Characteristics of postdoctoral students at Canadian universities are discussed and issues related to the training of postdoctoral students in Canada are explored. A survey conducted in 1972 indicated that there were 2,272 postdoctorals and research associates in the university sector. About 1,000 of these postdoctoral students were in mathematics or the physical sciences. Thirty percent were in the health sciences, and only 3.9 percent were in the human sciences. Ontario universities accounted for 42.3 percent of these students, and another third were in universities in the western provinces. Only 8.7 percent of these postdoctoral students were women. While 75 percent of the students were married, only about half of these had any children. About 22 percent of the postdoctoral students were Canadian citizens, but only 16.2 percent were Canadians by birth. Most of the foreign students came from Asia or Europe, and 18.3 percent came from the United States. Over 20 tables present data on the regional distribution, marital status, number of children, field of study, country of birth, country of citizenship, legal residence status (for foreign students), anticipated employment sector, country of employment, and career location of postdoctoral students. Some data are presented by field of study and/or by selected discipline. The assignment of the costs of training postdoctoral students and the need to examine future employment opportunities for these students are discussed briefly. (SC)