The John W. Kirklin/David A. Ashburn Fellowship was created to support the efforts of a young surgeon interested in participating in the activities of the CHSS Data Center. The fellowship is a two-year non-clinical appointment, but fellows will be integral members of the Division of Cardiovascular Surgery and be expected to attend and participate in weekly clinical conferences.
The focus of the fellowship is outcomes research, primarily of the many multi-institutional prospective cohort studies of the Congenital Heart Surgeons Society (CHSS). The Fellow will become expert in all aspects of biostatistics and epidemiology. Particular emphasis is placed on the research method, presentation at national meetings, and manuscript publication.
Candidates are encouraged to complete their Masters’ degree program in Biostatistics & Epidemiology or a related field through the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto. Tuition for degree completion will be provided and a surgical advisor appointed to guide thesis development. Special consideration will be given to applicants who are committed to a career in congenital heart disease.
Ideal candidates have completed some or all of their general surgical training and intend to pursue a career in cardiothoracic surgery. Although not required, limited prior experience with data-analysis software (Excel, SPSS, SAS, or R) is recommended.
The increasing popularity of this fellowship, though, has required formalization of the application process in order to insure that every member has the opportunity to nominate candidates. A more formal process will also make it more equitable to the potential applicants, and will avoid keeping potential fellows "on the hook" longer than necessary.
As a first step, we propose the following timetable for the fellowship to begin July 2010
- Interested applicants should contact Dr. Christopher Caldarone at christopher.caldarone@sickkids.ca
- A letter of interest, current CV, and 2 letters of support should be received by Dr. Christopher Caldarone in the Data Center by February 1, 2009.
- Exceptional candidates will be offered an interview that will take place between March – April 2009.
- Final selection will be made by June 2009.
Please mail all documents to:
CHSS Data Center
555 University Avenue,
Toronto, ON, Canada
M5G 1X8