Residency | Department of Medicine | School of Medicine

Learning today. Leading tomorrow.

Welcome to Queen's Hematology Residency Program.

The Hematology Residency Program at Queen’s University is an intensive two-year subspecialty training program that explores the nature, function, and disorders of the blood. Our residents develop expertise in both clinical hematology and hematopathology, supported by an innovative Competence by Design (CBD) curriculum that emphasizes real-world skills and continuous feedback.

Residents work closely with a small, supportive team of award-winning hematologists and hematopathologists who are dedicated to their growth. The result is a collegial learning environment that balances rigorous academic training with mentorship, collaboration, and a genuine sense of community.

Why Choose Hematology at Queen’s:

Comprehensive Clinical Exposure: Core training takes place at the Kingston Health Sciences Centre—home to the Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario (CCSEO)—where residents see a full spectrum of classical and malignant hematologic disorders. Additional experiences include community hematology and red blood cell disorder clinics, with rotations in allogeneic stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy at partner institutions such as The Ottawa Hospital.

Research Opportunities: Residents complete a dedicated research block and are encouraged to present findings at local, national, or international conferences. The Division is internationally recognized for its work in hemostasis and malignant hematology, offering mentorship from leaders in molecular and clinical hematology.

Education and Academic Development: Both residents and faculty contribute presentations at weekly academic half-days, hematopathology and clinical hematology rounds, journal clubs, and multidisciplinary case conferences (aka ‘tumor boards’), which form the backbone of our teaching culture. A departmental epidemiology and statistics workshop further supports scholarly development.

Collaborative Learning Environment: At Queen’s, residents are active members of a tight-knit division where learning happens side-by-side with faculty. The approachable mentorship model encourages confidence, independence, and professional growth.

Clinical training extends across KHSC, CCSEO, and community sites throughout southeastern Ontario, giving residents diverse and meaningful experiences.

Kingston is a vibrant, historic city set on the shores of Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, and the Thousand Islands. Residents enjoy an affordable cost of living, easy access to nature, and a strong sense of community—making it an ideal environment for learning and life balance.

Kingston & the Thousand Islands

Historic and hip.
Kingston has it all.

Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC)

Kingston General Hospital and Hotel Dieu Hospital

Cancer Care Southeastern Ontario (CCSEO)

Providing care for over 550,000 patients.

"Queen's has an excellent Hematology fellowship program. They are responsive to resident feedback, excel in morphology and transfusion teaching and service demands are very reasonable. Being at a smaller centre, you really get to know the hematologists, hematopathologists, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, allied health, administrators and I found everyone to be kind, approachable and effective collaborators."

Sarah Ryan, Hematology Resident, 2023-2025

Program Highlights:

Admissions

Admission to postgraduate residency programs in Canada is coordinated through the Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS). For detailed information on eligibility and selection criteria, required supporting documentation, and interviews, please review the Queen's Hematology entry within the Medicine Subspecialty Match (MSM) section on the CaRMS website.

We are committed to advancing equitable and inclusive practices. Please refer to the PGME website for additional information / resources including QHS EDIIA Initiatives and EDIIA statements (Indigenous Land Acknowledgement, Anti-Discrimination Statement, Inclusion Statement, and Statement on Social Accountability).

Curriculum and Educational Activities

All residents attend weekly academic half-days. These include clinical and pathology presentations by both faculty members and residents (who present approximately once a month). There is also weekly morphology teaching in partnership with the University of Toronto. Weekly Journal Club also provides an opportunity for articles to be presented, critiqued, and discussed.

Other educational activities include weekly Hematology, Hematopathology, and multidisciplinary case conferences; monthly Thrombosis rounds; Transfusion 101 - Camp with the Bank +/- monthly Transfusion rounds hosted by the University of Toronto; and local, national, and international formative examinations.

Additionally, there are numerous optional courses available during residency training based on interest such as Queen's Faculty Development Teaching days, which are highly regarded sessions to improve clinical teaching and formal presentation skills, the CCTG CTG young investigator course and medical leadership series through the Faculty Development office.

