The major participating institutions are the Montreal General, the Royal Victoria, the Sir M.B. Davis Jewish General, and the St. Mary s Hospitals. Elective rotations are available in affiliated hospitals. Some of these include oncology, radiation oncology, the pain service, pediatrics, home care, and a long-term care facility. All four training sites have inpatient units and consultation services. One site has a Palliative Care Day Hospital.
All units work closely with community and hospital-based home care teams.
The trainee has the opportunity to participate in planning for the provision of a network of home care services to palliative care patients in the community. Rotating through these settings, the trainee develops clinical skills in dealing with acute pain and symptom management situations, as well as the psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs of terminally-ill patients and their families. The trainee sees patients who have access to the full spectrum of cancer care from diagnosis to cure to terminal care. Non-cancer patients with challenging symptom control problems are also seen. This one-year program of added competence in palliative medicine is conjointly accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the College of Family Physicians.