Residency Training Program

The Clinical Immunology and Allergy program at Western University is fully accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Upon completion of training in our program, a trainee is expected to be a competent subspecialist in Clinical Immunology and Allergy, capable of assuming a consultant’s role in the discipline. The trainee must acquire a working knowledge of the theoretical basis of the discipline, including its foundations in the basic medical sciences and research.

Our trainees are exposed to all areas of Clinical Immunology & Allergy required for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada examination and certification, including:

Allergy: food, environmental, venom, and drug
Respiratory conditions: asthma and allergic respiratory disorders
Dermatology: atopic and contact dermatitis, urticaria, angioedema
Immunology: immunodeficiencies, autoinflammatory syndromes
Therapeutics: allergen and food immunotherapy, immunoglobulin replacement, biologics, hereditary angioedema therapies

Our patient population is a mix of adult and pediatric patients, and faculty are trained in both Adult and Pediatric Clinical Immunology & Allergy. Approximately 40% of patients are children. It is predominantly an outpatient experience, supplemented by consultations in hospital and the emergency department. Some of the clinics are oriented to specific themes, e.g. drug allergy, asthma, venom allergy, and food oral immunotherapy.

Program Highlights

We have a long-standing reputation of excellence, with four of our past graduates holding the position of president of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CSACI).

There are four academic Clinical Immunologists and Allergists in the hospital, who work closely with the trainees. There are seven other affiliated members of our division (in community Allergy, Respirology, Clinical Pharmacology, Immunology, Occupational Medicine, and ENT), all of whom participate in educational rounds and teaching, and provide opportunities for experiences outside of the hospital. We currently have two junior and two senior Clinical Immunology residents in training. Each month, there may be clinical clerks and rotating residents from other specialties who are on our service.

Unique features of our program include:

● Shared academic half-day with three other Clinical Immunology and Allergy programs across the country (adult and pediatric programs at University of British Columbia, University of Manitoba, University of Toronto, and Dalhousie University). This allows for exposure to a broad perspective, and fosters national collaboration between adult and pediatric programs. The academic half-days are protected time for our trainees every Wednesday afternoon (1300-1600). For the first 4 weeks at the start of each academic year, this involves a series of Clinical Immunology foundational lectures focusing on faculty-led sessions on core aspects of our specialty. After this introductory course, the academic half-day shifts to a resident-led, longitudinal case-based lecture series. This includes topics that have been mapped to Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada objectives in clinical immunology

Longitudinal fellow’s clinics with graded increase in responsibility
Access to an aerobiologist who provides pollen-counting expertise for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). We have annual tours of his equipment to see pollen counting in action
Botany walk with two of the faculty to identify allergenic trees and plants
On-site immunotherapy dispensing laboratory, and one of the broadest experiences in allergen immunotherapy in Canadian training programs
Two of our faculty are co-authors of the CSACI Immunotherapy Manual, and organizers of an immunotherapy retreat for new graduates and senior trainees
Access to the only Clinical Pharmacology laboratory in Canada to process lymphocyte toxicity assays for assessment of adverse drug reactions
Extensive, hands-on experience with food and drug challenges
Extensive experience in patch testing for contact dermatitis
Basic Immunology and functional imaging labs on site
OSCE practise with our clinical faculty to prepare for the Royal College Clinical Immunology exam
Yearly weekend retreat in June attended by faculty, trainees, and their family
Financial support for trainees to attend scientific conferences

Electives

Electives are available in a wide variety of other specialties including Rheumatology, Dermatology, Infectious Diseases and HIV medicine, Transplant Medicine, ENT, Immunology Laboratory, Occupational Medicine, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology and others. Community electives in Clinical Immunology & Allergy and other specialties are also available, as appropriate to your individualized learning plan.

Research

We strongly encourage research initiatives in the basic and clinical sciences and support our trainees' participation in national and international conferences. There are many research opportunities, with 1-2 blocks of protected research time at the trainee and program director's discretion.

Program Eligibility

Only candidates certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in Pediatrics or Internal Medicine are eligible for certification in Clinical Immunology and Allergy. The Western University Clinical Immunology and Allergy fellowship program will only accept candidates who have successfully completed at least three years in an approved Internal Medicine Training Program.

Please refer to the following links for important information regarding the CaRMS application timeline and program eligibility:

Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University,
Postgraduate Medical Education Guidelines

Please refer to the following link for general information on postgraduate medical education at Western University, including on evaluation, health and safety, professionalism, and vacation guidelines:

Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry Postgraduate Medical Education Policies

Address

Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy
St. Joseph's Hospital
268 Grosvenor Street, Room B3-110
London Ontario N6A 4V2
Tel: 519.685.8167
Fax: 519.685.8274

Program Director
Dr. Rongbo Zhu
Tel: 519.685.8167

Administrative Assistant
Ashley Dolgos