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Advanced Gynaecologic Surgery

Updated: September 25, 2025

Program directors

Ally Murji MD, MPH, FRCSC
Chief and Medical Director, Women’s and Children’s Program, Trillium Health Partners 
Division Head of Minimally Invasive Gynaecologic Surgery (MIGS)
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto
Email:  Ally.Murji@thp.ca

M. Jonathon Solnik, MD, MBA, FACOG, FACS
Head of Gynaecology and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Sinai Health System & Women’s College Hospital
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto 
Email: jonathon.solnik@sinaihealth.ca

Mount Sinai Hospital & Women’s College Hospital team

Trillium Health Partners team

Application and interview process

While we are an AAGL accredited fellowship, we follow the CanSAGE application and match process and deadlines. See the following website for details: https://cansage.org/fellowship-match/

Deadline: Submit Application Form between June 17–August 15 of each year. This program is part of the CanSAGE matching process.

Please send any questions to Judy Jorge: Judy.Jorge@wchospital.ca.

At the current time, we are only accepting applications from Canadian-trained graduates.

To All Applicants:

If you have also applied to the U.S match through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP), please be advised that the University of Toronto is a participating institution and adheres to the match policy. The policy states that "Applicants who have matched to a program or have accepted a position during the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), shall not apply for, discuss, interview for, or accept a concurrent year position in another program prior to the NRMP granting the requested waiver." More information is accessible at http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/2018-MPA-Specialities-Matching-Service.pdf.

Program Description

We are offering a two-year fellowship in advanced gynaecologic surgery with the goal to train pelvic surgeons who are committed to advancing the field of gynaecological surgery. Our fellowship is unique as our fellows are exposed to a wide range of reproductive pathology, in both gynaecology as well as complex surgical obstetrics. This is due to our diverse fellowship-trained faculty who have varying clinical and research interests, which include surgical and non-surgical therapies focusing on deeply infiltrating endometriosis, abnormal uterine bleeding, uterine fibroids, pelvic pain and neuropelveology (the only site in Canada), low grade reproductive cancers, invasive placentation (greatest number of cases at a single centre in Canada), Müllerian anomalies, paediatric gynecology and a robust robotics program.

In 2020, our program achieved accreditation from the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL) Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (FMIGS), joining an elite group of 54 U.S. based programs and only 1 of 3 in Canada to have this accreditation. In 2021, our program underwent a successful site review, receiving an exceptional four-year accreditation. Our fellowship program is now the largest MIGS fellowship program in Canada and one of eight largest in North America, both in terms of number of fellows and faculty. Our graduates have been able to secure faculty positions at University centres across Canada (McMaster, McGill, University of Calgary, University of Toronto, University of Saskatchewan). Graduates have made significant scholarly contributions as evidence by their scientific contributions in peer reviewed journals and their leadership in national/international organizations.

Sites

The program will be offered at three sites. Fellows will spend 18 months at Mount Sinai and Women’s College Hospitals and 6 months at Trillium Health Partners (THP) in Mississauga. The THP experience will give fellows a flavour of high-volume surgical cases in the largest academically affiliated community site at the University of Toronto.

Quota

We have secured quota from AAGL to train four fellows concurrently, positioning us among as one of the largest programs worldwide. Each year we will accept two incoming fellows.

Structure

Surgical

At least three days per week will be spent in the operating room. The fellow will be trained in advanced laparoscopy (treatment of deeply infiltrating endometriosis, uterine/internal-iliac artery ligation, minimally invasive myomectomy, adnexal mass), hysterectomy (TLH, LAVH, VH), advanced hysteroscopy (myomectomy, ablation, cesarean section niche remodelling, office-based procedures), robotics, neuropelveology (nerve detrapments), surgical management of non-tubal ectopic pregnancies (interstitial, cervical, cesarean scar etc), cesarean hysterectomy for placenta accreta spectrum. In their senior year, fellows will run their own fellow OR (1 day/month) with appropriate backup/supervision.

Clinic

One day per week will be spent in a variety of outpatient clinics. Fellows will also run their own fellow clinic (one day/month) for surgical consults to provide experience in pre-operative management, counselling, surgical planning, and perioperative optimization.

