| Fellowship Director | Antoine (Tony) Eskander, MD ScM FRCSC |
| Fellowship Co-Directors | Christopher Yao, MD FRCSC (University Health Network) Joel Davies, MD MSc FRCSC (Sinai Health Systems) |
| Administrators | Laura Tomasetti |
| Address | 2075 Bayview Ave., M1-102 Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3M5 CANADA |
Program Description
Program Website
| Department Chair | Danny Enepekides, MD, MPH |
| Number of AHNS accredited Fellowship positions | 4 |
| Fellowship Duration / Type | 4 Combined Ablative/Reconstructive Fellowships with 3 Rotations of 4 months at the three different participating sites (University Health Network, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Sinai Health) 1 Ablative only fellowship – 1 year (University Health Network) |
| Fellowship Faculty: | Program Director: Antoine Eskander, MD, ScM University Health Network John R. de Almeida, MD, MSc (Hospital Department Chief, University Health Network) Patrick J. Gullane, MD Dale Brown, MD Jonathan Irish, MD, MSc (Division Head) Ralph W. Gilbert, MD David Goldstein, MD, MSc Christopher Yao, MD (Fellowship Site Director) Sharon Tzelnick, MD, MPH Christopher Noel, MD, PhD Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center Danny Enepekidis, MD, MPH (Hospital Department Chief) Kevin Higgins, MD, MSc Antoine (Tony) Eskander, MD, ScM (Program Director) Sinai Health Eric Monteiro, MD, MSc (Hospital Department Chief) Ian Witterick, MD, MSc Joel Davies, MD, MSc (Fellowship Site Director) |
| Overview: University Health Network (Toronto General Hospital/Princess Margaret Hospital), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, and Sinai Health and the are teaching hospitals within the University of Toronto health sciences complex. Over the past 30 years, the Department of Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Toronto has developed a highly integrated multidisciplinary Head and Neck Fellowship Program incorporating these three campuses. The Toronto Western Hospital, where neurosurgical expertise is concentrated serves as the site for any surgery involving the skull base. This program is recognized internationally for patient care, research, and education, principally involving the disciplines of radiation, medical and surgical oncology; the program interfaces with medical imaging, pathology, dentistry, prosthodontics, speech and language pathology, nutrition sciences, nursing, social work, psychiatry, and research scientists. The program provides well-balanced exposure to all areas including microvascular surgery, complex ablative head and neck surgery, robotic surgery, endocrine surgery, skull base surgery, and innovative head and neck research. Rotations and educational schedule is overseen by Dr. Antoine (Tony) Eskander which includes developing rotation goals as well as the administration of a fellowship education curriculum (journal clubs, monthly education evenings and special topic lectures). The program adheres to all of the Curriculum Development & Maintenance Service (CDMS) fellowship requirements but further bolsters these through an in-house curriculum (including hands on educational sessions) for all faculty and fellows at the University of Toronto. Head and neck cancer services in the Province of Ontario provide services to 16.5 million people. There are 7 head and neck designated surgical centres in the province, of which 3 are within the University of Toronto program. From a clinical care perspective, the 3 head and neck centres under the University of Toronto umbrella are large volume centres by any measure. With the exception of the ablative stream (1 spot; full year, single mentor – Dr. Jonathan Irish), the remaining (4 spots) fellows will rotate through 4 different ablative/reconstructive rotations (2 at UHN, 1 Sunnybrook, 1 Sinai Health). Each fellow works with the same mentors for 4-6 months at a time before switching rotations; with the exception of a the ablative