Cancer Rehabilitation Fellowship Program Information Page
See below for Fellowship Detail, How To Apply & Resources
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Fellowship Director: Dr. George Francis
Fellowship Start Date & Length: July, 1-2 years
Positions Per Year: 1 or 2 dependent on funding
Application Deadline: August 31 of the preceding year
Requirements:
Completed or in final year of residency in an accredited Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation training program or closely related field (this is considered on individual bases with fields such as neurology and oncology beind acceptable)
On-site elective experience is strongly recommended, but not required
Complete application package submitted prior to the deadline including the components in the link below including the 1-page fellowship application document, personal letter, 3 letters of reference, proof of residency training, and identification documents as needed
The Calgary Cancer Rehabilitation Fellowship is a new fellowship program through the section of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R). In partnership with the Division of Clinical Neurosciences and Department of Oncology, the Calgary Cancer Rehabilitation Fellowship aims to be an internationally premiered program for subspecialty training in cancer PM&R, or cancer physiatry. Established in July 2024, the program will train one Canadian or International Medical Graduate per academic year. The global impact of this training is anticipated to transform rehabilitation oncology care and program development throughout Canada and around the world.
With three cancer physiatrists (PM&R) integrated into the rehabilitation oncology program with physical therapy, occupational therapy, therapy assistants and speech language and pathology, we can provide comprehensive integrated services in cancer rehabilitation, exercise and survivorship. At the Arthur J.E. Child Cancer Centre, we are excited to be in an oncology space in supportive care, that fosters clinical work, innovation, collaboration with integrative, medical and radiation oncology, while pushing the boundaries of cancer rehabilitation to new heights.
The fellowship program incorporates an academic component involving any of research, quality improvement or medical education. We are proud of our collaboration with the University of Calgary Departments of Clinical Neuroscience & Kinesiology, as well as the the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, and Charbonneau Cancer Institute. These partnerships help facilitate fellows’ goals in these areas of academic development.
Fellowship Curriculum
The University of Calgary Cancer Rehabilitation Fellowship will provide Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation trainees comprehensive exposure to cancer rehabilitation to gain advanced skills in the design and delivery of rehabilitation, exercise and lifestyle interventions for the cancer population. During their training, fellows will run outpatient clinics and perform inpatient consults at the world-class Arthur J.E. Child Cancer Centre. Fellows will gain exposure to cancer pain, interventional pain management, cognitive impairment, lymphedema, optimization of daily activities, exercise prescription, electrodiagnostic and neuromuscular medicine, facilitation of return to school/work, functional prognostication, and mobility & home equipment recommendations.
The fellow will have the skills to manage various neuromusculoskeletal impairments including shoulder impairment, hormone induced arthralgia or tendinopathy, radiation fibrosis, advanced oncologic disease including bone metastasis, and brain and spinal cord impairment.
The curriculum will include:
Independent outpatient cancer physiatry clinics
Multidisciplinary outpatient cancer rehabilitation clinics
Inpatient consultations on medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology and palliative care units
Training on exercise clearance, prescription, and prehabilitation including activity precautions in advanced cancer
Procedural experience including peripheral soft tissue or joint injections including botulinum toxin, trigger point injections, and cortisone injections in peripheral joints and soft tissues
Opportunities for additional exposure to ultrasound guided injections, cancer related electrodiagnostics, palliative care, and chronic cancer-related pain management
Schedule
Clinical work consists of 13 blocks over the year-long fellowship with no on-call requirement.
A typical yearly schedule will consist of 13 blocks of regular clinic work in inpatient consult & outpatient consult-based cancer rehabilitation, with the opportunity to explore areas of interest (ultrasound guided injections, electrodiagnostics, etc.)
A weekly schedule while on cancer rehabilitation blocks will consist of 4 clinical days per week between inpatient & outpatient cancer rehabilitation, and 1 day of academic work.
Academic Education
Non-clinical education including the following opportunities:
Regular scheduled and unscheduled teaching sessions on cancer rehabilitation topics
Mentorship and protected time to complete a research project, medical education project or quality improvement initiative
Opportunities for teaching medical students and physical medicine and rehabilitation residents on rotation and during their academic half days
Participating in regional and national tumour boards and Special Interest Groups
Participating in & presenting at division rounds, national journal club and divisional journal club (please note fellows typically present two academic presentations during fellowship)
Fellowship Resources (click on each below for further information)
Royal College Detweiler Travelling Fellowship Grant for additional funding
Calgary PGME Fellowship Information
International Fellow Applicant Information - University of Calgary Post-Graduate Medical Education
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