Specialty training in Reproductive Infectious Diseases at UBC is designed as a two-year program developed to parallel the requirements of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada by providing clinical, microbiologic and research training. This program is certified by the Infectious Diseases Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The program attempts to attract candidates who are strongly motivated toward a career as clinician scientists in academic medicine and have an interest in infectious diseases.
Established by Dr. Deborah Money, Professor, Division of Gynaecologic Specialities, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, UBC’s Fellowship in Reproductive Infectious Diseases was the first subspecialty training program in Canada focused on infectious diseases for obstetricians and gynaecologists. The Fellowship Director is now Dr. Chelsea Elwood. The fellowship program provides advanced subspecialty training and education in infectious diseases, with particular emphasis on HIV, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B and other infections in pregnancy as well as the evaluation and management of gynecologic infections. The program provides opportunities for fellows to expand their knowledge through teaching, research and care, while developing leadership skills in their respective fields. Through scheduled rotations and electives, fellows gather knowledge from every component of the infectious disease subspecialty working in conjunction with the Adult Infectious Diseases fellows and Paediatric Infectious Diseases Fellows and the three dedicated Reproductive Infectious Diseases physicians, Dr. Chelsea Elwood, Dr. Money, and Dr. Julie van Schalkwyk. Fellows gain first-hand clinical experience at BC Women’s Hospital, which sees over 7,000 births per year, as well as other teaching hospitals in the Vancouver area including Vancouver General Hospital and St. Paul’s Hospital. The Department, in conjunction with the Department of Medicine currently offers fellowships on a funding available basis up to one per year for its one-two year program. In some cases, a one year program modification can be created.
It has been recognized that this is a burgeoning area and even more recently urgently needed in response to outbreaks such as the novel Coronavirus, Pandemic Influenza and Ebola where implications in pregnancy required responses from obstetrican/gynaecologists with Infectious Diseases expertise globally. Although not presently a Royal College subspecialty, UBC can provide internationally recognized training and is endorsed by the Infectious Diseases Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Overall the stature and success of the individuals in this area is substantive in Canadian Academic Obstetrics and Gynaecology and are leading opinion leaders contributing to national guidelines, and research that is presented and published nationally and internationally.
For further information please contact the Cross Discipline Fellowship in Reproductive Infectious Diseases Program Director, Dr Chelsea Elwood.
If you are a resident interested in doing an elective in this program, please contact Senior Program Assistant, Kathryn Tullis.