to pursue a period of specialized clinical training.
During the fellowship, the fellow will participate in all aspects of the scleroderma program including: running clinics alongside the supervising staff; interpreting autoantibody results, pulmonary function testing and ECHO reports; developing proficiency in modified Rodnan skin scoring;; develop a research question to investigate aspects of scleroderma either through local research or through the CSRG; develop educational materials and programs to assist with patient and physician awareness and education.
The goals and specific objectives of the Scleroderma Fellowship are to:
- Acquire expertise in the assessment and management of various forms of systemic sclerosis (SSc), associated connective tissue diseases, and mimickers of SSc
- Become more familiar with recognizing complications of SSc and collaborating with associated subspecialties to manage them (i.e. working with Respirologists to manage interstitial lung disease and pulmonary hypertension)
- Expand knowledge of the medications used to treat SSc
- Become more familiar with the major unmet research needs in SSc, and for the Fellow to understand how to conduct clinical research in SSc.
Length of Training
1 year
Funding
Applicants are encouraged to seek sponsorship.
Curriculum Highlights
The weekly schedule will be as follows:
- Scleroderma clinics of Dr. Nader Khalidi, and Dr. Janet Pope.
- Weekly participation in the rheumatology-respirology clinics at St Joseph’s healthcare
- Participate in weekly rheumatology rounds (Wednesdays 4-5 p.m.)
- Review bloodwork autoantibody profile results, pulmonary function and ECHO results weekly
- Participate in the Respirology ILD rounds
- Present scleroderma educational sessions for academic half days for rheumatology trainees and for internal medicine, family practice trainees, and for McMaster family practice rounds.
- Attend and present at the annual scleroderma patient education evening (September/October/November)
- Develop educational materials to be distributed through Scleroderma Ontario and Scleroderma Canada
Supervision & Feedback
Formal written evaluation will be completed every 3 months.