Why choose University of Ottawa for your Postgraduate Medical Education Training!

• Excellent training opportunities: We offer more than 75 training programs that provide innovative clinical experiences through a variety of educational strategies that guide our trainees into well-rounded clinicians. New residency and fellowship training programs are continually being implemented with our partner hospitals as we collaboratively enhance patient care.
• Leading health care settings: Our residents and fellows complete their medical training in our affiliated academic health science centres, including The Ottawa Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Hôpital Montfort, The Royal and Bruyère Continuing Care, as well as hospitals in rural communities in Eastern and Northern Ontario. Additionally, we have one of the largest medical simulation facilities in North America, the University of Ottawa Skills and Simulations Centre.
• Training in a Francophone milieu: Training in French is offered by many programs through our partnership with L’Hôpital Montfort. Furthermore, we offer unique training opportunities with our international partner, L’Université de Lyon in France.
• Specialties, subspecialties, and Area of Focused Competence (AFC) programs: We offer 29 specialty and 37 subspecialty programs that lead to certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, as well as core Family Medicine and 7 Enhanced Skills programs leading to certification by the College of Family Physicians of Canada. In addition, uOttawa offers 9 AFC programs that provide advanced post-residency training accredited by the Royal College. These AFCs build on broader disciplines to expand and deepen the scope of clinical practice.
• Fellowships and Clinician Investigator Program (CIP): We offer many fellowship opportunities and accept over 150 foreign trainees annually who bring a wide range of skills and cultural diversity that serve to enrich our programs and Faculty. Our CIP allows residents to complete either a Masters or PhD while conducting research and providing health care.

Our Mission 

To expand our global leadership in a dynamic environment through interdisciplinary innovation in education, research, health of populations, and patient-partnered care, in both official languages. Together, we strive to push the boundaries of medical education and patient care, in alignment with the Faculty of Medicine’s strategic vision: “Leading innovation for a healthier world.”

In recent years, research on cardiovascular development and adaptation to extrauterine life has led to many discoveries and improved patient management in NICU.

Neonatal Echocardiography plays a significant role in neonatal hemodynamics management and research. Echocardiography can be used to assess i) determinants of cardiac output, including preload, afterload, and cardiac function (left ventricle and right ventricle), ii) pulmonary pressures and pulmonary vascular resistance, iii) intracardiac and extracardiac shunts (e.g., atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus), iv) central line position, and v) assessment of pericardial effusion.

The purpose of the NHTNE AFC is to provide a supportive learning environment to the trainees to improve their knowledge, skills, and experience in neonatal hemodynamics, develop their echography skills, provide an in-depth understanding of cardiac physiology, and integrate all of this in the application of neonatal hemodynamics research to improve patient clinical care.

Program content

The NHTNE AFC program consists of one-year training in neonatal hemodynamics and TnEcho. Training may be extended to a 2nd year if needed to complete a related research project and if funding is available

Training:  

