Royal College FRCPC Residency

AllisonPetrieMcConnelllheadshotsedited-4

Dr. Allison McConnell

Program Director

amccon2@uwo.ca

clemente

Dr. Michael Clemente

Assistant Program Director

mclemen5@uwo.ca

susan

Susan Pierson

Program Administrator

susan.pierson@lhsc.on.ca

Curriculum

Year ONE:  Transition to Discipline and Foundations

  • Adult ER (4)
  • UCC (1)
  • Paeds ER (2)
  • Anesthesia (1)
  • POCUS/EMS (1)
  • CTU (1)
  • Gen Sx (1)
  • Psych (1)
  • Paeds Gen Sx (1)

Year TWO: Core

  • Ortho Trauma (1)
  • Ortho Hybrid – urgent care shifts with a focus on ortho presentations (1)
  • CCTC (ICU) (2)
  • Cardiac critical care unit (2)
  • Anesthesia (1)
  • Adult ER (4)
  • Paeds ER (1)
  • OB/Gyn (1) – Windsor

Year THREE: Core

  • ER SMR (1)
  • Trauma (1)
  • Paediatric CCU* (2)
  • Adult ER (4)
  • Paeds ER (2)
  • Electives (2)
  • Neuro (1/2 stroke; ½ community clinic)

*One PCCU block may be substituted for paeds transport

Year FOUR: Core

  • Adult ER (5)
  • Paeds ER (2)
  • UCC (1)
  • Electives (5)

Year FIVE: Transition to Practice

  • Area of interest (6)
  • Electives (2)
  • ER (5)

During electives in 3rd year and 4th year, residents must complete EMS, Advanced POCUS, and Toxicology rotations

We are in the midst of updating our mission statement/core values and program information. Stay tuned for updates, in the meantime, please refer to our CaRMS website for the most up-to-date information.

Resident Research Opportunities

As one of the program goals is for residents to be capable of and enthusiastic for scholarly pursuits in emergency medicine, scholarly activities are a mandatory component of the program. In addition to this, scholarly pursuits in education are encouraged and supported by the program.

Residents are supported in the scholarly endeavours in a number of ways. It is hoped that a resident will choose one larger project early in his/her residency that can be developed and completed over 3 to 5 years. Those residents with a greater interest are encouraged to also conduct several smaller projects throughout their five year residency. Reserach projects may be in any field related to emergency medicine including, but not limited to: medical education, pre-hospital medicine, medical administration, trauma and resuscitation, or clinical decision making.

Dr. Jon Dreyer is a faculty member who is designated as resident research coordinator, however most faculty members are involved in research either through their role on the research committee or as individual project supervisors. Our research coordinator, Kristine Van Aarsen, works in the research office and is a excellent resource for project design and clinical epidemiology. They also deliver clinical epidemiology teaching sessions throughout the year during Thursday morning chief rounds.

Resident Research Day (RRD)
Resident Research Day (RRD) is an annual event held in the spring by the emergency medicine department. Here, residents from both the royal college and CCFP-EM programs present their active reserach projects. In order to encourage quality work, residents may present project proposals, work in progress, or completed work. It is expected that each royal college resident will present at a minimum of three RRDs during their five year residency. A group of judges, including a visiting physician from an external hospital, award montary prizes to the best oral presentations.

National & International Conferences
Royal college residents are expected to present their research findings at a minimum of one national level conference during their residency. Most often, residents present at the annual Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians conference. A conference stipend of $1500 is provided by the program to help cover costs.

Academic Days

Academic full days occur on a weekly basis. Every Thursday, residents are excused from clinical duties to attend their academic day. Format typically includes:

  • One hour of Chief’s Rounds – peer-to-peer teaching by senior residents and other faculty, organized by residents for residents
  • One hour of Grand Rounds – exploring hot button areas in Emergency Medicine, numerous guest speakers
  • Two hours of core teaching – exploring 1-2 chapters of our core textbook (Rosen’s Emergency Medicine) each week, faculty teach residents the important clinical context for each chapter in a fun and engaging way
  • Afternoons: Once a month we have high-fidelity simulation cases at a local simulation laboratory. We have one afternoon a month as dedicated research time. Other afternoon sessions will be focused on EDI, financial literacy, and other essential topics in relation to becoming a well rounded EM physician. Core EM presentations are explored and critical resource management skills are reinforced.

Selection Criteria

  • Proven interest in emergency medicine as demonstrated by enthusiasm in the interview, previous elective experience in emergency medicine, letters of reference from emergency physicians familiar with the candidate
  • Commitment to an academic/scholastic practice of Emergency Medicine
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • An acceptable academic record
  • We encourage applicants to have completed at least one elective in our specialty.
  • We do not require applicants to have done onsite electives.

The strengths of the program reside within the dedicated faculty, the commitment to teaching and the extensive and varied patient population.

Residents are evaluated on a regular basis by means of direct observation and in-training examinations, both written and oral in nature. The program director reviews resident progress on a regular basis.

Electives

Given the changes during the COVID-19 pandemic we are currently unable to offer electives in person. We hope to welcome elective students back in future iterations.

Program Strengths

Quick Facts:

  • There are opportunities for interprovincial and international electives while training in the program. Past residents have done electives in other provinces in Canada, the United States and around the world. These electives need to be arranged by the residents with approval of the residency training committee. In general, there is no financial support for residents in these electives.
  • There are currently 21 residents in the Emergency Medicine Residency Program spanning 5 clinical years. Currently there are 67 faculty members at The London Health Sciences Centre and 12 full-time Pediatric Emergency physicians at the Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario.
  • It is mandatory to do one block of a rural or community rotation. It is very common for residents to take electives in Clinical Toxicology at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and also NYC.  Although these are by definition electives, the program currently supports residents for travel and accommodation up to $750 for these two electives should they desire.

