The length of training is two years.

During the program, trainees receive a well-rounded endocrine education while encountering a broad range of general endocrine disorders in multiple weekly general endocrine clinics. In addition to this they participate in clinics related to:

• Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
• Diabetes transition from adolescent to adult care
• Bone and calcium metabolism
• Disorders of sex development
• Obesity management
• Survivors of childhood cancer
• Gender diversity
• Camp Huronda (for children with Type 1 diabetes)
• A Type 2 diabetes outreach clinic in northern Ontario
• A supervised weekly resident continuity clinic

Our trainees play an important role in the care provided at McMaster Children’s Hospital, an academic health sciences centre dedicated to children and adolescents. The hospital serves a population of 2.3 million people in south central Ontario and the surrounding communities, exposing our subspecialty residents and fellows to a diverse spectrum of endocrine disorders thus allowing them to gain valuable clinical experience.

Throughout?the first year,?trainees?have?research half-days during their clinic rotations.?This protected time?provides?opportunities to brainstorm ideas, meet with supervisors, prepare?proposals, and submit Research Ethics Board?applications.

In the second year,?two to three months (or more) of research time??is scheduled. Time is?dependent?on the project,?trainee objectives, career trajectory, and?influenced by?discussions?with?the?program director and research advisor.

To?build?foundations of scholarship, all?first-year?trainees?attend the evidence-based?medicine course for subspecialty pediatric residents.?Throughout the?course,?trainees?design?and present?a research project?and?receive?feedback on their study design.?To support understanding and acquisition of basic QI methodology, all residents attend the?annual?QI co-learning workshop.

Within the first three months,?and at regular intervals throughout the program,?trainees?meet with the?program’s?research coordinator,?Katherine Morrison,?to?explore their research goals and potential projects.?Morrison is a full-time?clinician-scientist?and?associate chair?of?research?in the Department of Pediatrics. Trainees are supported through faculty supervision and mentorship, and access to specialty courses or graduate programs (i.e.,?Master of Health?Research Methodology, Master of Education, etc.).

Financial?assistance?of $1,000?annually,?per?trainee,?is available to support the cost of relevant courses.?Additional grants are?available through the Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, and through government and private granting?agencies.

If the?trainee?chooses to stay for a?third?year of training to pursue research,?they can apply for salary support through?the?Canadian Pediatric Endocrine Group,?or through the Department of Pediatrics’ supplemental subspecialty?fellowship year.