fellow who works with Dr. Jonathan Irish for the full year. Each fellow will be involved in a minimum of 100 free flaps per year in addition to a variety of regional reconstructive approaches. All 3 sites have access to transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and 2 of the 3 sites (Sinai Health and University Health Network) have access to advanced skull base surgery. Rotations can be tailored to acquire a higher volume of skull base surgery for interested fellows. The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre at the University Health Network is the largest regional program in Canada with 8 full time head and neck surgical oncologists (Dr. John de Almeida; Department Head, Ralph Gilbert, Dale Brown, Jonathan Irish, Christopher Yao, David Goldstein, Sharon Tzelnick, Christopher Noel and Patrick Gullane). The University Health Network (Toronto General Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Toronto Western Hospital) Head and Neck Program provides a complete spectrum of head and neck services including endocrine (300 cases per year), microvascular surgery (250 cases per year) and minimally invasive approaches including transoral robotic surgery (50 cases per year), skull base surgery (50-100 cases per year). The program has a strong multidisciplinary translational research program, with four core labs focused on different aspects of head and neck oncology. This site has the equivalent of 3 fellows of which 1 is a focused ablative only fellowship and 2 are a comprehensive ablative and reconstructive fellowship. The ablative only fellowship rotation offers non-microvascular free flap reconstruction experience and very low volume experience in free flap reconstruction. Recently rejoining the fellowship in 2026-2027, Sinai Health has a legacy of a strong collaborative program with the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre with multidisciplinary clinics, collaborative research and collaborative clinical care. The faculty at Mount Sinai includes Drs Ian Witterick, Eric Monteiro and Joel Davies. This addition to the program will bolster flap volume, complex ablative exposure including TORS, endocrine oncology and access to advanced skull base surgery. The Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center and /Odette Cancer Centre site offers the full breadth of Head and Neck Oncology Services including advanced ablative, minimally invasive laryngeal, transoral robotic and a high volume of microvascular surgery (130 cases per year). The group at Sunnybrook also has a particular interest and high volume exposure to advanced cutaneous malignancies. At this site, advanced endocrine surgery including tracheal resection and sternotomy access surgery is performed in conjunction with Thoracic Surgery at Michael Garron Hospital which is a level 1 thoracic surgery centre. While Otolaryngology is not a formal part of the trauma service at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, there is unique access to reconstructive spine and trauma cases given this is the largest trauma centre in Canada. The University of Toronto Fellowship program volumes provide a significant experience in the entire breadth of head and neck surgical oncology and reconstruction. The Division yearly volumes include: >400 free microvascular free flaps (Sunnybrook – 130, Sinai Health – 100, UHN – 250), >200 regional flaps flaps, >300 oral cancer surgical procedures (all sites) and >1000 thyroidectomies (all sites). The fellow is exposed to a large volume of head and neck related cases; the experience is tailored to the desires and ultimate career goals of the fellow. The fellow is expected to integrate with residents in the teaching program and act as mentor to them. Fellows are given incremental responsibility according to performance. Supervision is available at all times. There is no “double rooming” or “double booking” of cases thereby allowing for direct mentorship and a graded incremental responsibility approach. Fellows are required to attend one multidisciplinary head and neck oncology clinic per week. The didactic academic program is strong and formalized with a large number of teaching rounds, tumor boards, continuing medical education events, courses, and visiting professorships. |
