The Andrology fellowship at the 平特五不中 Health Centre (Division of Urology) is offered as two-year fellowship. The fellows will work under the direct supervision of fellowship-trained Andrology experts: Drs. Armand Zini and Peter Chan. The fellowship is designed to teach the urologist the necessary clinical and surgical skills to effectively manage male infertility. The Andrology fellowship is not designed to train the urologist in sexual medicine.
The fellows will need to meet specific learning and research objectives and will be given clinical responsibilities.
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LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
To meet these objectives, fellows will attend all andrology clinics and assist in infertility surgery, participate in andrology rounds (with presentation of clinical and basic science topics in andrology) and will be given a list of suggested reading material. Specific areas to be covered will include biology of reproduction, and the evaluation and treatment of male infertility. At the end of the training, the fellow should gain expertise in:
- Biology of reproduction.
Spermatogenesis
Hormonal control of germ cell development and steroidogenesis
Sperm biology
Basic female reproductive biology and fertilization
听 - Clinical evaluation and management of male infertility
Fellows are expected to learn how to appropriately evaluate and manage infertile couples. An understanding of the treatment algorithm (including the application of assisted reproduction) is expected. Fellows will be expected to give formal presentations on various clinical topics during the fellowship.
听 - Surgical aspects of andrology
Fellows are expected to develop the basic surgical skills (with emphasis on microsurgical skills) to perform microsurgical varicocelectomy, microsurgical vasectomy reversal (including vaso-epididymostomy) and various techniques of sperm retrieval (including percutaneous sperm retrieval and microdissection testicular sperm extraction).
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RESEARCH and ACADEMIC OBJECTIVES:
Fellows are responsible for undertaking a minimum of two research (clinical and/or basic) projects under the supervision of Drs. Zini and/or Chan. These projects will be submitted for presentation and publication. Fellows will also be given the opportunity to write book chapters in selected topics in Andrology.
Clinical and basic research interests at 平特五不中 include varicoceles, vasectomy reversal, sperm function evaluation (including sperm DNA integrity, semen oxidants) and genetics of infertility.
Fellows are required to attend research meetings and learn basic andrology lab skills at the research laboratory of Dr. Armand Zini. This will expose the fellows to the scientific thought process used in the development of basic and clinical research projects.
Fellows will have protected time for clinical and or basic research activities of no less than one full day per week.
If the fellow wishes to conduct a basic laboratory project (within the scope of research activities in the supervisors鈥� labs), adequate resources will be provided by Dr. Zini and/or Dr. Chan.
Desk space is available for the fellow at the research laboratory of Dr. Zini.
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CLINICAL AND TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES:
Fellows are responsible for attending all male infertility clinics (with Drs. Zini and/or Chan). Fellows will also be responsible for assisting during male infertility-specific surgeries (this responsibility will be shared 50:50 with the rotating urology resident). It is expected that during a 3-month block, any given urology resident rotating with one of the Andrology fellowship supervisors will be assisting on 6 - 10 Andrology surgical cases (the fellow will be assisting on a similar number of cases [6-10] during the same period). Exceptionally, the fellow will be given priority for some of the more complex cases (specifically, vaso-epididymostomy).
For all other surgical procedures (i.e. non-andrology), the rotating resident(s) will be given priority. Fellows will also assist in the teaching of residents and students.
Fellows may be asked to share the 鈥渙n call鈥� duties with the 平特五不中 Urology residents if needed. The 鈥渙n call鈥� frequency will be in accordance with the FMRQ guidelines ().
FEEDBACK:
Regular (quarterly) feedback on performance evaluation will be given to the fellows. This will focus on clinical evaluation and micro-surgical skills. This feedback will be provided by Dr. Zini.
Additionally, any concern regarding misconduct or professionalism will be addressed immediately. Dr. Zini will discuss these concerns directly with the fellow. If needed, conduct or professionalism problems will be reviewed with the urology program director.
ELIGIBILITY:
Candidates for the fellowship must be graduates of a recognized Medical School and must have completed their urology residency at a recognized University.
Candidates need to be fluent in English and/or French.
FUNDING:
Candidates should secure their own funding for the duration of the fellowship. Candidates are encouraged to apply (with the assistance of one or more of the co-supervisors) for external funding through an established agency (e.g. FRSQ, Kidney foundation, CIHR, AFUD). Candidates enrolled in a 2-year research fellowship may also apply for funding through the Surgical Scientist Program at 平特五不中. For more information regarding the amount and acceptable sources of funding please visit the link at
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