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.”

The Therapeutic Nuclear Medicine & PET/CT Fellowship at the Ottawa Hospital offers a comprehensive and academically rich training experience designed to prepare fellows for advanced practice in both diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine. This one-year program, with the possibility of extension to two years, emphasizes excellence in clinical care, innovation in radionuclide therapy, and engagement in scholarly activity.

The Division of Nuclear Medicine provides both secondary and tertiary care to a large and diverse patient population in Ottawa and surrounding regions. The service supports a high-volume clinical practice, performing approximately 4,000 FDG PET/CT scans annually, in addition to managing around 350 consults per year. Therapeutic procedures include approximately 90 I-131 treatments for hyperthyroidism, 70 I-131 treatments for thyroid cancer, 120 doses of Radium-223 therapy, 90 peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) treatments, and 80 doses of PSMA-targeted therapy (Pluvicto) annually. This robust and growing clinical volume ensures fellows gain extensive exposure to a wide spectrum of oncologic imaging and radionuclide therapies.

Fellows train in a state-of-the-art imaging environment equipped with advanced technologies, including a PET/CT scanner with a 64-slice CT system, multiple SPECT/CT and SPECT systems, and bone densitometry units. This infrastructure supports high-quality diagnostic imaging and provides fellows with hands-on experience using modern nuclear medicine equipment and protocols.

The fellowship is structured to provide progressive clinical responsibility under expert supervision. Fellows rotate through various clinical services, developing competencies in oncology PET/CT, SPECT, and SPECT/CT interpretation, as well as in the administration and management of radionuclide therapies. As fellows gain experience, they assume increasing responsibility in patient care, including participation in consultations and multidisciplinary case discussions.

A key strength of the program is its strong academic foundation. Fellows participate in a variety of structured educational activities, including weekly Interesting Case Rounds, weekly didactic lectures covering clinical nuclear medicine, physics, and radiopharmaceuticals, and monthly city-wide Nuclear Medicine Grand Rounds. Additional academic opportunities include quarterly Journal Club and Research Rounds, fostering critical appraisal skills and engagement with current literature.

Fellows are expected to actively contribute to the academic environment by presenting cases at rounds and participating in interdisciplinary multidisciplinary cancer conferences (MCC). They are also required to deliver annual presentations at both the City-Wide Nuclear Medicine Grand Rounds and the Divisional Journal Club. These activities help develop communication, teaching, and leadership skills essential for academic and clinical practice.

Research is an integral component of the fellowship. Fellows are encouraged to undertake at least one research project during their training, aligned with their interests and career goals. The program offers flexibility for those pursuing either a predominantly clinical track (approximately 80% clinical and 20% research) or a research-focused track (approximately 80% research with some clinical exposure). This dual-track structure allows fellows to tailor their experience according to their professional aspirations.

Overall, the Therapeutic Nuclear Medicine & PET/CT Fellowship provides a balanced and immersive training experience, combining high clinical volume, cutting-edge technology, and strong academic mentorship. Graduates of the program are well-positioned to pursue careers in advanced nuclear medicine practice, academic medicine, or specialized oncologic imaging and therapy, both in Canada and internationally.

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.

• Candidates must have completed postgraduate training in Nuclear Medicine and hold certification from a recognized international jurisdiction.
• Applicants must be sponsored by a government, university, or recognized institution; proof of sponsorship is required at the time of application.
• Applicants applying to the research fellowship stream must demonstrate relevant research experience and qualifications within their CV.