About Us

Message from the Director

Welcome to our Fellowship Programs. The University of Toronto has a legacy for being at the forefront of research, innovation, and education in the fields of transplantation and hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery. Our respective programs are among the largest in North America based on clinical volumes, and we have a proud history of training many of the leaders in surgery over the last 38 years. We offer two accredited programs: a fellowship council-accredited HPB surgical track program and a combined ASTS-accredited abdominal transplantation surgery track program.

As junior fellows, all trainees are immersed in both disciplines gaining a unique hybrid, high volume experience. As second year fellows, trainees become more focused gaining in-depth exposure within their respective clinical track. They are afforded opportunities to participate in complex HPB and minimally-invasive surgery, and to be a part of one of the largest pediatric transplantation and living donor liver transplant programs in North America. In addition to an outstanding operative experience, the fellow’s knowledge is further enhanced through participation in a robust academic curriculum of teaching seminars and by in-depth training in the pre- and postoperative management of these complex patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. 

We also offer a multitude of opportunities to participate in both clinical and basic science research with many of our investigators being world leaders in their respective fields. We are proud to continue our legacy of training the future generation of academic transplant/HPB surgeons. We invite you to further explore our website and see how our program may enhance your training and in turn help shape the future of transplantation, HPB surgery, and cancer care.

History of the Fellowship

• During the first year, the HPB and Transplant Fellowships are integrated and throughout the year each Fellow is assigned to 3-month rotations with 1-3 staff surgeons for their Clinics and elective HPB Surgery. In addition, each Fellow is on call for, and performs, deceased donor and transplant procedures. First-year HPB and Transplant Fellows participate in all HPB and transplant rounds, seminars and educational activities.

• During the second year, the HPB Fellow focuses on the complex HPB Procedures (Klatskin tumors, liver re-resections, vascular resections and reconstructions, in-situ cooling procedures) and Medical and Radiation Oncology Clinics. The Transplant Fellow continues deceased donor transplant activity and focuses on complex transplant activities: re-transplants, living donor hepatectomy and transplantation, laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy and kidney transplant, pediatric liver transplant, multivisceral transplants and the liver, pancreas and kidney transplant clinics.

Visit the Toronto Abdominal Organ Transplant Fellowship at UHN for additional information.

Paul Greig International Fellows

In addition to the 2 Fellows matched to the Transplant Fellowship (through the SFMatch) and to the 1 Fellow matched to the HPB Fellowship (through the Fellowship Council) each year, we offer Fellowship positions in Transplantation and/or HPB Surgery to 1 or 2 additional, International Fellows each year. The rational for this is to accommodate the very large volume of transplantation (donor and recipient procedures) and HPB Surgery performed by the 10 staff Transplant & HPB Surgeons, and to facilitate sufficient “time off” to provide an optimal Fellowship experience. The International Fellowship can be predominantly Transplant or HPB, depending on the successful candidate’s academic career path. All International Fellowships are two years in length and Fellows are integrated as are the matched Fellows.  Graduating Fellows will receive certification from the University of Toronto but are not eligible for a certificate from either the ASTS or AHPBA.

Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the University of Toronto – HPB Stream

The Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the University of Toronto is accredited by the Society of Surgical Oncology and the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada. In addition, one Fellowship position is accredited by the Fellowship Council and AHPBA for training in HPB Surgery. Clinical training in the Surgical Oncology Fellowship occurs predominantly at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Mount Sinai Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital. Combined HPB educational opportunities include city-wide rounds and guest lectures. More information regarding this Fellowship is available on the Society of Surgical Oncology’s website, and on U of T’s General Surgical Oncology website.

Electives & Observerships

RESIDENCY ELECTIVES in HPB Surgery and/or Transplantation

PGY3, 4 or 5 Residents registered in a Residency Program in General Surgery in Canada are eligible to do an elective in HPB Surgery and/or Transplant at UHN. We accept a period of 1, 2 or 4 weeks. Eligibility and acceptance will be contingent upon review of the applicant’s CV and, if necessary, letters of reference.

