General Surgery residency can be the first step towards a variety of fellowship opportunities.
Fellowships are clinical- and/or research-based training programs that residents may choose to pursue after the completion of their residency program. General Surgery fellowship programs in Canada and the US can be accredited through a variety of bodies including: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), subspecialty organizations, or from post-secondary institutions.
Fellowship areas that general surgeons may choose pursue following residency include, but are not limited to:
- Acute Care Emergency Surgery
- Bariatric Surgery
- Breast Surgery
- Colorectal Surgery
- Critical Care/ Intensive Care
- Endocrine Surgery
- Endoscopy (advanced and therapeutic techniques)
- Head and Neck Surgical Oncology
- Hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB)
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
- Pediatric Surgery
- Surgical Oncology
- Thoracic Surgery
- Transplant Surgery
- Trauma Surgery
- Vascular Surgery
- And more…
The application process for fellowship programs can vary significantly between and within subspecialties. It is important to start looking into programs you are interested in well in advance to ensure that you are aware of the application process and timeline. Applications may be run through a match service such as the Canadian Residency Matching System (CaRMS), National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), or The Fellowship Council, or they may be submitted directly to individual programs.
Below you will find information about fellowship training opportunities available within Canada. We have attempted to compile the most up to date information possible but realize this list is likely incomplete and information may change more frequently than this list is updated. We encourage residents to use the information below as a starting point for pursuing fellowships but not as a sole resource. It may be useful to note that many fellowships encourage residents to take an elective in their department during their training if possible. See the Electives section for details about how to arrange electives.
Fellowships by Subspecialty
The information provided below has been gathered for the use of current Canadian general surgery residents as it relates to application for fellowship training positions. The application process for international trainees may differ from what is described below.
NOTE: Most dates listed below are taken from either the 2022 or 2023 application cycle and may vary year to year. Please check program pages regularly for up to date information. Many program applications start during PGY4 year for a start following PGY5 so take note of the application cycle year when looking at programs.
See below for trauma and acute care fellowships.
See below for Minimally Invasive Surgery fellowships.
Application: Varies by program. Some are directed to individual programs while others are through the Society of Surgical Oncology (www.surgonc.org)
School | Program Length | Application deadline | Program Information |
Western | 1 year | Apr 1 | https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/generalsurgery/education/fellowship/breast_fellowship.html |
McMaster | 1 year | Aug 8 | Administrative Assistant: Dr. Elyse Cornele – cornele@mcmaster.ca |
Toronto | 1 year | Jan 20 | https://surgery.utoronto.ca/breast-surgical-oncology-fellowship-program |
Ottawa | 1 year | Oncoplastic and research breast surgical oncology – https://med.uottawa.ca/surgery/divisions/general-surgery/clinical-programs/breast-surgical-oncology |
Application: Directed to individual programs in Canada or through NRMP in the US (www.nrmp.org)
Additional information:
- American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons (www.fascrs.org)
- Canadian Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (www.cscrs.ca)
Application: CaRMS (www.carms.ca)
Additional information: Canadian Critical Care Society (https://canadiancriticalcare.org/Residency-Programs)
Application and additional information: American Association of Endocrine Surgeons match (www.endocrinesurgery.org)
School | Program Length | Application deadline | Program Information |
Calgary | 1 year | April 22 | https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/sites/default/files/teams/276/general-surgery-endocrine.pdf |
Toronto | 1 year | https://surgery.utoronto.ca/endocrine-surgery-fellowship-program |
Application: Directed to individual programs in Canada.
Most advanced/therapeutic endoscopy programs are run by the department of gastroenterology, however some programs are open to both GI and general surgery residents, others require a completed GI fellowship
Additional endoscopic training courses: SEE Program (https://www.cag-acg.org/education/see-program)
*Note: Discount available for CAGS members
School | Program Length | Application deadline | Program Information |
Calgary | 1-2 years | Mar 31 | http://www.calgarygi.com/index.php?mode=webpage&id=595 |
Western | 1 year | Aug 31 | https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/gastroenterology/education/advanced_luminal_endoscopy_fellowship.html |
McMaster | 1 year | Oct 1 | https://healthsci.mcmaster.ca/medicine/division/gastroenterology/education/advanced-endoscopy-fellowship |
Application: Varies by program. Some are directed to individual programs while others are through the American Head and Neck Society match (www.ahns.info)
Note: Most H+N surgery programs are run by ENT departments but may accept applicants from general surgery programs
School | Program Length | Application deadline | Program Information |
Alberta | 1 year | Mar 1 | https://www.ualberta.ca/surgery/divisions/otolaryngology-head-and-neck-surgery/otolaryngology-head-and-neck-surgery-fellowship.html |
Manitoba | 1 year | May 31 | https://umanitoba.ca/medicine/department-surgery/head-and-neck-surgical-oncology-fellowship |
Toronto | 1-2 years | Mar 1 | https://otolaryngology.utoronto.ca/head-neck-surgical-oncology-fellowship |
Application: Varies by program. Some are directed to individual programs others are through The Fellowship Council (www.fellowshipcouncil.org)
There may be some overlap between this section and the Transplant Surgery section.
