- Postgraduate training -

Personnal accounts – Canada, Alberta

ALBERTA (CALGARY)

Hematology-Oncology

ACADEMIC
Start	End of R5 year
Support	Staff physician from another faculty who didn’t know him to begin with Then a resident doctor friend who put him in touch with the CHUM team
Choice of site/specialization	9 months to communicate with the members of the Vancouver team, then the contact left and everything had to be started over, because the other colleagues were not informed Fellowship delayed by a year, but this allowed the candidate to meet urgent needs in his recruiting site (he obtained privileges before getting his fellowship) Several applications were then made to different sites in Canada Final choice: Calgary Subspecialty required by recruiting site
Interview	Semi-official at conferences during the year Formal interview in Toronto
Exams required	International English Language Testing System (IELTS) English exam
Pay/bursary	Bursaries from the Royal College and the Laval University Dean Fellowship site (Calgary) will make up the difference in salary for an amount equivalent to an R7 resident’s pay
Prior rotation	Not required
Work permit/visa
Visitors visa
PERSONAL
Health insurance
Car
Bank account
Accomodation
Driver’s licence
Quebec Health Insurance Board (RAMQ)

ALBERTA (EDMONTON)

Interventional Cardiology

ACADEMIC
Start	First third of R5 year Confirmed at end of R5 year
Support	Yes, in the form of several discussions as to the different options, and to compare the different programs His program director introduced him to his fellowship director, but he still had to go through the training site’s regular application process subsequently
Choice of site/specialization	In line with his personal interests since he did not yet have a confirmed PEm He chose the training site which in his view offers him excellent training in Interventional Cardiology but also has an approach matching his more specific interests
Interview	Short, informal interview at a conference More formal, in-person interview subsequently He visited the training site and met most of his future colleagues and staff physicians, in addition to the program director, over a two-day period
Exams	IELTS Academic English test
Pay/bursary	Paid in exchange for two weeks’ a year of clinical work in General Cardiology at his fellowship site
Prior rotation	None required
Word permit/visa	College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta permit to practise
Visitor’s visa	N/A
PERSONAL
Health insurance
Car
Bank account
Accomodation
Driver’s licence
Quebec Health Insurance Board (RAMQ)
OTHER
Applied via University of Alberta website He had to provide documents, but the process went smoothly

ALBERTA (EDMONTON)

Obstetrical Internal Medicine

ACADEMIC
Start	R5 year
Support	Helped by a staff physician at CHUM
Choice of site/specialization	Referral from CHUM staff physician for the subspecialty (personal interest/requirements of training site offering a position, etc.) Personal interest combined with training site’s interest
Interview	Interview via Skype
Exams	TOEFL required
Pay/bursury	Quebec Association of Internal Medicine Specialists (ASMIQ) bursary applied for No bursary from host site, or future work site (except if fellowship were in specific subspecialty / ultrasound)
Prior rotation	None required
Work permit/visa	N/A
Visitor’s visa	N/A
PERSONAL
Health insurance
Car
Bank account
Accomodation	In process
Driver’s permit
Quebec Health Insurance Board (RAMQ)
SPOUSE
Her spouse will not accompany her for the fellowship