For an elective period of 1 week, the Resident will choose a week of HPB or Transplant. For periods of 2 or 4 weeks, the Resident is encouraged to split the time equally between HPB & Transplant. For each week on HPB the Resident can expect to be asked to do 1 – 2 nights of call for General Surgery at the Senior Resident level. On Transplant, there is no formal call. After hours, the Elective Resident will be offered the opportunity to go on donor retrievals and/or scrub on transplants.

The Guidelines of the University of Toronto Division of General Surgery will apply (i.e. University of Toronto Residents will be given the first opportunity at educational experiences, especially for OR cases). There will be a maximum of 1 Elective Resident on Transplant or HPB at a time – i.e. there may be 2 Elective Residents at any one time, one on Transplant and one on HPB. At times when there are 2 UofT Residents assigned to Transplant, there will be no Elective Residents on Transplant, unless a University of Toronto Resident is on vacation.

Requests will be handled on a “first come, first served” basis. We will try to accommodate the requested dates of the Resident who inquires first.

Elective Residents will be assigned a Staff as Supervisor who will be responsible for orientation, mid-term feedback, and final evaluation including debriefing and completion of their Residency Evaluation Forms. The Elective Resident will attend that Staff’s clinics and elective operations. For Residents spending half their time on each of Transplant & HPB, there will be two Staff Supervisors identified.

OBSERVERSHIPS in HPB Surgery and/or Transplantation

Requests for an Observership will be considered on an individual basis, based on the applicant’s CV and letters of reference. It is not possible for us to accept all applicants because of our educational commitment to the current Fellows, Residents and Medical Students.

How to Request an Elective Rotation or Observership

Send your CV, any appropriate letters of reference and a covering letter of interest to:

emira.dzebic@uhn.ca , TORONTOTRANSPLANTFELLOWSHIP@uhn.ca ,  TorontoHPBFellowship@uhn.ca.

Division of General Surgery

The origin and development of the Division of General Surgery and the Residency Program is attributed to Dr. William Edward Gallie. In 1906, he was appointed at The Hospital for Sick Children. In 1907, he was appointed a junior surgeon at The Toronto General Hospital. In 1929, Dr. Gallie was appointed Professor of Surgery and Surgeon in Chief at The Toronto General Hospital.

Dr. Gallie brought the Toronto Western Hospital and St. Michael’s Hospital into the University. His greatest accomplishment in this period was the establishment of a systematic course of training in surgery designed to give each resident adequate experience in the basic sciences and in surgery and to qualify him or her to sit for the examinations of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. It was the first such course in Canada and was in advance of the training courses in England and in the United States.

The post-graduate training course in surgery at the University of Toronto was inaugurated by Dr. Gallie in 1931. The program of training gradually spread from The Toronto General Hospital and The Hospital for Sick Children to all teaching hospitals associated with The University of Toronto; Toronto Western, St. Michael’s, Sunnybrook, Wellesley, Women’s, Mount Sinai, Toronto East General and St. Joseph Hospitals. The post-graduate program is now widely known as The Gallie Course in General Surgery.

The Division of General Surgery Residency Program accepts 12 – 15 new residents each year. The Surgeon Scientist Program (2-year research program directed towards a Master’s degree in the Institute for Medical Studies) is available to selected Residents after their PGY2 year.

Ajmera Transplant Centre

Transplantation at the University Health Network occurs within the Ajmera Transplant Centre. Founded in 1991, Ajmera Transplant Centre brings together the liver, kidney, pancreas, lung, heart, small bowel and transplant infectious disease programs. The physicians, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals provide a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to transplant patients. The program performs over 500 transplants per year and provides care for over 3000 transplant out-patients.

The Ajmera Transplant Centre provides to transplant patients a 35 bed in-patient unit, 15 acute care beds, an out-patient clinic, the transplant pharmacy, medical day unit facilities, transplant informatics (the OTTR system) and administrative facilities.

Additional information regarding Ajmera Transplant Centre at UHN can be found at https://www.uhn.ca/Transplant.

PGME Orientation Handbook

The Postgraduate Medical Education Department of the University provides an Orientation Handbook for Residents and Fellows who are new to Toronto. It contains valuable information regarding:

• Registration
• Health Care Coverage
• Accommodation
• Cost of Living
• Banking
• Transportation
• Child Care and Schooling
• Toronto

It is available here.