Dr. Paul Korchinski
Director of Undergraduate Anesthesia Education

Students on their core clinical rotation will be expected to complete all rotational learning objectives prior to the end of the rotation. A copy of the rotational objectives can be found below. During the rotation, students will be provided with a copy of the prescribed textbook for this rotation – Ottawa Anesthesia Primer by Patrick Sullivan. Students must return their copy of the textbook at the end of their rotation.

Daily evaluation forms must be collected at the end of each day and signed by your supervising anesthetist. Students must hand in their evaluation forms at the end of the rotation as they will be used to complete a final evaluation. We will not be able to complete a final evaluation if daily evaluation forms are not submitted for any reason.

As well, experience (6.2) logs must be completed and returned at the end of the rotation before a final evaluation can be released to the College of Medicine.

Due to the short duration of our rotation, vacation requests will NOT be approved. Educational leave to attend a conference or learning session may be allowed up to one (1) day with advance approval from the College of Medicine and the rotation director.

Final evaluations will be based on your daily evaluations as well as a multiple-choice exam to be written at the end of the rotation. Students will meet with the educational site director on the last day of the rotation for a final interview and to provide rotational feedback.

• Rotation Objectives
• Daily Student Evaluation Form

The Departments of Anesthesia in Saskatoon and Regina are each housed at tertiary care hospitals offering a wide compliment of general and subspecialty surgical services common to other academic teaching hospitals across Canada. Our departments each provide a variety of subspecialty anesthetic services, including pediatric, obstetric, vascular, neuro, thoracic, acute pain, chronic pain, and trauma.

Our rotation is a hands-on exposure and acquisition of the basic knowledge and technical skills requisite within our field. Elective students can expect to gain further experience in the provision of anesthetic care including:

• Preoperative patient assessment including those patients with a variety of premorbid conditions
• Intraoperative anesthetic management under general, regional, or neuraxial anesthesia
• Postoperative care and acute pain management

Elective students can expect the majority of their experience to occur within the operating room environment. Students will be assigned each day to a particular surgical slate and will function under the supervision of an anesthesiologist. On certain days, students may alternatively be assigned to our acute pain and procedure service alongside our residents. Generally, attempts are made to ensure continuity of supervision with the same anesthesiologist on multiple days during the elective, however, students should expect to work with a variety of supervisors throughout.

We encourage all students interested in the varied, challenging, and dynamic clinical practice anesthesia has to offer to pursue an elective with us. To all students on elective we wish you a valuable and rewarding learning experience.

University of Saskatchewan Applicants
Please complete the elective request form below.

Saskatoon: Submit forms to Ms. Georgie Blackwell

Regina: Submit forms to Ms. Kim Gilbert

Canadian and International Applicants
Please visit the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine’s Electives website for instructions.

** Please be aware that during the summer months (July 1 – August 31) reduced operating room schedules and increased learner volumes can make elective student placement challenging. We suggest students applying to Saskatoon sites especially during this period contact Ms. Raven St. Yves to confirm elective dates availability prior to submitting an elective request.

• Elective Request Form

Dr. Paul Korchinski
Director of Undergraduate Anesthesia Education

Dr. Ryan Pikaluk
Education Director, Regina Site

Dr. Sujay Ishwarlall
Education Director, Prince Albert Site

Ms. Georgie Blackwell
Administrative Assistant, Saskatoon Site

Ms. Kim Gilbert
Administrative Assistant, Regina Site

Ms. Nicole Toutant
Administrative Assistant, Prince Albert Site

The Department of Anesthesiology holds weekly grand rounds at 07:15 - 08:00 AM on Fridays at Health Science E1130. These are Royal College CME accredited events. The speakers range from residents to staff anesthesiologist. We also often have multi-disciplinary sessions. If you have any questions please email: Henrybi@gmail.com

Dr. Henry Bi
Director of Continuing Education and Professional Development
Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Medicine and Pain Management
University of Saskatchewan

Welcome to the Division of Research page of the University of Saskatchewan Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Medicine and Pain Management. 

One of the department’s primary missions is to generate new knowledge that will advance the understanding and practice of Anesthesiology.  Our strategic priority is to continuously pursue research excellence by facilitating inter/multi/trans-disciplinary collaborations that will ensure our research is recognized and celebrated locally, regionally, provincially, nationally, and internationally.

With the efforts of our dedicated faculty, students, residents and staff, the Research Division conducts a broad range of clinical, preclinical and basic science research. Our Research Division team is led by executive director Dr. Jonathan Gamble. We are also fortunate to have the efforts of clinician scientist Dr. Peter Hedlin, research coordinator Dr. Jennifer O’Brien, research assistant Dr. Claudia Madampage and biostatistician Mr. Jagmeet Singh Bajwa. 

We have recently launched a provincial research and innovation funding program - Provincial Department of Anesthesiology Research Excellence and Engagement Awards (DARE-Awards).  For program details feel free to contact Drs. Gamble or O’Brien.

