The Research Institute has an animal operating facility and two laboratories devoted to neurosurgical projects on hydrocephalus and to neuro-oncology. The University of Toronto provides for several visiting professorships including one devoted to paediatric neurosurgery. In addition, visitors from around the world spend time as observers on the neurosurgical unit and take part in various teaching sessions. These residents who are at varying levels of their training have only had adult clinical experience before arriving at HSC for their exposure to paediatric neurosurgery. In addition to the University of Toronto residents, self-funded residents from other training programs, often based in the United States, come for periods of three to six months to gain exposure in paediatric neurosurgery.
Medical students do spend electives on paediatric neurosurgery but on an intermittent basis.
The clinical fellow in paediatric neurosurgery at HSC is an individual who has completed his or her neurosurgical training and is interested in an academic career in paediatric neurosurgery. He or she will be exposed to a wide variety of clinical material and is provided with ample time for clinical research. The neurosurgical laboratory is available for specific research projects. The neurosurgical fellow at the Hospital for Sick Children is responsible for the entire neurosurgical service. The fellow makes rounds with all the residents and students each morning before the day begins.