University of Toronto
Department of Medicine
Division of Gastroenterology

Program Overview

Maria Cino, BSc, MSc, MD, FRCPC
Division of Gastroenterology Program Director

University of Toronto Division of Gastroenterology Education Program

The core gastroenterology subspecialty training program is the largest program in Canada, with 11 trainees currently enrolled in the PGY-4 and PGY-5 years, and 22 postgraduate Clinical Fellows in hepatology, luminal gastroenterology and endoscopy, in addition to postgraduate Research Fellows. 

Our program is committed to train gastroenterologists with a strong interest in scholarly pursuit.  At least 21 months of the two year training program is designated to clinical rotations, which comprise in-patient and consultative Gastroenterology /  Hepatology service, in addition to ambulatory clinic and adequate endoscopy experience.  During the PGY-5 year, trainees have a 3-month research block to explore an in depth research project, with the opportunity to continue this research during a third year of training, potentially through the Clinical Scientist Program at the University of Toronto.  At the University of Toronto, the training program provides breadth and depth of learning, with the opportunity for exposure to the multiple facets of gastroenterology and hepatology via:

• basic and specialized training in luminal gastroenterology at all sites

• advanced training in hepatology, transplantation and exposure to a strong autoimmune and viral hepatitis ambulatory program based at TWH

• acquisition of diagnositc and therapeutic procedural skills: endoscopy, liver   biopsy, paracentesis (all sites) and exposure to advanced therapeutics (SMH)

• acquisition of research (clinical, epidemiologic, translational or basic) skills during a protected 3-month protected research block during the PGY-5 year. To encourage the pursuit of scholarly work, we have established an annual Hepatology Research Day and a University of Toronto Division of Gastroenterology Research Day, where GI Residents, Clinical and Research Fellows, and GIM trainees may showcase their research.

• exposure to a comprehensive core curriculum (academic half-day) teaching program, which includes clinical, physiology, pathology and radiology teaching, in addition to specific CanMEDS objectives (ethics, quality improvement etc…). The CAG Basic Science (Nation-wide Videoconference) Rounds are integrated into the academic half day.

The training program is distributed across multiple teaching sites, providing exposure to various faculty members and mentors. There are education site-based directors and representatives from Research, Hepatology, Endoscopy and In-Training Evaluation on the education committee.

• Mount Sinai Hospital
• St. Michael's Hospital
• Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• University Health Network 
• Toronto General Hospital
• Toronto Western Hospital
• Women's College Hospital

There are regularly scheduled teaching rounds at each hospital.  In addition, there are monthly City Wide Gastroenterology Rounds, Hepatobiliary Rounds and weekly Inflammatory Bowel Disease Rounds (MSH) and interval scheduled Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research Rounds, attended by faculty (local, national and international), trainees and community collegues. 

The trainees also rotate through rotations at partially affiliated health care institutions:in the community:

• North York General Hospital
• St. Joseph's Health Science Centre
• Credit Valley Hospital

At the University of Toronto, there is representation of the diverse aspects of clinical gastroenterology by internationally recognized programs, including gastrointestinal oncology, inflammatory bowel disease, genetics, hepatology, therapeutic endoscopy, nutrition, liver transplantation.  Research within the Division includes basic science and translational research, epidemiology, clinical trials, clinical outcomes and health informatics.