The Department of Anesthesiology does not accept medical students as volunteer researchers.  Students who are interested in research are invited to apply to the College of Medicine Dean's Summer Student projects located here.

If you would like to contact us we may be reached as follows:

This page contains some recent publications that members of our department have published.  Public access has been made available although the original source of publication is cited and made available through the link.

Recent Publications

• Chakravarti A, Raazi M, O’Brien J, Balaton B. Anesthesiology Resident Wellness Program at the University of Saskatchewan: concept and development. Can J Anesth. 2017 Feb; 64(2): 185-198. 
• Chakravarti A, Raazi M, O’Brien J, Balaton B. Anesthesiology Resident Wellness Program at the University of Saskatchewan: curriculum content and delivery. Can J Anesth. 2017 Feb; 64(2):199-210.
• Li ECK, Balbuena LD, Gamble JJ. ENIGMA II revisited: patients still vomiting. Anesthesiology. 2017. Accepted, in press.
• Gamble, JJ, Chan IA. Reply to Ideno, Satoshi; Seki, Hiroyuki; Morisaki, Hiroshi, regarding their comment ‘Consider an additional pressure relief port before we abandon the use of the wall oxygen through a  bronchoscope’. Paediatr Anaesth. 2016;26(7):769-71.
• Hoda Z, O’Brien J, Gamble J. Intractable seizures in a 17 month old after application of over the counter local anesthetic cream. CMAJ. 2016, Apr 25. 
• O’Brien, JM. Establishing a scholarly culture requires a conceptual framework for leveraging change. Perspect Med Educ. 2016;5:191-2.
• Ho MJ, Li ECK, Wright JM. Blood pressure lowering efficacy of coenzyme Q10 for primary hypertension. Cochrane database of systematic reviews. Published Online: 3 MAR 2016.
• McKay WP. Comment on: Malek MH et al. Muscle Nerve. 44: 432 - 438; 2011. Muscle Nerve. Accepted manuscript online: 27 JAN 2016. 
• McKay WP, Wang A, Yip K, Raazi M. Tracheal ultrasound to assess endotracheal tube depth: an exploratory study. Can J Anesth. 2015 Jan. DOI 10.1007/s12630-015-0313-3.
• Slovack M, Taylor B, Bryce R, Ong D. Does intravenous lidocaine during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery reduce postoperative analgesia?  A randomized controlled study. Can J Anesth. 2015 Feb. DOI 10.1007/s12630-15-033-z.
• Murto K, Breton S, Ramakko KA, Aglipay M, Perverseff R, Bryson GL.  Safety-engineered intravenous catheter utilization among Canadian pediatric anesthesiologists. Can J Anesth. 2015 Feb. DOI 10.1007/s12630-015-0351-x. 
• McNair E, Marcoux J-A, Bally C, Gamble J, Thomson D. Bivalirudin as an adjunctive anticoagulant to heparin in the treatment of heparin resistance during cardiopulmonary bypass-assisted cardiac surgery. Perfusion. 2015 May 1. DOI 10.1177/0267659115583525.
• Chan IA, Gamble JJ. Tension pneumothorax during flexible bronchoscopy in a non-intubated infant. Paediatr Anaesth. Article first published online: 6 JAN 2016.  
• Hoda Z, O’Brien J, Gamble J. Intractable seizures in a 17 month old after application of over the counter local anesthetic ointment. CMAJ. Accepted, in press.
• Fedoruk K, Chong K, Sermer M, Carvalho JCA. Anesthetic management of a parturient with hypermobility phenotype but possible vascular genotype Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Can J Anesth. 2015 Dec; 62(12):1308-12.  First online: 14 September 2015.  
• Munshey F, Gamble J, McKay W. Modified pediatric Magill Forceps effect on nasal intubation time. Paediatr Anaesth. Article first published online: 4 Jan 2016.
• Chan I, Maslany J, Gorman K, O’Brien J, McKay W. : Dexmedetomidine during total knee arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia decreases opioid use. A randomized controlled trial. Can J Anesth. Accepted, in press.
• Lucy MJ, Gamble JJ, Daku BL, Bryce RD, Rana M. Positive-pressure ventilation during transport: a randomized crossover study of self-inflating and flow-inflating resuscitators in a simulation model.  Paediatr Anaesth 2014.  Epub 23 Jun 2014.   
• Gamble JJ, McKay WP, Wang AF, Yip KA, O'Brien JM, Plewes C.  Three-finger tracheal palpation to guide endotracheal tube depth in children.  Paediatr Anaesth 2014.  Epub 23 Jun 2014.  http://library.usask.ca/scripts/remote?URL=http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/pan.12452
• Gamble JJ, McKay WP, Wang AF, Yip KA, O'brien JM, Plewes C.  Three-finger tracheal palpation to guide endotracheal tube depth in children.  Paediatr Anaesth 2014. Epub 23 Jun 2014.  