| Objectives: 1. To train a well rounded head and neck oncological surgeon versed in patient care, teaching skills, and research appreciation in the arena of head and neck oncology. 2. To train the fellow in the technical aspects of ablation, reconstruction and endocrine surgical skills according to the current concepts in all of these disciplines 3. To teach the fellow the multidisciplinary aspects of management of the head and neck oncological patient including radiation oncology, medical oncology, and clinical trials. 4. To imbue the fellow with the highest core values and ethical behavior in his/her interaction with patients, colleagues, medical personnel, students and administrative co-workers. |
| Strengths: 1. High volume of large case mix of head and neck oncological patients 2. Acknowledged experts and teachers with world class reputation 3. High level of clinical and surgical responsibility with supervision 4. Intense formalized education program 5. Endowments that allow attendance at various local, national and international meetings 6. Availability of clinical research opportunities 7. The large program comprising 4 ablative/reconstructive fellows and 1 ablative fellow allows for a level of wonderful camaraderie and establishment of lifelong friendships |
| Eligibility: AHNS Advanced Training Council fellowships are available to all candidates who have completed ACGME accredited Otolaryngology, General Surgery or Plastic Surgery residency programs and whom are currently board eligible in those specialties. Any successful graduate of a Canadian Otolaryngology, General Surgery, Plastic Surgery. |
| Fellows’ Duties/Responsibilities: The program broadly encompasses a wide variety of neoplastic head and neck diagnoses. The major subsites include all head and neck mucosal malignancies. Other subsites include salivary glands, thyroid, carotid body tumors, complex head and neck skin malignancies, and head and neck sarcoma that are managed by the head and neck surgical group in collaboration with the respective radiation oncology and medical oncology site group members. During the one-year fellowship program, the clinical rotations include the Sinai Health, University Health Network (UHN), or Sunnybrook. There are four ablative/reconstructive and one ablative fellowship positions available per year. The duties of the Head and Neck Oncology Fellow are as follows within the respective institutions: 1. Participate in outpatient clinics pertaining to the head and neck. 2. Participate in surgical procedures pertaining to the head and neck. 3. Prepare a topic for the fellows’ monthly Education Seminar that takes place on the first Monday of each month. 4. Completion of at least one clinical-oriented research projects that results in peer-reviewed publications. Support is available for presentation of the fellow’s work at scholarly meetings. 5. Attend weekly interdisciplinary Tumor Board Rounds. |
| Research Opportunities Research in basic science and clinical studies is available. The fellow is expected to participate in at least 1 project and to publish results hopefully after presentation at an accredited meeting as coordinated by the Division Research Director (Dr. David Goldstein). Support funding for the projects and travel is available. |
