Perioperative Medicine

To provide anesthesiologists with experience and to foster clinical excellence in the preoperative management of a broad range of surgical cases and non-surgical invasive procedures. It is designed for individuals who wish to deepen their understanding of preoperative assessments and optimization or develop/manage a preoperative clinic.

The fellowship is offered at all three campuses of the Ottawa Hospital, a tertiary care hospital providing a wide range of surgical services but excluding cardiac and pediatric surgery. There are two inpatient campuses, General and Civic sites, and one outpatient surgery campus, the Riverside. There is a preoperative assessment unit located at each of these campuses. There are many anesthesiologists in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine who have an interest in this subspecialty and a few nationally recognized clinician scientists engaged in research in perioperative medicine.

We provide anesthesia to approximately 30,000 surgical procedures per year in the main ORs and a large number of procedures in interventional radiology and endoscopy. The preoperative assessment units (PAUs) have a triage system that ensures that physicians only assess those patients with significant comorbidities or undergoing high-risk procedures. The focus of these clinics is to ensure appropriate assessment and optimization of comorbidities prior to surgery. The units have a good working relationship with an internist lead clinic and a blood management clinic where our Fellows can gain further experience.

The Fellow will be given exposure to the administrative aspects of managing a preoperative assessment unit and the implementation of perioperative protocols.

• Two days per week in the PAU
• Two days in operating rooms
• One day per week for protected non-clinical time, including:
• A research project - it is expected that the Fellow will participate in a clinical research project leading to presentation at a national or international meeting or publication in a medical journal. Alternatively, the Fellow could create and implement a protocol to improve patient experience, safety or clinical care. This will be supported by faculty and members of our department.
• Education of anesthesiology residents and medical students
• One presentation at local morning rounds

We are looking for high quality individuals who are passionate and enthusiastic about preoperative medicine. Candidates must apply through University of Ottawa Postgraduate Medical Education office and selected candidates will be invited for an in-person interview (or via telephone if overseas).