Now accepting applications for July 1, 2025 start

Fellowship Overview 

As an innovator in paediatric oncology, the Garron Family Cancer Centre (GFCC) is looking to develop future leaders in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The field of AI/ML utilizes algorithms and software to develop complex models to better employ data to support care and develop innovative solutions and is a growing field in healthcare.

The GFCC AI Fellowship will focus on the use of AI/ML to inform patient and systems-based practices for best care of paediatric oncology patients and will span prioritization of clinical questions and scenarios, model development and deployment, and implementation. The successful candidate must have an interest in working with large datasets, statistics, quality improvement and implementation science.

Eligibility

  • Fellowship is open to clinical applicants who:
    • Have completed a clinical fellowship in paediatric haematology/oncology
  • Prior coding experience is an asset but not required. Applicants must have a willingness to learn coding and take part in AI or ML courses to build and apply coding skills throughout the fellowship.

Timeline

  • Fellowship Academic Year: July 1 start
  • Submission Deadline: October 11, 2024
  • Selection Committee Review: Early November
  • Program Acceptance: An email notification will be forwarded to your email address by the end of November.

Fellowship Requirements

  • Applicant must source two supervisors:
    • Clinical Supervisor: from the oncology practice area to support content expertise.
    • Technical Supervisor: whose lab or research area includes AI and ML. Technical Supervisor can be external to SickKids if proven leader in the AI/ML field.
  • Applicants are not required to have a project or model to develop at beginning of fellowship.
  • Expectation that up to 10% of time is spent in clinical work in keeping with the professional role of the fellow.
  • Introductory courses in AI and ML are requirements of fellowship and encouraged to be completed in first 3 months of fellowship, suggested courses include:
  • Introduction to Machine Learning
  • AI in Healthcare Specialization

Term

  • Two year fellowship
  • Academic year July 1 – June 30

Remuneration

  • $84,534.35 per year plus modified benefits for the term of the fellowship.
  • Laptop will be provided

Application Requirements

Fellowship Oversight Committee (FOC)

  • Fellows are required to establish a formal FOC that will include supervisors, one to two mentors in ML/AI and one to two members from lab who collaborate on project.
  • The goal of the FOC is to initially help the fellow establish learning goals thereby setting up a mentorship plan to support skill development in AL/ML.
  • The FOC is required to meet bimonthly in the first year of the fellowship and quarterly in the second year.

Progress Report

  • Fellow will be required to submit a progress report by December 1 and June 1 of each fellowship year.
  • Coding knowledge will be evaluated as part of the progress report at the conclusion of first year of fellowship.

Fellowship Expectations

At the end of the fellowship, it is expected that fellows will be able to identify relevant practice questions, understand data resources and work with AI/ML experts in developing and refining models, analyze results and translate to clinical practice.