"Choosing to go into this program was one of the greatest decisions of my life - I had just finished my undergraduate degree and I was looking for something that didn’t have a long time commitment, and that was interesting and applicable to me. I couldn’t have made a better decision because looking back, I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. This program allows you to choose a specific area of focus, and I chose Clinical Cancer Research, so I was able to learn about clinical trials in graduate studies and use this knowledge to jump right into clinical research after completing the program."
The Graduate Diploma in Oncology has not only provided students with a more in-depth knowledge in all things cancer, it also has exposed them to the range of possibilities for career direction and growth as well as providing invaluable connections in the field.
The Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology has partnered with the Division of Experimental Surgery to provide students the opportunity to use the Graduate Diploma in Oncology as a springboard for a master’s non-thesis degree in Experimental Surgery. Further information about the MSc non-thesis in Experimental Surgery - Oncology.
Graduate Diploma in Oncology (30 credits)
Flyer (English) Flyer (French)
The Graduate Diploma in Oncology provides students the opportunity to gain exposure to the principles and practice of oncology as well as its research domains while exploring in more detail one of four areas of focus:
a. Population and Global Cancer Control
OR
b. Psychosocial Oncology/Palliative Care
OR
c. Clinical Cancer Research
OR
d. Cancer Care Services and Quality
All students must begin the program in the fall semester. It is expected that full-time students will complete the program in one year (2 semesters) while part-time students will complete the program in 2.5 years (5 semesters). Once an applicant has been accepted into the program a mentor will be assigned. Courses will be chosen in consultation with the mentor and then each student’s course plan will be reviewed by the Program Committee with final approval by the Program Director.
1. Required courses (12 credits)
ONCO 610 D1/D2 Fundamentals of Oncology and Cancer Research (6 credits) Fall and Winter
ONCO 620 Best Practices in Biomedical Research (3 credits) Winter Information about the course
ONCO 630 Oncology Practicum (3 credits) Winter Further Information
2. Choice of one of the following research design or statistics courses (3 credits)
(Chosen in consultation with the student’s mentor)
EPIB 507 Biostats for Health Sciences (3 credits)
EPIB 521 Regression Analysis for Health Sciences (3 credits)
EXMD 634 Quantitative Research Methods (3 credits)
DENT 505/FMED 505 Epidemiology and Data Analysis in Primary Care 1 (3 credits)
OR another 3-credit research design or statistics course at the 500 level or higher.
3. Choice of one of the following course groupings (6 credits) which will define the area of focus for the Oncology Practicum. The area of focus will have already been determined during the application process.
Area of Focus: Population and Global Cancer Control
EPIB 671 Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention (3 credits)
PPHS 612 Principles of Public Health Practice (3 credits)
OR
Area of Focus: Psychosocial Oncology/Palliative Care
NUR2 783 Psychosocial Oncology Research (3 credits)
(Note: students in the other three areas of focus, can choose this course as an elective)
ONCO 635 Qualitative and Psychosocial Health Research (3 credits) Fall
OR
Area of Focus: Clinical Cancer Research
EXMD 617 Workshop in Clinical Trials 1 (1 credit)
EXMD 618 Workshop in Clinical Trials 2 (1 credit)
EXMD 619 Workshop in Clinical Trials 3 (1 credit)
ONCO 615 Principles and Practice of Clinical Trials (3 credits) Fall
OR
Area of Focus: Cancer Care Services and Quality
ONCO 625 Quality Improvement Principles and Methods (3 credits) Fall
PPHS 528 Economic Evaluation of Health Programs (3 credits)
If a course in the course grouping is not available in a given year, a suitable replacement will be chosen by the Graduate Program Director in consultation with the Program Committee.
4. Choice of 3 credits from the list below.
(Chosen in consultation with the student’s mentor)
EPIB 671 Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention (3 credits)
EXMD 614 Environmental Carcinogenesis (3 credits)
EXMD 620 Clinical Trials and Research 1 (1 credit)
EXMD 625 Clinical Trials and Research 2 (1 credit)
EXMD 626 Clinical Trials and Research 3 (1 credit)
EXMD 640 Experimental Medicine Topic 1 (3 credits)
EXSU 505 Trends in Precision Oncology (3 credits)
FMED 619 Program Management in Global Health & Primary Health Care (3 credits)
HGEN 690 Inherited Cancer Syndromes (3 credits)
ONCO 611 - Proteomics for Precision Medicine (3 credits)
ONCO 615 Principles and Practice of Clinical Trials (3 credits)
ONCO 625 Quality Improvement Principles and Methods (3 credits) Information about the course
ONCO 635 Qualitative and Psychosocial Health Research (3 credits)
ONCO 645- Seminars in Global Oncology (3 credits) Information about the course
POTH 637 Cancer Rehabilitation (3 credits)
PPHS 528 Economic Evaluation of Health Programs (3 credits)
PSYC 507 Emotions, Stress and Illness (3 credits)
SWRK 668 Living with Illness, Loss and Bereavement (3 credits)
5. Elective courses (6 credits)
(Chosen in consultation with the student’s mentor)
6 credits at the 500 level or higher can be chosen from the course list above or can be other courses. The courses do not necessarily have to include cancer-related content but must have relevance to the field.
Graduate Program Director
Luke McCaffrey
Graduate Program Coordinator
Elisa Monaco
Tel: 514-398-4596
admin.onc [at] mcgill.ca
HOW TO APPLY (Please note that the program must be started in the fall term)
ONCOLOGY PRACTICUM
Article about the Graduate Diploma in Oncology in Med e-News