Medical Microbiology

Cheryl Main Medical Microbiology Program Director Assistant Professor Pathology & Molecular Medicine Room 1-114 Hamilton General We are currently closed to independent, foreign applicants.

Program Overview

The Medical Microbiology Program, in conjunction with the Infection Diseases Program, provides training in basic science microbiology, clinical microbiology, infection control, laboratory management and clinical infectious disease.

Residents will carry out research in association with the faculty, which will also allow for more formal research training, Residents are also encouraged to demonstrate self-directed problem-based learning.

Qualified applicants will have completed undergradute MD program from a Canadian medical school or core training in internal medicine or pediatrics, and who are eligible for certification in those disciplines by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canda (RCPSC).

Curriculum

There are two pathways, which can be taken to meet the RCPSC requirements and be eligible for the RCPSC examination. For the candidates pursuing microbiology residency directly after completing the MD program will undergo a five-year training program. The first year consists of clinical rotations in various fields of medicine. During the remaining 4 years, the residents will participate in infectious diseases service rotations, bacteriology, virology, mycology, mycobacteriology, molecular microbiology, infection control, laboratory management, public health microbiology and research projects.

The residents, who have completed core training in internal medicine or pediatrics may pursue microbiology residency in conjunction with infectious diseases residency. The combined infectious diseases and medical microbiology residency is a three year program. The successful candidates will participate in infectious diseases service rotations for 12 months, and complete rotations in bacteriology, virology, mycology, mycobacteriology, molecular microbiology, infection control, laboratory management, public health microbiology. The residents also have numerous opportunities to participate in research projects. Upon completion of the combined Medical Microbiology/ Infectious Diseases (MM/ID) residency, the candidates will be qualified to participate in both medical microbiology and infectious diseases RCPSC examinations.

Resources

Microbiology laboratories are currently in the process of being centralized at St. Joseph's Healthcare. These labs, along with the Regional Public Health Laboratory of the Ontario Ministry of Health, function as integrated entities within the Hamilton Health Sciences Microbiology Programme. These laboratories serve the daily diagnostic needs of hospitals, in addition to housing regional reference laboratories for virology and chlamydiae, anaerobic bacteriology, parasitology, mycology, mycobacteriology, mycoplasmology, and the central medial laboratory. Residents will have the opportunity to rotate through each laboratory.

There are 15 faculty members, including medical microbiologists, clinical microbiologists and infectious diseases physicians available to assist residents in their training.

Educational Activities

A weekly basic science and clinical microbiology seminar series are available. There are weekly plate rounds attended by residents and faculty. Regional Infectious Diseases Rounds are held weekly, and MM/ID Research-In Progress Rounds occur monthly.

Residents are required to design and carry-out a series of research projects.

Evaluation

Performance appraisal is on-going and in-course training assessment in the format of written, oral and practical examination are given annually. Residents will also have the chance to participate in faculty evaluations.