Academics

Approximately one day per week will be spent on academics. The fellow will be expected to complete a research project over the course of the fellowship and present at the department's Research Day. It is expected that the candidate pursues a professional development course/endeavour during the course of the fellowship. Examples may include: a master’s program, certificate course in education or quality improvement.

In addition to AAGL and CanSAGE formalized educational opportunities, during the program the fellows are involved in multitude of scholarly activities. Some highlights include:

  • Multidisciplinary endometriosis rounds (1x/month) where we discuss challenging endometriosis cases, review imaging with radiology and get input from other disciplines (colorectal surgery, urology, fertility)
  • Research mentorship
  • Journal club (twice per year)
  • U of T Research Methodology Course
  • AAGL Robotics Bootcamp
  • St Louis Anatomy Cadaver Course

Academic Support

The Training Program will support trainees with a $10,000 stipend to be used for a professional development course/endeavour during the fellowship (i.e., a Master’s program, certificate course in education or quality improvement).

The Training Program will support trainees up to $5,000 per annum for conference travel. 

Current and past fellows

Current fellows

Jade Desilets (2024-2026: expected graduation June 30, 2026)

  • Current - Master in Health Quality and Patient Safety (MScHQ), Queens University
  • Residency – McGill University

Sarah Shamiya (2024-2026: expected graduation July 31, 2026)

  • Completed – Cultural Competence in Healthcare (Ontario Health, Completed January 2025) 
  • Completed – Health Research Methods Course 2024 (University of Toronto, Completed November 22, 2024)
  • Upcoming – Menopause 101 Course (to be completed October 22, 2025)
  • Upcoming – Sexual Health 101 Course (to be completed October 22, 2025)
  • Residency – University of Toronto

Sara Hojabri (2025-2027: expected graduation July 31, 2027)

  • Current – Master MSc in Clinical Education (University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom) 
  • Residency – University of Toronto

Christopher Vizena (2025-2027 Expected graduation August 30, 2027)

  • Current – Training to Teach in Medicine Certificate Program (Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA)
  • Residency - Queen’s University

Past fellows

Lacey Brennan (2023-2025: graduated June 30, 2025)

  • Current Staff Position - Peter Lougheed Centre in Calgary 
  • Completed - Master of Business Administration, Questrom School of Business, Boston University, Boston, MA. 
  • Residency – University of Saskatchewan

Anna Kobylianskii (2022-2024: graduated June 30, 2024)

  • Current Staff Position - Unity Health Toronto, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Toronto, ON
  • Completed - Master of Health Quality (Queen’s University)
  • Residency – University of Toronto

Meghan McGrattan (2022-2024: graduated June 30, 2024)

  • Current Staff Position - Mount Sinai Hospital/Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, ON
  • Ongoing – Master of Science in Global Health Policy (University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom)
  • Residency – University of Toronto

Peter Thiel (2022-2024: graduated June 30, 2024)

  • Current Staff Position - Saskatoon City Hospital, Saskatoon, SK
  • Completed - Master of Public Health, Clinical Effectiveness (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA) 
  • Residency – University of Saskatchewan 

Siddhi Mathur (2020-2022: graduated June 30, 2022)

  • Current Staff Position - Unity Health Toronto, St. Michael’s Hospital
  • Completed - Master of Science, Applied Health Science Informatics (Johns’ Hopkins University)
  • Residency – University of Toronto

Alisha Olsthoorn (2021-2022: graduated June 30, 2022)

  • Current Staff Position - Trillium Health Partners
  • Completed - Bachelor of Science- Honours in Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University
  • Residency – University of Toronto

Wilson Chan (2019-2021: graduated July 31, 2021)

  • Current Staff Position - William Osler Health System, Etobicoke, ON
  • Completed - Master of Public Health in Clinical Effectiveness (Harvard University, Boston, MA)
  • Residency – University of Calgary 

Darl Edwards (2019-2021: graduated June 30, 2021)

  • Current Staff Position - Scarborough General Hospital, Scarborough, ON 
  • Faculty position at University of Toronto
  • Completed - Master of Healthcare Quality (Queen’s University Kingston, ON)
  • Completed - Master of Human Kinetics Applied Human Performance, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON
  • Residency –  University of Toronto