Educational Activities

Hematology Conference/Rounds
A weekly noon round where trainees present cases and topics. Bring your lunch.

Hematology Journal Club
Yes, critical appraisal can be both educational and entertaining! Every other week journal articles are presented, critiqued, and discussed by a rotation of attendings and trainees. You never know what the attendings are going to say at Journal Club.

Hematology Academic Half Day
Weekly, including a Pathology and a Clinical presentation, and Morphology teaching in partnership with the University of Toronto. We provide lunch!

Multidisciplinary Case Conference
Attended by Hematology, Radiation Oncology, Hematopathology and Radiology

Hematopathology Slide Conference
When the lights go down, be prepared to be quizzed. This is a weekly presentation of hematological morphology from current cases, with clinical correlation and discussion. Flame retardant clothing NOT provided.

Practice Exams
A number of formative exams occur throughout the year, including the annual National Hematology Retreat written, morphology, and oral examinations; the ASH in-training exam; and local morphology examinations.

U of T Monthly Transfusion Rounds
By video conference, with a great list of speakers.

ASH conference
Trainees are strongly encouraged to attend the ASH meeting each year. Funding is provided.

Transfusion 101 - Camp with the Bank
Led by UHN but provided in Kingston via videoconference and with local, on site faculty to lead seminars.

Other
Medical oncology academic half-day (the relevant sessions), Medical Grand Rounds, Medical Mortality conference, Oncology Grand rounds, Genetics lecture mini-series

Research

Research is a major strength of our program and we recognize that scholarly activity is an important means for residents to advance their career goals. Residents are provided with a protected research block in their first year, and may use additional elective blocks in their second year for research purposes. After meeting with both the Research Director and Program Director, residents will initiate a research project and will be expected to present at a local, national, or international research forum. Regular teaching sessions in research methodology, epidemiology, and biostatistics are provided, and residents may also apply for admission to the RCPSC-accredited Clinician Investigator Program at Queen’s.

The Division of Hematology at Queen’s is a leading centre for hemostasis research. The Molecular Hemostasis Laboratory utilizes a variety of experimental approaches to understand the molecular basis of blood coagulation and develops strategies to translate this knowledge into clinical benefits. Its Principal Investigators were winners of the National Hemophillia Foundation’s ‘Researchers of the Year Award of Excellence’ in 2011.

Additionally Kingston is the home of the CCTG Clinical Trials Group, Canada's premiere cooperative oncology group, which carries out clinical trials in cancer therapy, supportive care and prevention with internationally recognized clinical trialists based in Kingston. There is much opportunity for involvement in research focused on hematologic malignancy.

Training Sites

The Division of Hematology is based at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) with sites at Kingston General Hospital (KGH) and Hotel Dieu Hospital (HDH), southeastern Ontario’s leading centre for complex-acute and specialty care and home to the Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario. KHSC serves almost 500,000 people through its Kingston facility and 24 regional affiliate and satellite sites. KGH was ranked in 2011 as one of Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals by Research Infosource.

In addition to their Kingston experience, residents complete mandatory rotations in different centres. A two-block rotation in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation occurs at either Ottawa General Hospital or The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto. Residents also complete a Community Hematology rotation in Kitchener (or another appropriate community site), providing them with a unique opportunity to manage acute myeloid leukemia in a community hospital and further developing resident hematology consultancy skills.

A new mandatory Red Blood Cell Disorders rotation may be completed at Ottawa General Hospital, Toronto General Hospital, or McMaster University.

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The experience of a lifetime

Uncover how our program not only paves the path to success but also fosters lifelong friendships and unforgettable experiences that endure through time.

A day in the life of a resident

There is never a dull moment in the life of a family medicine resident at Queen's! Whether it be a full day of clinic, 24-hour call, or a day on the wards, we still enjoy the beautiful lake at our doorstep, dinner with co-residents, and glorious weather (most of the time!)

Watch a day in the life of a resident

Sarah Ryan, Hematology Resident, 2023-2025

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