Education and Training

Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine Program 

Programs Offered at McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario Canada

General Information McMaster University is fully accredited for the training programmes in General Pathology, Anatomic Pathology, Medical Biochemistry and Medical Microbiology. The training of Medical Microbiology is integrated with Infectious Disease, a subspecialty in Internal Medicine. Similarly, the laboratory aspect of Hematology has become an integral part of the training of Clinical Hematology and General Pathology in this University.

Programmes are guided by the requirements of the Royal College Specialty Examination but are sufficiently flexible to meet individual career needs. There are ample opportunities for basic research related to various specialties. Fellowship or postgraduate programmes leading to Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) are offered to qualified students in specialized areas such as immunology, thromboembolism, and health research methodology.

Types and Numbers of Appointments  

There are currently 9 Ministry of Health funded residency appointments. Research fellowships for graduate students may be applied for through external granting agencies or Postgraduate Office, McMaster University.

Facilities  

Hamilton has pioneered the model of regionalization of laboratory medical services since 1970. Residents rotate through the two teaching institutes in the area: Hamilton Health Science Corporation (HHSC) and St. Joseph's Hospital with a total bed complement of 1852 by the year 2003. The HHSC consists of four sites: McMaster University Medical Centre, Chedoke, Hamilton General and Henderson.  St. Joes includes the active downtown hospital site and an ambulatory care centre at the east end of the city. 

The Hamilton Health Science Corporation has three active hospital sites. 

1. The Henderson site is closely associated with the Regional Cancer Centre which functions not only as a treatment centre but also for screening e.g. breast cancer.
2. The Children's Hospital is an integral part of the McMaster site.
3. The General site is the regional centre for trauma, cardiovascular surgery, neurosurgery and forensic pathology.  

St. Joseph's Hospital is the regional centre for chest disease, renal transplantation, head and neck surgery and mental health. 

The already regionalised laboratory services are in the process of being fully subspecialty centralized. This will allow residents to be exposed to high volume of diverse material in a most efficient manner and facilitate not only the learning of diagnostic skill, but also laboratory related management and research.  

Community  

Hamilton, the Steel City of Canada, has a population of about 350,000. With the surrounding suburb it serves a population of about 1.5 million. Nestled between Hamilton and nearby Burlington is one of the most beautiful collection of botanical gardens in North America with the largest collection of lilacs in the world and over 300 acres of cultivated gardens and natural trails. Running through Hamilton region is the famous Bruce Trail, a conservation area stretching from Niagara Peninsula to Tobermory. Scattered throughout the Hamilton area are numerous golf courses, parks, and campgrounds. Many of these serve as winter skiing locations. Toronto and Niagara Falls are only 50-60 km. away. Many attractive smaller villages and towns are within driving distances. The cost of housing is less than in Toronto.  Cultural and recreational facilities are readily available.

Applications Candidates for residency training must be Canadian or Landed Immigrants, graduated in Canada. Most of the Laboratory Medicine positions are available through the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CARMS). Haematology is accepted under Internal Medicine. Medical Microbiology is run as a combined program with Infectious Diseases; application should be made through Internal Medicine. Applicants for fellowship training are considered individually but should be on the Educational Register of the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Ontario. Externally funded non-Canadian applicants for residency training are also considered with the understanding that they will return to their country of origin at the end of their training.

For further details of different specialties please consult the website: 
  http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/pathres/

Address Enquiries To:

Monalisa Sur,M.D.,  Professor In Pathology and Molecular Medicine
Program Director, Anatomical Pathology, Laboratory Medicine Residency Training Program
Department of Anatomical Pathology
Henderson Hospital
Hamilton, Ontario L8N 4A6
Phone: (905) 521-2100 Ext. 42051