Broad and Immersive Clinical Experience

At HSN, you will care for patients across the full spectrum of medical oncology, from initial diagnosis to end-of-life care. Our 18-bed combined inpatient unit—shared with malignant hematology and stem cell transplant—ensures early and consistent exposure to complex cancer care. Residents manage acutely ill patients, participate in procedures like bone marrow biopsy, intrathecal chemotherapy, paracentesis, and thoracentesis, and work with emerging therapies such as BiTE therapy.

You will gain confidence in real-world medicine by working alongside general practitioners in oncology (GPOs) and an experienced oncology hospitalist team.

Resident-Focused Outpatient Clinics

HSN’s ambulatory clinics offer a busy and supportive learning environment:

• One-on-one supervision from engaged faculty across multiple tumor types
• A dedicated resident space with personal workstations and virtual care capacity (expanded and redesigned by 2026)
• Consistent preceptor pairing during rotations to ensure continuity in teaching and feedback

Residents will also participate in weekly multidisciplinary case conferences, engaging with surgeons, radiation oncologists, and allied health professionals as part of truly integrated care teams.

Integrated Interprofessional Learning

At HSN, residents will collaborate with:

• Palliative care specialists (through dedicated rotations and embedded support)
• Experts in dental oncology, cardio-oncology, and care of the elderly in oncology
• Allied health professionals like social workers, dietitians, psychologists, and Indigenous patient navigators

On site diagnostic tools include MRI, PET (including PSMA), interventional radiology, and nuclear medicine.

Expanding Clinical Exposure Through Our McMaster Partnership

• While HSN offers broad exposure to common and complex malignancies, our formal partnership with McMaster University ensures residents also gain targeted experience with rare and specialized tumor types, such as sarcoma and CNS cancers, which may be less frequently encountered in Northern Ontario. Residents will travel to Hamilton for two Blocks with housing and travel financially supported by NOSM University.

Research Embedded in Care

HSN is home to a robust and resident-accessible research infrastructure. Residents will benefit from:

• A dedicated Cancer Research Chair who mentors residents directly
• Clinical trials across multiple disease sites (breast, lung, hematologic, GI, GU, and more)
• Active collaboration with bench researchers through the Cancer Solutions group, linking research and clinical care
• On-site support from research coordinators and access to unique Northern-focused funding opportunities

Clinical Training

*NOTES:

• Travel to Hamilton for 2 Blocks will occur as part of 12 core of discipline Medical Oncology blocks. Housing and travel are financially supported by NOSM University.
• Medical Oncology training in Northern Ontario reflects real-world oncology practice—where oncologists manage patients across multiple tumor types. Each rotation has a disease site focus but is also designed to expose residents to a variety of malignancies under the guidance of generalist oncologists who deliver comprehensive cancer care.

Longitudinal Clinic

The longitudinal clinic is a weekly resident-led outpatient oncology experience that spans the latter 18 months of training (beginning mid-PGY4), allowing residents to follow a roster of patients over time under consistent supervision of a primary preceptor. This model supports the development of core competencies in patient-centred care, communication, and medical expertise, while reinforcing skills in multidisciplinary coordination and longitudinal decision-making.

Educational Activities

In Collaboration with McMaster University, the NOSM University Medical Oncology Residency Program offers a dynamic and well-structured academic curriculum. Residents will attend of McMaster’s weekly academic half day and molecular oncology sessions via video link and will attend in person for our locally run bread and butter rounds and wellness curriculum.

Rounds & Case-Based Learning

Clinical application is emphasized through multiple rounds:

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