Education

The Critical Care education experience starts as a junior resident, with training in a base specialty program such as internal medicine, surgery, emergency medicine or anesthesia. During this rotation, trainees learn the fundamentals of critical care and resuscitation of the acutely ill patient.

For those interested in a career in critical care medicine a two-year, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) approved residency training program is available. Through the residency, trainees will gain experience at managing patients with a variety of medical and surgical problems, and, at the end, will be prepared to care for any type of patient. There are also opportunities to develop skills in renal replacement therapies, percutaneous tracheostomy, extracorporeal life support therapies and solid organ transplantation care.

For those focused on specific training, we offer limited, one-year fellowships (in Cardiovascular ICU, Critical Care Nephrology, Critical Care Ultrasound or Critical Care for the Cardiologist). We also have an active research program and offer research fellowships.

We pride ourselves in incorporating the use of an active simulation program into our training. The simulation program helps provide a safe and controlled environment for realistic, experiential learning and gives trainees the experience and emotional involvement that fosters complex thought and self-reflection. The program also consists of regular collaboration with other centers, sessions focusing on crisis resource management and multidisciplinary exercises.

To educate, either by providing basic skills in managing acutely ill patients or training future intensivists (physicians who specialize in the care of critically ill patients in an intensive care unit).