Resident Support

  • Residents are provided with a copy of the textbook Rosen’s Principles and Practices of Emergency Medicine at the beginning of their residency. In addition, residents receive $750.00 per year in academic funding to use towards conferences, textbooks or other academic uses. Residents who have projects accepted for presentation at national conferences receive an additional $1000.00 to offset the costs of travelling to the conference. There is an annual competition for a $1000.00 resident scholarship for those residents pursuing academic study such as Master’s level courses. Resident travel and accommodation costs for the toxicology and trauma electives are supported.

Fellowship Programs

Residents are encouraged to use their elective time wisely to foster additional expertise / fellowship opportunties. These may include but are not limited to Critical Care medicine, Sports Medicine, EMS, POCUS as well as Masters Programs in Epidemiology, Public Health, Health Administration.

Training Sites

Clinical experience is gained at the London Health Sciences Centre which includes the Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario. The London Health Sciences Centre also operates as a regional Trauma Referral Centre. It is also the Base Hospital for the Prehospital Care Program. London has both Basic and Advanced Life paramedics in the field that are under on-line and off-line medical control. Rotations also occur at St. Joseph’s Health Centre which runs an urgent care center.

There are opportunities for interprovincial and international electives while training in the program. Past residents have done electives in other provinces in Canada, the United States and around the world. These electives need to be arranged by the residents with approval of the residency training committee. In general, there is not financial support for residents in these electives.

Interested in applying?

If you are interested in our program or want to learn more we encourage you to come to one of our info nights! Dates for the 2023/2024 application cycle will be posted shortly. In the meantime, we are hosting bi-weekly drop-in sessions hosted by our residents for questions and getting to know us. These occur from 1900-2000 EST every other Wednesday. If you are interested in attending or have any other inquiries please reach out to our chief residents at westernemerg@gmail.com. Our program directors will also be conducting similar sessions, with dates TBD. If you are visiting us here at Western we highly encourage you to attend our teaching sessions on Thursdays! Info will be posted under “current learners- FRCPC”.

Previous Program Graduates

1985      David Austin, University of Toronto

Robert Beveridge, Dalhousie University

1987      Mary Eisenhauer, Western University

Rob Street, University of British Columbia

1988      John Gibson, Western University

1989      Lisa Shepherd, Western University

1990      Graham Bullock, Dalhousie University

Jeff Fuss,  University of Victoria

1991      William McCauley, Western University

1992      David Murphy, Western University

1993      Pauline Paine, Western University

1995      George Kovacs, Dalhousie University

1996      Scott Anderson, Western University

David Petrie, Dalhousie University

1997      Karen Woolfrey, McMaster University

1998      Keith Donovan, Western University

Michael Hatcher, MacMaster University

1999      Derrick Pringle, Western University

2000      Michael Lewell, Western University

Dawn Giffin, Western University

2001      Phil Moran, North York General

2002      Drew Thompson, Western University

Andrew Jones, Western University

2003      Ted Everson, Western University

Terry Skoretz, Western University

2004      Laura Price, Western University

Colin Bullard, International

Jehangir Meer, University of Toronto

2005      Becca Mallin, McMaster University

Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, International

2006      Wanda Millard, Western University

2007      Ian Ball, Western University

Adam Dukelow, Western University

2008      Kris Lehnhardt, Washington

Mike Peddle, Western University

2009      Rob Arntfield, Western University

Dave Ouellette, Western University

2010      Chris Martin, Barrie, ON

Jan Trojanowski, Vancouver, BC

2011      Cimi Achiam, Vancouver BC

Karalyn Church, Western University

Heather Hames, Western University

2012      Matt Davis, Western University

Allie Meiwald, Western University

2013      Sameer Mal, Western University

Joel Krause, St. Catherines, ON

Ryan Arbeau, Western University

Danny Peterson, Calgary, AB

2014      Justin Yan, Western University

Justin Ahn, Vancouver, BC

2015      Bourke Tillmann, Toronto, ON

Morgan Riggan, Western University

Kate Hayman, Toronto, ON

2016      Natalie Cram, Calgary, AB

Sean Doran, Western University

Megan Garnett, Thunder Bay, ON

Chris Lee, Vancouver, BC

2017      Dave Fu, Edmonton, Alberta

Lauren Valdis, Western University

Ben Strauss, Credit Valley, Mississauga

2018      Allison McConnell, Western University

Jacob Pace, Western University, St Thomas

Drew Schappert, Western University

Marcus Van Aarsen, Western University

Meagan Mucciaccio Windsor Regional

Alex Dong, Western University

2019      Mike Beyea, Brampton ON

Nick Federman, Chatham/Guelph ON

Chantal Forristal, Western University

Marc Lipkus, North York, Toronto ON

Davy Tawadrous, Toronto General

2020      Michael Clemente, Western University

Mason Curtis, Western University

Aaron Stone, UBC

Brad Waterman, Western University

2021      Michael Blaszak, Western University

Erik Leci, Western University

Jennifer McGuire, Western University

Brad Rostas, Western University

John Teefy, Western University

2022      Shane Freeman, Western University

Danielle Kelton, Western University

Brendan Maxwell, Western University

Dave Morden, Western University

Petrease Patton, Western University

2023 Taylor Beauchamp, Western University

Sydney Todorovich, Western University

Rob Soegtrop, Toronto ON

Erfun Hatam, Windsor ON