• Gamble J, Ambros B, Séguin P, Bensamour P, Simko E. Stimulating thoracic epidural placement via a lumbar approach causes significant spinal cord damage in a porcine model. Can J Anesth 2014; doi: 10.1007/s12630-014-0117-x  http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12630-014-0117-x (Accompanying Editorial - Tsui B )
• Cowie N, Bowen A, Kuling S, Premkumar K, Burbridge M, Martel J. Health quality improvement using instructional communication and teamwork videos: an outcome study. Creative Education 2014;5:36-45.doi: 10.4236/ce.2014.51008  
• Premkumar K, Cowie N, Coupal CM, Boechler K. Software for annotating videos – a resource to facilitate active learning in the digital age. Creative Education 2013. 4(7): 465-9. doi: 10.4236/ce.2013.47067
• Preston R, Campbell DC. Managing maternal cardiac arrest in Canada: – we’re doing OK, but we can do better. Can J Anesth. 2013. 60:1041–6. doi: 10.1007/s12630-013-0027-3 
• McKay WP, Klonarakis, J, Pelivanov V, O’Brien JM, Plewes C. Tracheal palpation to assess endotracheal tube depth: an exploratory study. Can J Anesth. 2013; doi 10.1007/s12630-013-0079-4  
• Wright KD, Finley GA, Lee DJ, Raazi M, Sharpe D. Practices of anesthesiologists to alleviate anxiety in children and adolescents in Canada. Can J Anesth 2013; doi: 10.1007/s12630-013-0018-4.  
• Burbridge M, Raazi M. Awake craniotomy in a developmentally delayed blind man with cognitive deficits. Can J Anesth. 2013 Apr;60(4):399-403. doi: 10.1007/s12630-013-9893-y 
• Gamble, J. A practice of anesthesia for infants and children – fifth edition [Book Review].  Can J Anesth. 2013; doi: 10.1007/s12630-013-0015-.
• Marcoux V, Nosib S, Bi H, Brownbridge B. Intraoperative myocardial infarction: Kounis syndrome provoked by latex allergy. BMJ Case Reports. 2013. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2012-007581.
• McKay WP.  Intravenous analgesia for out-of-hospital traumatic pain in adults: ketamine gives a greater reduction in pain than morphine but causes more adverse effects.  Evid Based Nurs. 2013;16:58-9. 
• McKay WP, Vargo M, Chilibeck PD, Daku BL. Effects of ambient temperature on mechanomyography of resting quadriceps muscle. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2013; 38:227-33. 
• McNair E, McKay W, Qureshi AM, Rosin M, Gamble J, Dalshaug G, Mycyk T, Prasad K. Outcomes and biochemical parameters following cardiac surgery: Effects of transfusion of residual blood using centrifugation and multiple-pass hemoconcentration. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2013 Aug 26; doi:10.1053/j.jvca.2013.03.011 
• O’Brien, JM. Conceptualizing the research culture in postgraduate medical education: Implications for leading culture change. JOMH. 2013.  doi: 10.1007/s10912-013-9257-1.
• Rehman H, Tuchscherer J. Metabolic acidosis in toluene sniffing. Can J Emerg Med. 2013 Jul;15(4):249-52.
• Cowie N, Premkumar K, Bowen A, Kuling S, Kawchuk J, Rooney M, Morris G, Burbridge M, Martel J, Sivertson J, Campbell D, Coupal C, Boechler K. Teamwork and Communication in Acute Care: A Teaching Resource for Health Practitioners. MedEdPORTAL; 2012. Available from:
• Gamble C, Gamble J, Seal R, Wright RB, Ali S. Bispectral analysis during procedural sedation in the pediatric emergency department. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2012;28(10):1003-8.
• O’Brien JM. Helping learners apply what they learn: Seven variables to consider [Book Review]. J Contin Educ Health Prof. 2012; 32(2):148. doi: 10.1002/chp.21138.

• Results for the Study: Does Video Feedback and Modeling Reduce Mean Time to Perform Peripheral Intravenous Cannulation? A Pilot Study.
• Biomechanics of the Epidural Loss-Of-Resistance Technique in Humans
• Summary of results: A Prospective Randomized Double Blinded Control Trial using Ketamine or Anesthesia for Electroconvulsive Therapy: Improving Treatment-Resistant Depression
• 2016 Annual Resident Research Day Abstract Book
• Tracheal ultrasound to assess endotracheal tube depth
• Endotracheal palpation to assess tracheal depth in pediatric patients
• Can dexmedetomidine for procedural sedation in knee arthroplasty reduce postoperative pain? A randomized control study.
• Low-Dose subcutaneous Ketamine for postoperative pain management in Sub-Saharan Africa: A pilot dose-finding study
• Results for the study: Development of a device to decrease needle pain: Phase 5 - temperature, pressure, and vibration combination
• Ultrasound Guided Fascia Iliaca Block for Postoperative Analgesia after Elective Total Hip Arthroplasty
• Results for the Study:Prophylactic Nasal CPAP in the Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit Following Elective Laparotomy for Bowel Surgery