Andrew Zakhari (2018-2020: graduated June 30, 2020)

  • Current Staff Position - McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC
  • Completed - Master in Global Surgery (University of British Columbia)
  • Residency – McGill University

Ari Sanders (2017-2019: graduated June 30, 2019)

  • Current Staff Position - Peter Lougheed Centre, University of Calgary
  • Completed - Master in Science System Leadership & Innovation (IHPME, Toronto)
  • Residency – University of Calgary

Jessica Papillon-Smith (2016-2018: graduated June 30, 2018)

  • Current Staff Position - McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC
  • Completed - Master in Education (John Hopkins University)
  • Residency – McGill University

Lea Luketic (2015-2016: graduated June 30, 2016)

  • Current Staff Position - St. Joseph’s Hospital, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
  • Completed - Master in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (Queen’s University)
  • Residency – McMaster University 

Fellows activities and awards

Fellows’ Academic Productivity since Fellowship Established (2016)

  • 14 National or International Research Awards
  • 42 presentations at National or International Conferences
  • 16 peer-review publications
    • 7 in journals with impact factor >4.5 (eg. CMAJ, Fertil Steril, Green J)
    • 7 in journals with impact factor 3-4.5 (eg. JMIG, surgical endoscopy)
    • 2 in JOGC

Awards

  • Best Oral Presentation: Returning to Work After Minimally Invasive Hysterectomy. Canadian Society for the Advancement of Gynecologic Excellence 4th Annual Conference. (Ari – Sept 2019)
  • Best Video Abstract: Uterine Artery Occlusion at Myomectomy Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada – 75th Annual Clinical & Scientific Conference. (Andrew June 2019)
  • Best of 3 Video Presentation: Internal Iliac Artery Ligation: A Step Wise Approach Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada – 74th Annual Clinical & Scientific Conference. (Ari – June 2019)
  • Top Oral Research Presentation:  Surgical Outcomes Following Uterine Artery Occlusion at Myomectomy: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Canadian Society for the Advancement of Gynecologic Excellence – 3rd Annual Conference (Ari Sept 2018)
  • Top Poster Presentation: Reproductive Outcomes Following Uterine Artery Occlusion at Myomectomy: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Canadian Society for the Advancement of Gynecologic Excellence – 3rd Annual Conference. (Ari  - Sept 2018)
  • Best Video Abstract. Removing IUD in pregnancy. AAGL Hysteroscopy summit (Ari - July 2018)
  • Best Video Abstract. Hysterscopic Repair of Caesarean Scar Isthmocele. Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada – 74th Annual Clinical & Scientific Conference, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. (Ari – June 2018)
  • Best Video Abstract Presentation. Managing the Adherent Bladder at the Time of Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy. Canadian Society for the Advancement of Gynecologic Excellence – 2nd Annual Conference. Montreal, (Jessica – September 2017)
  • People’s Choice Award – Best Overall Project. Canadian OBGYN Residents: Are They Ready for Independent Practice? National Survey of Graduating Residents– 2nd Annual Conference. Montreal QC. (Jessica- September 2017)
  • Top 5 Oral Presentation. Canadian OBGYN Residents: Are They Ready for Independent Practice? National Survey of Graduating Residents– 2nd Annual Conference. Montreal, QC. (Jessica – September 2017)
  • Best of Three Video Presentation. Vasopressin in Gynecological Procedures. Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada – 73rd Annual Clinical & Scientific Conference. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.(Jessica – June 2017
  • Best of Three Video Presentation. Cystoscopy In A World Without Indigo Carmine. Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada - 72nd Annual Clinical & Scientific Conference. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Lea – June 2016)
  • Best of Five Video Presentation. Cesaerean Scar Pregnancy. 1st Annual Canadian Symposium on Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Lea – April 2016)
  • Best of Three Oral Presentation. Does Ulipristal Acetate Objectively Affect Surgical Experience at Laparoscopy Myomectomy. 1st Annual Canadian Symposium on Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Lea – April 2016)