Career-Development Timeline for Canadian Trainees (Program Year 5)

Program Year 3  Program Year 4 Program Year 5 

July - December

  • Further develop your career path: If you are considering a career in academic hematology, think about the type of career you like to pursue: basic science, translational research, clinical investigation, education research, laboratory hematology, clinical teaching, or a combination of the above. If you are considering a career in community hematology, think about the type of practice that suits your interests and lifestyle: general internal medicine with hematology, medical oncology and malignant hematology, benign and malignant hematology. Be sure to match your strengths and experience with your interests, and to take the current job market into consideration. Depending on the career path you choose, some may require further training, either in the form of a clinical or research fellowship, or a masters or doctoral degree or even a Royal College accredited training program (such as the Clinician Investigator Program, transfusion medicine or palliative care). Be open-minded; some fellowship opportunities may lie in other departments, such as pathology, or exist geographically far away from home. Identify the academic and clinical qualifications required to fulfill the job requirement. Discuss this with your mentor and program director. Even if your preference is to stay at your own institution, seriously consider looking elsewhere. A potential drawback of staying at your own institution is that it is sometimes hard to establish yourself as independent from your previous mentor.
  • Identify opportunities to apply for training in clinical/translational research degree programs or workshops. Explore graduate programs available at the different institutions (MPH, MSc, PhD, etc.), the ASH Clinical Research Training Institute, EHA-ASH Translational Research Training in Hematology (TRTH), Cancer Education Consortium, or ASCO. Check out the many ASH career development awards available for those training in a career in hematology. Identify these opportunities early as they have specific deadlines. Identify grant opportunities to apply for to fund your research. Have explicit conversations with these programs at the outset regarding eventual funding. This will help you focus your thinking and will clarify expectations for both you and your potential supervisor.
  • Clinician Investigator Program (CIP): Some institutions offer the CIP for trainees pursuing a career path in research. The CIP is an accredited postgraduate medical education training program of the Royal College. Its aim is to prepare individuals for a career combining specialty medical practice and research and to provide the skills and knowledge to integrate research and clinical training. The CIP can be taken concurrently with the hematology training, or in sequence, while the trainee is pursuing an advanced degree, depending on the arrangements made between the trainee’s supervisor, program director, CIP program director, and the trainee. For details consult the Royal College website and the institutions’ CIP website.

July

  • Register for the ASH annual meeting. 

August

  • Abstract for submission to ASH annual meeting: Be sure to verify the requirements and deadline on the ASH website. Also consider presentation at smaller subspecialty meetings where competition for abstract acceptance may be less stringent.  This will allow you opportunity to hone your presentation skills further.
  • Preliminary Assessment of Training: The deadline for application of assessment to write the hematology subspecialty examination is August 31. Verify with the Royal College as this date may change.

December

  • Attend the ASH annual meeting: Use this opportunity to strategically network with potential supervisors and explore career options and granting opportunities. Also look for the Hematology Grants Workshop for trainees and young faculty at the meeting.

January - June

  • Preparation for the Royal College Hematology Examination: Start gathering study materials for the upcoming Royal College exam. Some excellent resources include the ASH Self Assessment Program (ASH-SAP) and the ASH Education Program Book. Keep in mind that there are three components to the examination: written (short answer), oral scenarios, and morphology. Ensure that none of the components are neglected in your preparation. If possible, have regular morphology review sessions and mock oral scenarios with the local staff. Attend the National Hematology Residents Retreat at the end of July for further examination preparation with the practice exam (written, oral and morphology).

May

  • Registration deadline for the Royal College hematology examination. Verify with the College as the dates change form year to year.

July - October

  • Further training or practice: For most residents, hematology training is usually completed on June 30. Research and clinical fellowships and other advanced training usually commence in July but start dates can be flexible – you may choose to take some extra time before starting your fellowship for intensive examination preparation .  Course-based advanced degrees usually start in September. Start times for community positions vary and are individually negotiated.  Some trainees elect to do locums during this period of time. Ensure that you have sufficient time to balance between your new position, preparation for the exam, and life.

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