The CHUM is home to highly specialized healthcare professionals in part thanks to the support of our philanthropic community. Each year, your support, combined with contributions from members of the Conseil des médecins, dentistes et pharmaciens du CHUM (CDMP) and from medical departments and services, enables the Direction de l’enseignement et de l’Académie CHUM (DEAC) to offer a number of advanced training grants and fellowships.
These grants give CHUM team members the opportunity to deepen their expertise in their field through training at internationally recognized clinics, universities and teaching hospitals. It is a valuable opportunity to learn from world-renowned experts, discover new approaches and develop skills that can ultimately benefit patients at the CHUM and across Quebec.
Knowledge that reaches far beyond the CHUM
The impact of these grants extends well beyond the professional development of the individuals who receive them. When they return, fellows share their expertise with their colleagues and with the next generation of healthcare professionals trained at the CHUM. These new skills and knowledge can then be passed on by professionals who will soon be practicing in healthcare institutions across Quebec.
The program also helps raise the CHUM’s profile internationally by welcoming physicians from abroad who come to further their training alongside our teams. Their time at the CHUM allows the expertise developed here to reach well beyond Quebec’s borders.
Leading-edge expertise for better patient care
In 2025–2026, contributions from CHUM Foundation donors made it possible to award six advanced training grants and fellowships to CHUM specialists.
Meet the 2025–2026 fellows :
Dr. Maher Al Khaldi
Digestive Surgery
Advanced training in complex laparoscopic surgery and robotic surgery
“This experience will allow me to further refine my expertise in managing complex cases and inflammatory bowel disease, which is particularly prevalent among Quebecers.”
Dr. Florence Bénard
Surgical Oncology
Advanced training in endocrine surgery at the University of Toronto
Dr. Soumaya Bouhout
Ophthalmology
Advanced training in ocular oncology at Cleveland Eye Clinic and Moorfields Eye Hospital
“My goal is to return to the CHUM and help re-establish specialized care for patients with ocular tumours. This advanced training grant is essential to making this project a reality.”
Dr. Koray Demir
Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology
Advanced training in infectious diseases and microbiology in immunocompromised patients at Stanford University
Dr. Salma Mrichi
Neurosurgery
Fellowship / postdoctoral advanced training in vascular and skull base surgery
Ms. Xuan Nhi Nguyen
Audiology
“My current research focuses on better understanding the link between diabetes and hearing problems. I hope to help improve the quality of life of patients living with multiple chronic conditions.”
Investing in the future of healthcare
By supporting the CHUM Foundation, you give CHUM teams the opportunity to learn, teach and share their expertise to advance medicine here at home and around the world. Every contribution strengthens our collective knowledge, for the benefit of patients. Your impact therefore extends far beyond a single training experience: it helps build a healthcare ecosystem whose expertise reaches well beyond the hospital walls and drives meaningful change.