| Past Fellows Of the fellows who have successfully completed this fellowship program, over 80% of them have pursued academic careers and a significant number are department chairs. University of Toronto Fellowship Alumni 2026 Noemie Villemure-Poliquin (Canada) Nadim Saydy (Canada) Lernik Sarkissian (Australia) Keyon Mohebzad (US) Nuwan Dharmawardana (New Zealand/Australia) 2025 Robert Calvisi (Australia) Gia Gill (Canada) Alon Pener-Tessler (Israel) Micheal Xie (Canada) Alessandra Ruaro (Italy) 2024 Elliot Yuk-Gai Koo (US) Esmat Najjar Leba Sarkis (Australia) Joaquim Ulloa Suarez (Chile) Sharon Tzelnick (Israel) 2023 Abulrahma Alenazi (Canada) Shayanne Lajud Guerrero (Puerto Rico) Michael Hajek (US) Mohammed Mamdani (US) 2022 Timothy Eviston (Australia) Mirko Manojlovic Kolarski (Canada) Susannah Orzell (US) Axel Sahovaler (Argentina) 2021 Michael Au (Canada) Ilyes Berania (Canada) Michael Blasco (US) Donovan Eu (Singapore) Leonardo Franz-Research (Italy) Tommaso Gualtieri-Research (Italy) Wael Hasan (Ireland) 2020 Ashok Jethwa (US) Konrado Massing Deutsch (Brazil) Andrew Sewell (US) Stefano Taboni-Research (Italy) 2019 Felipe Cardemil (Chile) Catriona Douglas (UK) Marco Ferrari-Research (Italy) Mohemmed Khan (US) Axel Sahovaler (Argentina) Carissa Thomas (US) 2018 Gian-Marco Busato (Canada) Samuel Flatman (Australia) Ryan Mcspadden (US) Peter Vosler (US) 2017 Jeffrey Blumberg (US) Caitlin McMullen (US) Matthew Mifsud (US) Lenka Stankova (US) Han Zhang (Canada) 2016 Jonathan Bernstein (UK) Gilad Horowitz (Israel) Nidal Muhanna (Israel0 2015 Eric Arruda (Canada) Jon Chan (US) Lukasz Czerwonka (US) Andrew Foreman (Australia) Daniel Rocke (US) 2014 Hussain Alsaffar (Canada) Dev Prakash Kamdar (US) 2013 Matthew Magarey (Australia) Stephan Haerle (Switzerland) Bradley Johnson (US) 2012 Nitin Chauhan (US) Babak Givi (US) Stephanie Johnson (Canada) Theresa Kroeker (US) Jason Rich (US) 2011 Eric Bissada (Canada) Marc Cohen (US) Benjamin Dixon (Australia) Boban Erovic (Austria) Raefe Gundelach (Australia) Mark Smith (Australia) 2010 Yves Jaquet (Switzerland) Dae S. Kim (UK) Brett Miles (US) Manish Shah (Canada) 2009 Bruce Ashford (Australia) Emma Barker (UK) Daniel Novakovic (Australia) Kristen Otto (US) Mark Shrime (US) 2008 Guillen Bruch Andreu (Spain) Gideon Bachar (Israel) Nitin Pagedar (US) 2007 Roger Moukarbel (Lebanon) Mark Shrime (US) Peter Walshe (Ireland) Julian White (New Zealand) Moshe Yehuda (Israel) 2006 Pierre-Hugues Fortier (Canada) David Goldstein (Canada) Richard Payne (Canada) Dietmar Thurner (Austria) 2005 Roy Cheung (Canada) Jonathan Clark (Australia) Michael O’Dell (Canada) Mark Rafferty (Ireland) 2004 Peter Conboy (UK) Deborah Markham (UK) 2003 Nathalie Audet (Canada) Francis Hall (New Zealand/US) K.S. Thomas Loh (Singapore) Antti Makitie (Finland) Carsten Palme (Australia) Francois Thuot (Canada) 2002 J. Timothy Baker (Australia) Nigel Beasley (UK) 2001 Jean-Pierre Jeannon (UK) Mark Khoo (Singapore) Marie-Jo Olivier (Canada) 2000 Stephen J. Wood (UK) Camilla Carroll (Ireland) Marc Thorp 1999 Andrew Bridger (Australia) Irvin Pathak (Canada) Saurin Popat (Canada/US) Rory Walsh (Ireland) 1998 Aongus Curran (Ireland) 1997 Jeroen Kerrebijn (Netherlands) John Yoo (Canada) 1996 Christopher Goh (Singapore_ Hendrik Verschuur (Netherlands) Michiel van den Brekel (Netherlands) 1995 Douglas Chepeha (Canada) Per Gunnar Liavagg (Sweden) Stephen R. Mulholland (Canada) 1994 Benoit Gosselin (Canada/US) 1993 Dominique Dorion (Canada) Bernard F.A.M. Van der Laan Ian Witterick (Canada) Yosef Shem Tov (Israel) 1992 Dan Marian Fliss (Israel) Jonathan Crawford Irish (Canada) Nicholas Paul McIvor (New Zealand) Martyn Stuart Mendelsohn (Australia) Robert Baatenburg de Jong (Netherlands) 1991 Dan Marian Fliss (Israel) Wayne Matthews (Canada) Lena Elisabeth Norberg (Sweden) V.I. Conrad Timon (Ireland) Mark Kenneth Wax (Canada/US) 1990 Jean Davidson (Canada) Wayne Matthews (Canada) V.I. Conrad Timon (Ireland) 1989 Timothy O’Dwyer (Ireland) Andrew Pfleiderer Anthony C. Robinson 1988 Ivan Broadarec (Canada) Ken Burrage (Canada) Raphael Feinmesser (Israel) Timothy O’Dwyer (Ireland) 1987 Ralph Gilbert (Canada) Jeffery McIlwain (UK) Don McShane (UK) 1986 Thomas Havas (Australia) 1985 Jan Lundgren (Norway) 1984 Ivan Brodarec (Canada) Fidel Ishak (Canada) |