After his medical degree, achieved with lode, he started his post-academic training in Lugano working as an assistant surgeon. Then, he trainedin Internal Medicine for three years.
When he finished the process required by the Federation of Swiss Doctors for the specialisation in Internal Medicine, he understood that he was not sufficiently prepared to meet the needs of the fragile elderly, who already represented a large part of patients in the hospital wards. Dr Fontana decided to accept a position for one year as an assistant doctor in neurology first in Lugano and then in Geneva.