Abdominal Organ Transplant Fellowship at the University of Toronto and Toronto General Hospital
The Toronto Transplant & HPB Fellows 2018-2019
Left to Right: Drs. Ashley Limkemann, Sanju Sobnach, Graziano Oldani, Blayne A. Sayed, Lawrence Lau, Christopher Shubert, and Robin Visser
Welcome to the University of Toronto Abdominal Organ Transplant Fellowship.
Since 1983 we have been training future leaders in the field of abdominal transplantation and we have graduated more than 70 fellows to date. We are ASTS accredited for liver, pancreas, and kidney transplantation and we perform more than 200 liver and 40 pancreas transplants per year. Our transplant fellows receive unique opportunities during their training and benefit from the largest living donor liver transplant program in North America, extensive exposure to pediatric liver transplantation, a high volume pancreas transplant program, and extensive training in HPB surgery. The outstanding surgical experience is embedded in training of pre- and postoperative management of transplant patients, and an in depth academic curriculum of teaching seminars.
In addition to the clinical training we provide great opportunities for research and our clinical and basic science research groups are world leaders in their field. We are proud to train the future generation of academic transplant surgeons, who will advance the borders of our field.
Markus Selzner, MD
Program Director
Paul Greig, MDProgram Co-Director
Distinguishing Features of the Fellowship
Clinical Experience
Transplant
During the first year, the Transplant and HPB Fellowships are integrated. The ASTS required case volume are exceeded through:
- Pediatric, small intestinal and multivisceral transplant
- Laparoscopic Living Donor Nephrectomy (40+ per year)
- Pre-op planning & Volumetric measurements using Myrian workstations
- Donation after Neurologic & Cardiocirculatory Death
- Vascular access
- Transplant Clinics
The second year focuses on complex transplant procedures: re-transplants, Living Donors & Transplants, split-liver, multiviscerals, and pediatric transplants.
Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery
During the first year, the ASTS & AHPBA required case volumes are exceeded through:
- 6-8 elective HPB ORs per week (with 10 Transplant & HPB Surgeons)
- 150+ liver resections, 100+ pancreaticoduodenectomies, 80% oncology
- Laparoscopic HPB Surgery
- 3-month assignments with HBP & Transplant surgeons and Surgical Oncology Clinics
Education
The Fellowship program offers multiple opportunities for additional learning through:
- Fellowship Exchange Program (for Fellows in their second year)
- Transplant and HPB Seminar Series
- Transplant Conferences: Live Donor, Listing, and Quality
- Multi-Organ Transplant Rounds & Invited Professors
- Journal Clubs (offered for both HPB and Transplant)
- HBP Conference, Hepatoma Review Board, Surgical Oncology Tumor Board
Research Opportunities
For Clinical and Outcomes Research, Fellows can expect one project in the first year, and multiple projects in their second year of study.
There will be Basic Science opportunities for laboratory-based research on the topics of:
- Ischemia/reperfusion
- Genomics/proteomics
- Dendritic cells
- Tolerance
- Stem cell biology
Research in education is also offered.
Lifestyle
Fellows will experience the advantages of a “large” Fellowship program with 7 to 8 Transplant and HPB Fellows:
- On-call scheduling and cross-coverage
- Facilitates time off without compromising clinical experience
- Camaraderie