CancerCare Manitoba, University of Manitoba

ON 2048, Cancer Care Manitoba

675 McDermot Avenue

Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9 Canada

(204) 787-8823

K Alok Pathak, MD PhD FRCS (Glasg) FRCSEd FRCSC – Fellowship Director

Priyanka Patel – Fellowship Administrator

Number of Fellowships: 1

Duration (in years) / Type: 1 year / 1 yr Clinical
Faculty:

Alok Pathak, MD, PhD, FRCSC
Richard W. Nason, MD, FRCSC
Julie Kickbush, MD, FRCSC
Adnan A. Shah, MDS, FDSRCS
Edward W Buchel, MD, FRCSC
Thomas E Hayakawa, MD, FRCSC
Vallerie Gordon, MD, FRCPC
Andrew Maksymiuk, MD, FRCPC
Craig Harlos MD, FRCPC
William D. Leslie, MD, FRCPC
Ahmet Leylek, MD, FRCPC
Andrew Cooke, MD, FRCPC

Program Website

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Overview: CancerCare Manitoba is the tertiary referral center for cancer patients from the provinces of Manitoba, Nunavut, North- Western Ontario and Saskatchewan as well as Nunavut in Canada providing cancer care to a population of around 1.5 million. Head & Neck Surgical Oncology service at CancerCare Manitoba comprises 3 fellowship trained Head and Neck Surgical oncologists who see over 1200 new patients and 5000 follow up patients every year. About 425 proven cancer cases receive multi-disciplinary treatment every year based on the recommendations at weekly head and neck disease site group case conferences. Being a part of a University Hospital enables access to other services like reconstructive surgery, neurosurgery, thoracic surgery, vascular surgery and rehabilitation services, to name a few, at any time. Research Institute of Hematology and Oncology is housed in the same premises, which provides the interested fellows an easy access to basic laboratory research facilities. CancerCare Manitoba also houses the Manitoba Cancer Registry which is one of the oldest population- based registries in the world. This makes both clinical and translational possible on a population- based cohort.

Objectives: At the end of their fellowship, our fellow will have the knowledge and experience to determine stage and treatment options for individual head and neck cancer patients; broad knowledge of other cancer treatment modalities including, but not limited to: radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and endocrine therapy; expertise in the selection of patients for surgical management of head and neck cancer as a component of a multi-disciplinary treatment plan; knowledge of the benefits and risks associated with a multi-disciplinary approach; experience in palliative techniques as they apply to head and neck cancer patients including proper selection of patients, proper performance of palliative surgical procedures and knowledge of non-surgical palliative treatments and finally a clear understanding of tumor biology, carcinogenesis, epidemiology, tumor markers and tumor pathology.

Strengths: Head and Neck Surgical Oncology program operates from two University teaching hospitals -Health Sciences Centre and St. Boniface General Hospital with over 700 head and neck surgical procedures performed every year. We have a strong minimally invasive Head and Neck Surgical Oncology program that encompasses minimally invasive thyroidectomies and parathyroidectomies, CO₂ laser excisions and radio-guided sentinel node biopsies. Fellows are also expected to be actively involved in complex surgical procedures requiring multi-disciplinary participation like micro-vascular reconstructions, skull base surgeries, mediastinal lymph node dissections and major vascular interventions.

Eligibility: CancerCare Manitoba offers a one-year fellowship in head and neck surgical oncology to Otolaryngologists, General Surgeons, or Plastic Surgeons who have completed their residency training and have passed or attained qualification to sit for the examination of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada or American Board of Otolaryngology, Surgery, or Plastic Surgery. The fellowship program is designed to offer a comprehensive training program in clinical head and neck oncology to prepare the individual for an academic career.

Fellows’ Duties/Responsibilities: During the twelve-month period fellows will be provided with ample opportunities to participate in Multi-disciplinary Clinics and Conferences to help them in developing clinical and technical skills for providing comprehensive care to head and neck cancer patients. The fellow will be provided the opportunity to either perform as surgeon or first assistant in about 450 major procedures in the head and neck region.

Research Opportunities: Fellows are encouraged to be involved in our ongoing studies in collaboration with Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology, Manitoba Cancer Registry and University of Manitoba and are expected to develop or participate in at least one research project to be submitted to a peer review journal for possible publication.

Supervision, Teaching & Call: In addition to maintaining and enhancing his/her professional activities through ongoing educational activity, fellows will be involved in training and teaching medical students, surgical residents, physician assistants, and support staff. Fellow will be responsible for coordinating the academic activity of the service in terms of organizing the journal club, morbidity and mortality conference. Fellow will help in orientating the residents, medical students and trainees during their rotations and supervise them through the surgical procedures and be involved in different teaching courses organized by the Head and Neck Surgical Oncology program. They are expected to take 1 in 3 call.

PAST FELLOWS
2020/2021       Suhail Sayed, Current Fellow
2019/2020       Alicia Chow, Saskatchewan, Canada
2018/2019      Ahmed Freig, Lecturer, Alexandria University, Egypt
2017/2018       Benjamin Turner, British Columbia, Canada
2016/2017       Anupam Das, Asst Professor, B. Borooah Cancer Center, India
2015/2016       Fahad Cadili, Manitoba, Canada
2014/2015       Mohamad Sharaf Eldin, Lecturer, Mansoura University, Egypt
2012/2013       Adebola Obayan, Saskatchewan, Canada
2011/2012      Andrea Torroni, Associate Professor, NYU School of Medicine