Additional information:
- Americas HepatoPancreato Biliary Association (www.ahpba.org)
- International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (www.ihpba.org)
- Canadian Hepato-pancreato-biliary association (https://www.chpba.ca/education)
Application: Varies by program. Some are directed to individual programs while others are through The Fellowship Council (www.fellowshipcouncil.org)
Note: Some programs have a bariatric focus while others are general MIS approaches to a wide variety of surgical conditions. Some programs also allow for the option to incorporate advanced endoscopic skills into fellowship training.
Additional information: Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (www.sages.org)
Application: National Residency Matching Program for North American fellowships (https://www.nrmp.org/fellowship-applicants/participating-fellowships/pediatric-surgery-match/)
Additional information:
- Canadian Association of Paediatric Surgeons (www.caps.ca)
- American Pediatric Surgical Association (https://apsapedsurg.org/)
Applications: National Residency Matching Program (NMRP) match (https://www.nrmp.org/)
Additional information: Society of Surgical Oncology match (www.surgonc.org)
School | Program Length | Application deadline | Program Information |
UBC | 2 years | Jan 17 | https://surgery.med.ubc.ca/education/postgraduate-education/complex-general-surgical-oncology/ |
Calgary | 2 years | https://www.surgonc.org/fellows/surgical-oncology-fellowships/program-list/university-of-calgary/ | |
Toronto | 2 years | Surgical Oncology and Surgical Oncology/HBP streams – https://surgery.utoronto.ca/complex-general-surgical-oncology-program | |
Ottawa | 2 years | https://www.surgonc.org/fellows/surgical-oncology-fellowships/program-list/university-of-ottawa/ | |
McGill | 2 years | https://www.mcgill.ca/oncology/education-training/postgraduate-medical-education/surgical-oncology |
Applications: Directed to individual programs.
Additional information:
- Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons (www.canadianthoracicsurgeons.ca)
- American Association of Thoracic Surgeons (www.aats.org)
Application: Varies by program. Some are directed to individual programs while others are through the SF Match (https://www.sfmatch.org/) or the Fellowship Council (www.fellowshipcouncil.org).
Programs may offer training in single or multi-organ transplant. These programs are delivered under various surgical departments including the department of general surgery (multi-organ), thoracic surgery (lung), or urology (kidney). There may be some overlap between this section and the HPB Surgery section.
Additional information:
- American Society of Transplant Surgeons (www.asts.org)
- Canadian Society of Transplantation (https://www.cst-transplant.ca/Fellowships.html)
School | Program Length | Application deadline | Program Information |
Alberta | 2 years | Jan 1 | Liver and Hepatopancreatobiliary transplant – https://www.cst-transplant.ca/Fellowships.html#Surgical-Alberta
Kidney transplant – https://www.ualberta.ca/surgery/divisions/urology/fellowship-programs/transplant.html#:~:text=The%20University%20of%20Alberta%20surgical,available%20to%20the%20suitable%20candidate |
Western | 1-2 years | Jan 1 | Liver, and Hepatopancreatobiliary transplant – https://www.lhsc.on.ca/multi-organ-transplant-program/abdominal-organ-transplant-hepatopancreaticobiliary-surgery |
Toronto | 2 years | Jan 1 | Kidney, Liver, and Pancreas transplant – https://www.torontoaotransplantfellowship.com/ |
Ottawa | 1-2 years | June 1 | Kidney transplant – https://www.cst-transplant.ca/Fellowships.html#Surgical-Ottawa |
McGill | 2 years | Feb 8 | HPB transplant – https://www.mcgill.ca/generalsurgery/education/fellowships/transplantation-hepatobiliary-pancreatic-surgery-fellowship |
Application: Directed to individual programs in Canada.
Additional information: https://canucs.ca/fellowships/
Application: Directed to individual programs in Canada or through the NRMP in the US. (www.nrmp.org).
Note: Many programs are moving away from offering vascular surgery 5+2 fellowships in favour of 0+5 direct entry programs. The programs listed in the table below do offer 5+2 training programs.
- The following programs do not offer 5+2 training programs: Calgary, Western, and McMaster.
- For all other schools, please reach out to the programs for additional information on the training pathways they offer.
Additional information:
- Canadian Society of Vascular Surgery (www.canadianvascular.ca)
- Society of Vascular Surgeons (www.vascularweb.org)
School | Program Length | Application deadline | Program Information |
Calgary | 2 years | https://chirurgie.umontreal.ca/etudes/d-e-s/d-e-s-en-traumatologie-et-soins-aigus/ | |
Ottawa | 2 years | April 15 | https://med.uottawa.ca/surgery/divisions/vascular-surgery/education |
McGill | 2 years | https://www.mcgill.ca/vascularsurgery/residency-information
Requires inquiring directly to Program Director as number of positions vary annually |
|
Montreal | 2 years | https://medpostdoc.umontreal.ca/programmes/chirurgie-vasculaire/ |
School | Topic | Program information |
Queen’s | Clinical Research Fellowship in Population Health and
Colorectal/Gastrointestinal Cancer Outcomes |
https://surgery.queensu.ca/sites/surgery/files/inline-files/Advert%20for%20Clinical%20Research%20Fellow_0.pdf |