• Echo lab experience (CHEO Echo lab): In collaboration with our pediatric cardiology colleagues, our trainees are scheduled to spend four rotations in the Echo lab (8 am to 5 pm) with one-on-one training with the senior sonographers. Trainees will learn how to perform echocardiography and interpret Echo studies). using standardized measurements and their normative values. They will be trained in the use of the echo image platform and interpretation (SyngoDynamic®) at CHEO and ISCV system at TOH.
• Echo Teaching files: trainees are expected to review echo teaching files during their Echo Lab rotation to expand on their Echocardiology knowledge of congenital heart diseases.
• NHTNE Clinical rotations in the NICU: Trainees spend six rotations in the NICU, where they practice hands-on Echocardiography and do a full hemodynamics consultation as requested by the attending neonatologist, all under the direct supervision of NHTNE staff.
• Longitudinal Research Experience (Equivalent to 8 weeks): Trainees are expected to carry out a research project during their training. They will be supervised by one of the NHTNE staff. Trainees are encouraged to connect with the NHTNE team before starting their training to discuss their research project to ensure its timely completion within the year of training. Some research projects (especially prospective projects) might take more than a year to accomplish, therefore the NHTNE team can propose to several trainees to work on different parts of the same longitudinal project, and their participation will be acknowledged in the publication authorship. In addition, trainees are expected to lead a QI project related to neonatal hemodynamics.
• Elective:  elective rotation (4 weeks) in another centre (Sunny Brook, Mount Sinai, or Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre...etc) is highly encouraged to gain exposure to different TnEcho protocols.
• Weekly NHTNE teaching: Trainees are expected to attend Friday noon sessions (Didactic teaching by one of the NHTNE faculty). Sessions can take multiple formats, such as Journal club, case review, and didactic presentation. Two sessions per academic year are joint sessions with pediatric cardiology to discuss specific diseases and their management (e.g., PDA, chronic pulmonary hypertension in infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, etc.).
• Weekly NPM program Academic Half Day: Trainees are encouraged to attend the NPM academic half-day; their attendance and participation in M&M rounds is mandatory.
• Monthly Neonatal Hemodynamics Academic Half Day: Trainees are expected to attend all presentations provided through the Neonatal Hemodynamic Research Centre (National Trainees curriculum in NHTNE).
• Online learning: Trainees are encouraged to review the NHTNE educational material on:
  • https://www.neocardiolab.com
  • https://neopeds.academy/
  • https://neonatalhemodynamics.com/
• Teaching: Trainees are expected to provide teaching sessions related to neonatal hemodynamics during the Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine trainee's academic half-day. The teaching sessions should include arrhythmias, pulmonary hypertension, patent ductus arteriosus, and neonatal shock. In addition, trainees are expected to participate in the Friday NHTNE teaching sessions by presenting 2 neonatal hemodynamic topics, one journal club and one case review during their training.
• Quality improvement workshop: Trainees are expected to attend the QI workshops that the EPIQ group organizes to be able to conduct their own QI project.
• Divisional Review of Best Clinical Practices & Quality Improvement Projects Meeting: this is a monthly meeting were that all trainees are encouraged to attend and present their QI projects and Ideas.

In order to be admissible for a fellowship position, you must meet the following criteria:

• Have a medical degree from an accredited institution listed in the World Directory of Medical School confirming school is recognized in Canada (Sponsor Notes tab);
• Have successfully completed a specialty program before the beginning of the fellowship;
• Be certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) or another recognized international certification board (organization outside of Canada and the United States that certifies medical specialists), or at a minimum, have completed a residency program and be admissible to take the Royal College, CFPC or USA certification exams;
• Have successfully completed an English proficiency test, if applicable. See requirements below.

Language Requirements:

Must provide proof of English language proficiency through ONE of the following:

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)-Academic with a minimum score of 7 in each component, OR;
• TOEFL-iBT; passing score of 93, including a minimum score of 24 on the speaking section, OR;
• Occupational English Test (OET)-Medicine with a minimum grade of B in each component, OR;
• The Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP General) with a minimum score of 9 in each of the four skills, OR;
• Candidates for whom their primary and secondary, medical school or specialty education was conducted in English, proof must be attached to application, OR;
• World Directory of Medical Schools Language Option – If the instruction and the language of patient care at the undergraduate medical school was conducted completely in English, then a candidate can submit a copy or printout of the World Directory of Medical Schools website (Program Details tab) listing the medical school which clearly states that the language of instruction is English.

Applicants must be able to communicate proficiently in the language of instruction and patient care of the training site.

Note that you may apply only to a Clinical Fellowship in the same discipline (or subdiscipline) in which you are recognized as a specialist.

Eligibility:  

• Eligible trainees must demonstrate a strong interest in academic neonatology and neonatal hemodynamics.
• Eligible trainees must have completed training in neonatal-perinatal medicine in an accredited program.
• Eligible trainees must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada or eligible for a VISA trainee.
• VISA trainees who completed their NPM training can apply to join the AFC program after completing at least one year of training in neonatology in Canada. This Canadian experience can be done as a one-year Neonatology Clinical Fellowship in Ottawa, prior to the start of the NHTNE Fellowship.