The Anesthesiology Program at Queen’s University is fully accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and complies with all of their standards and policies. We are committed to providing our residents with exceptional training in order for them to be successful in their FRCPC exams and their career.

The relatively small size of the program allows for a close relationship between the faculty and the residents. This enables a rapid progression to independent activities for individual residents. To help residents meet their career goals, they are assigned a faculty Academic Advisor for each stage of the program.

Anesthesia Simulator

Our Anesthesia Simulator Program is one of our highlights. All of our residents attend the simulator lab regularly throughout the year. There is exposure to a variety of critical clinical scenarios in multidisciplinary settings. Hands-on experience and in depth de-briefing afterwards are cornerstones of the program. The Anesthesia Simulation Program is a well established and effective educational tool for both formative feedback and summative assessment. Simulation has become essential in developing skills in crisis resource management and is most rewarding from the residents’ point of view.

Echocardiography

One of the fastest growing technologies in medicine is diagnostic ultrasound. We offer dedicated training in ultrasound guided regional anesthesia and ultrasound guided vascular access early in the program. In addition, we have developed a comprehensive curriculum of transthoracic echocardiography training, and were the first Anesthesiology training program in Canada to offer training in focused bedside TTE to all our residents integrated within a core rotation.

Scholarship

All of our residents are encouraged to develop a spirit of academic inquiry. Participation in scholarly work is mandatory. Opportunities to gain skills in teaching and medical leadership also exist at Queen’s and are supported by the department. Our department supports the residents to attend conferences and to present their work.

Collaborative Environment

Our program strives to foster independence at an early stage within a safe, comfortable and collegial learning environment. Our staff members quickly learn your strengths and weaknesses and can focus their attention and challenges appropriately. Seeing our residents’ progress is our main focus. The feeling of belonging extends to the whole of postgraduate medicine at Queen’s. Residents in anesthesia quickly get to know residents in other specialties due to their interaction during patient care on a daily basis. This fosters the communication and collaboration that is essential for optimal patient care.

Our residents are part of our team, and we work hard to develop and maintain a well-functioning, friendly environment. Residents are our colleagues and we take pride in watching their knowledge, skills and attitudes evolve. Mentoring our residents as they pass their exams and secure desirable fellowships or staff positions is one of the main reasons we work in this centre. Another is that Kingston is a great place to live and work. We welcome you to join our team.

The Surroundings

Kingston is a lovely medium-sized city in which to live. Settled more than 300 years ago, the historic buildings offer a quaint backdrop for the modern coffee shops and restaurants in the bustling downtown area. The hospitals are situated in close proximity to both Queen’s University and the downtown area. Kingston General Hospital is located right on the shore of Lake Ontario where Olympic caliber sailing and windsurfing opportunities abound. Several nearby provincial parks offer superb canoeing, camping and other outdoor sports such as cross country skiing, biking, and triathlon.

The Health Sciences Complex enjoys a close relationship both physically and academically with Queen’s University. Through Queen’s, there is ready access to facilities for both the arts and athletics.