Montreal Children’s Hospital, McGill University Health Centre

TRAINING PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Jesse Papenburg, MD

COORDINATOR:  Cher Tieng Ting

CHIEF, INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Earl Rubin, MD

MAJOR FEATURES OF TRAINING PROGRAM: The Montreal Children’s Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre provides tertiary/quaternary pediatric care to a catchment area with a population of 1.7 million persons. There are active bone marrow, renal and heart transplant programs, 15-bed PICU, 52-bed NICU, and the busiest pediatric emergency room in Canada. The population of Montreal is diverse, with a substantial immigrant and refugee population; the MCH also services the sub-arctic regions of the province of Quebec and their indigenous populations (Inuit and Cree). As such, the geographic medicine component of the Infectious Diseases service is also very active, and we are fortunate to be supported on site by the J.D. MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases. All of these attributes allow trainees to have a broad exposure to pediatric infectious diseases.

A highlight of our program is its educational integration with the adult infectious diseases and medical microbiology training programs, sharing a structured teaching program which includes weekly joint academic half-day and journal clubs. This close relationship allows for diversified academic discourse and research opportunities.

For microbiology training, we are fortunate to have a dedicated full-time Assistant Chief Technologist to supervise bench side in the lab.

At present, the Division includes seven infectious diseases specialists, three of whom are also certified in medical microbiology and another who is also certified in pediatric allergy and immunology. Our staff have nationally recognised expertise in clinical HIV, hospital infection control and prevention, epidemiologic research, viral diagnostics and vaccinology, contributing to provincial and national treatment, prevention and diagnostics recommendations.

TITLE(S) OF RECENT FELLOWS’ PUBLISHED PAPERS:  

1. Unraveling the Pneumonia Burden Associated With Human Metapneumovirus Infection.
   Papenburg J, Alghounaim M.
   Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Jan 23;72(1):118-120.
2. Impact of decreasing cerebrospinal fluid enterovirus PCR turnaround time on costs and management of children with suspected enterovirus meningitis.
   Alghounaim M, Caya C, Cho M, Beltempo M, Yansouni CP, Dendukuri N, Papenburg J.
   Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2020 May;39(5):945-954.
3. Diagnostic Accuracy of Novel and Traditional Rapid Tests for Influenza Infection Compared With Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
   Merckx J, Wali R, Schiller I, Caya C, Gore GC, Chartrand C, Dendukuri N, Papenburg J.
   Ann Intern Med. 2017 Sep 19;167(6):394-409.
4. Microbial Biofilms in Pulmonary and Critical Care Diseases.
   Boisvert AA, Cheng MP, Sheppard DC, Nguyen D.
   Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2016 Sep;13(9):1615-23.
5. Clostridium difficile Infections in Children: Impact of the Diagnostic Method on Infection Rates.
   AlGhounaim M, Longtin Y, Gonzales M, Merckx J, Winters N, Quach C.
   Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2016 Sep;37(9):1087-93.

GRANT FUNDING RECEIVED FOR FELLOW RESEARCH PROJECTS:

1. Pilot Implementation of a Highly Multiplexed Rapid Meningoencephalitis Panel for Cerebrospinal Fluid Testing at the Montreal Children’s Hospital: Feasibility, Clinical Impact and Cost-effectiveness (Montreal Children’s Hospital Medical Service Staff Association (MSSA) Innovation Fund)
2. Development of a Website for a Living Systematic Review and Meta-analysis on the Diagnostic Accuracy of Novel Rapid Tests for Influenza Infection (Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR))
3. Ophthalmia neonatorum caused by N. gonorrhoeae or C. trachomatis” (Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program (CPSP))

AFFILIATED HOSPITALS:  

1. Montreal Children’s Hospital
2. Royal Victoria Hospital
3. Shriner’s Hospital of Montreal

NUMBER OF INPATIENT/OUTPATIENT CONSULTS PER YEAR: 1,250

FELLOWS ACCEPTED EACH YEAR: 2

VISAS ACCEPTED: Other

FUNDING ENSURED FOR ALL 3 YEARS: Yes

IS COMPLETION OF PEDIATRIC RESIDENCY TRAINING IN THE U.S. OR CANADA A REQUIREMENT? No

Program provides training (didactic lectures, hands on experience, or antimicrobial stewardship meetings/membership) in:

1. Microbiology lab on site
2. Infection control and hospital epidemiology
3. Antimicrobial stewardship
4. Immunocompromised hosts

Opportunities to fulfill the ABP requirements for scholarly activity is available in the following general areas:

1. Antimicrobial stewardship
2. Bacteriology/bacterial infections
3. Epidemiology and statistics
4. Global health
5. HIV
6. Immunizations
7. Infection control/hospital epidemiology
8. Mycology/fungal infections
9. Parasitology/parasitic diseases
10. Public health
11. Quality improvement
12. Transplant medicine
13. Virology/viral diseases

Opportunities exist for research outside of the ID Division: Yes

Program offers the opportunity to obtain a Master’s degree in a field such as Public Health, Education, Clinical Sciences, or Epidemiology (assuming appropriate arrangements are made): Yes