Curriculum & Academics

Residents will participate in a week-long anesthesia “boot camp”, which has been operating for over 10 years with great success.  This week focuses on practical/technical aspects of anesthesia and crisis resource management through simulation didactic sessions and skill-specific training sessions.

Watch the video below!

Academics

Educational rounds and formal teaching sessions occur on a weekly basis. There is a curriculum of didactic problem-based or simulation-based learning sessions on topics specifically relevant to the FP-Anesthetist. A wide selection of anesthesia reference textbooks, electronic library resources, and computer services are also available for use by the residents.

Clinical Curriculum: Rotation Schedule

Core Anesthesia: 32 weeks
Sudbury
Sault Ste. Marie

The majority of your training at NOSM University will occur at one of the major Northern Ontario referral centers.  There is excellent clinical volume and case acuity to ensure a well-rounded, high-yield educational experience.  Residents will work closely with interested, enthusiastic anesthesiologists and family practice anesthetists.  Educational experiences will often occur concurrently with the anesthesiology residents in the Royal College training stream, allowing for excellent collaboration and knowledge translation. Academic sessions are often held virtually to ensure participation across the wide geographic distribution of the NOSM U campus.

The first clinical rotation will always be an anesthesia rotation at the primary training site.  A robust orientation program is provided to all new residents during the first week of training.

Consolidative Family Practice: 4 weeks

Huntsville
Kenora
Bracebridge
Dryden

As required by the College of Family Physicians, you will spend one month in a comprehensive family practice setting with a Family Practice Anesthetist. Days will be variable and reflect a rural FPA practice.  This may include, but not limited to, anesthesia, emergency medicine, and office practice.

Community Anesthesia: 4 weeks
North Bay
Timmins
Sioux Lookout
Parry Sound

Intensive Care: 4 weeks in the second half of the year
Sudbury

Pediatric Anesthesia: 6 weeks in the second half of the year
Ottawa (CHEO)

Residents will spend six consecutive weeks in Ottawa at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). The high volume of cases ensures excellent exposure to a broad range of pediatric anesthesia. Residents will obtain enhanced pediatric skills and increased comfort in dealing with pediatric patients.

Critical to moving toward an effective, competency-based, distributed education program that keeps residents informed on their progress and connected to the program, we have an eLearning Platform that allows residents to always have access to all program-related material.  There are multiple aspects to this personalized webspace that include schedules, resources, access to policies, databases, and evaluations.

Resident Resources

• PARO: The Professional Association of Residents of Ontario
• CAS: Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society

Self-Care Resources

• Resident Wellness
• OMA: Physician Health & Well-being Program

Recent Scholarly Work

• Video: Creating a Culture of Simulation

Simulation is a core component of the academic curriculum within the NOSM U FPA program.  The majority of training occurs at the Labelle Innovation and Learning Center, at Health Sciences North, which is a 28,000 square-foot world-class simulation facility and the largest in Northern Ontario.  Our simulation program incorporates high-fidelity simulation with mannequins, hybrid patients, and standardized patients. Residents take hands-on learning to the next level with state-of-the-art technology and simulation scenarios integrated throughout the training program early within their training program.