All foreign-trained applicants must submit a complete application to the McMaster University Postgraduate Education office as well as our department (see Application section of the website), in order to ensure that you are eligible to perform fellowship training at a McMaster University-affiliated hospital. Although a candidate may be accepted to a fellowship, he/she can only commence working at one of our sites if he/she has:

1. been deemed eligible by the McMaster University Department of Postgraduate Education,
2. obtained a valid license to practice in Ontario from the CPSO (College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario),
3. obtained malpractice protection from the CMPA (Canadian Medical Protective Association).

Note: Citizens of Saudi Arabia must apply through the Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau, who will forward your application to our Postgrad office. The Bureau is located in Ottawa, Canada and their website with contact information is: www.saudibureau.org.

This is an assessment process that evaluates International Medical Graduates (IMGs) to determine whether they are able to meet the standards and requirements of the Fellowship Program and hence function at an acceptable and appropriate level.

This assessment period enables IMGs to adjust, familiarize and become adept with the new processes, procedures and equipment at the specific hospital site and ensure that they are well on their way to meeting the goals, expectations and objectives of the fellowship.

Pre-Entry Assessment Programs can be completed in a minimum of 4 weeks and within a maximium time frame of 12 weeks. During the PEAP period, candidates are issued a restricted PEAP certificate by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, and operate under the terms and conditions of that certificate.

At many sites, preliminary PEAP evaluations are conducted 4 – 6 weeks into the fellowship to help identify any specific areas where improvement might be required in order to pass the PEAP assessment. This provides candidates who may not be meeting expected levels to take remedial action to improve performance and productivity before the actual PEAP assessment is conducted.

Once the candidate has successfully completed the Pre-Entry Assessment Program Evaluation, a Clinical Fellowship Certificate will be issued by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. This process takes approximately two business days, during which time the candidate is not able to partake in clinical practice.

It is important to note that unsuccessful completion of the CPSO Pre-Entry Assessment Program, will result in immediate termination of the canadiate’s Fellowship.

All candidates should have a good command of the English language and be able to converse and dictate with proper grammar. The site to which you are applying may ask you to submit a sample dictation for review. Proof of proficiency in English (TOEFL) may be required and is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Our program receives numerous international applications. If an interview is granted to those not living in close proximity to Hamilton, telephone interviews with one or more members of the selection committee will be granted.

At this time, all Diagnostic Imaging fellowships across the city have July 1st start date.

On-call responsibilities vary from site to site. Further details can be discussed at your interview and will be included in your orientation package upon acceptance to the fellowship program. Please note that fellows do not fall under the umbrella of the PAIRO (Professional Association of Internes and Residents of Ontario) guidelines.

The same amount of leave/vacation time is standard across all sites and includes 4 weeks of vacation time and 2 weeks of professional leave to be used for a course or conference.

An educational stipend of $2,000.00 will be provided by the group in which you are working.

Participation in a research project is a mandatory component of fellowship training. During the first six weeks of the fellowship, fellows are encouraged to liaise with staff and formulate a research proposal. One academic day per full working week is offered after this time with the expectation that the project is ready for publication and/or poster presentation by the end of the academic year. Findings are to be presented at the annual resident and fellow research day, which is typically held at the end of March of each year.

All Diagnostic Imaging fellowships at McMaster University are for a duration of one academic year only.

Currently, none of the McMaster University affiliated hospitals offer observerships or volunteer positions in Diagnostic Imaging.

There is no designated housing provided for Diagnostic Imaging fellows. The Hamilton living and housing links on this website are useful ways to find convenient housing. It is recommended that fellows live in Hamilton to allow for easy access to the hospital.

All Clinical Fellows with appointments of 12 months are eligible for Extended Health Care coverage. Less than a 12-month fellowship is considered temporary/casual and will not be eligible for Extended Health Care coverage. University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) is basic health care insurance and is provided to all Clinical Fellows. Specific details will be explained further once you are accepted to the program.

PARO – PGY6