A program that’s fit for purpose
Program Description
The goal of our training program is to prepare family physicians who will provide expert and high-quality care for patients requiring emergency services in any remote, rural, regional, urban, or academic hospital emergency departments in Saskatchewan and across Canada. Our program produces well-rounded physicians who are equipped to be local leaders and experts in Emergency Medicine. The objectives for Added Competence in Emergency Medicine fall within the domain of the CFPC Skill Dimensions and the CanMEDS-FM roles. Our residents have Certification in the College of Family Physicians of Canada and will be eligible to challenge the CCFP (EM) examination.
The program has three training sites: Saskatoon, Regina, and Swift Current. The Saskatoon and Regina sites each offer a comprehensive learning experience in a tertiary care hospital setting. The Swift Current site has been uniquely designed as a longitudinal integrated residency based in a small regional centre, which emphasizes trainees maintaining their primary care proficiency while gaining enhanced Emergency Medicine expertise. The three sites have a coordinated Emergency Medicine curriculum that includes joint academic activities with the University of Saskatchewan Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RSPSC) Emergency Medicine Training Program.
Accreditation
The University of Saskatchewan’s Family Medicine Emergency Medicine Residency Program has been fully accredited as a Category 1 Training Program recognized by the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC).
Program Highlights
Point-of-care Ultrasound (POCUS) Training
Each resident will be provided an opportunity to complete formal Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) training and achieve competency as part of the academic curriculum. Emergency Department Echo (EDE) courses are also offered during the academic year, and residents can alternatively pursue full certification through an accompanying IP-certifying boot camp course, or via observed ultrasound scans with our EDE-certified faculty members.
Simulation Sessions
High-fidelity simulation sessions are held regularly in our state-of-the-art Simulation Centre.
Critical Care Days
This is a three-day educational event held at the beginning of the academic year, involving lectures on Airway, ACLS, ATLS, PALS, Procedural Sedation, Toxicology and Shock, amongst other topics. A procedural lab is held in the Simulation Centre to review basic and surgical airways, chest tubes and central lines. A half day of high-fidelity simulation sessions is held on the final day and is highly rated by the residents. The final day is dedicated to ultrasound training with many opportunities to scan patient models.
Transition to Practice Rotation
This is a unique month designed to prepare residents for independent practice. The curriculum involves several emergency medicine shifts and small group sessions on managing department flow, how to teach learners, medico-legal issues and managing life and finances while practicing emergency medicine. Each resident is also booked for one EMS shift with pre-hospital crews and two STARS air ambulance shifts.
Toxicology Academic Full Day
High fidelity simulation sessions, grand rounds and small group sessions hosted by a visiting consultant from PADIS.
Geriatric Emergency Medicine Full Day
Grand rounds and lectures from specialists in geriatric emergency medicine. High fidelity simulation sessions catered to geriatric cases.
Disaster Day
Full day dedicated to preparing residents for a mass casualty / code orange situation. Grand rounds on a code orange case, table-top simulation, and large multi-disciplinary code orange simulation.
FM Clinics (Saskatoon and Regina)
Opportunities for horizontal Family Medicine clinics.
Full Scope Community Medicine Experience (Swift Current)
Through family medicine half day back, obstetrics call, and inpatient rounds.
Academics Days
Coordinated Saskatoon-Regina-Swift Current academic half days curriculum.
Research
Funding and protected time, as well as research mentorship.
Resident Retreat
Annual Emergency Medicine Resident Retreat.
Where you’ll learn: Our hospitals and clinics
Royal University Hospital (RUH)
Royal University Hospital (RUH) is a busy tertiary hospital in Saskatoon. The Saskatoon emergency medicine teaching program is based out of RUH. RUH is a referral centre for invasive cardiology, cardiac surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, oncology, trauma, orthopedics and neurosurgery. The pediatric emergency department is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital (JPCH)
Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital (JPCH) is located adjacent to RUH in Saskatoon. JPCH is a modern pediatric facility that offers state of the art equipment and resources to children, mothers, and families across Saskatchewan. The pediatric emergency department at this site is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
St. Paul’s Hospital (SPH)
St. Paul’s Hospital (SPH), located in Saskatoon, is a referral center for internal medicine, general surgery, nephrology, otolaryngology, vascular surgery, plastic surgery, thoracic surgery, palliative care, invasive radiology and hemodialysis centre.
Saskatoon City Hospital (SCH)
Saskatoon City Hospital (SCH) is a community hospital located across the river from RUH. The emergency department opens daily 0900-2200h.
Regina General Hospital (RGH)
Regina General Hospital (RGH) is a busy tertiary hospital in Regina. The Regina emergency medicine teaching program is based out of RGH. RGH is a tertiary referral centre for invasive cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, trauma, neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, pediatrics, hemodialysis and interventional radiology.
Pasqua Hospital (PH)
Pasqua Hospital (PH), located in Regina, is a referral centre for oncology, ophthalmology, plastic surgery, otolaryngology, internal medicine, general surgery, palliative care and orthopedics. There is also a robust hospitalist admitting service that works closely with our emergency department group at this site.
Cypress Regional Hospital (CRH)
Cypress Regional Hospital (CRH) is a busy regional hospital in Swift Current. The Swift Current emergency medicine teaching program is based out of CRH. CRH has 77 acute care beds, including 4 ICU beds, and a 10 bed Mental Health Unit. CRH provides excellence in care in inpatient medicine, general internal medicine, ICU, obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery, pediatrics, urology, ophthalmology, radiology, and psychiatry. Diagnostic imaging services include digital general radiography, CT, ultrasound, digital mammography and fluoroscopy. CRH is also home to the Lee/Irwin Simulation Centre, a state of the art simulation centre which features a HAL mannequin, newborn HAL, and pediatric HAL. The CRH is a regional referral centre for southwest Saskatchewan, with a catchment of approximately 45,000 people, providing service from the Alberta border in the west to the US border in the south of the province. The Critical Care Unit (CCU) of the CRH is a combined Emergency Department (ED) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where the staff rotate between both areas. The ICU is a 4 bed unit where we care for a wide variety of patients, ranging from pediatrics to adults. The patients can vary from post-op surgical bowel to more complicated patients with multi-organ system failure. The ED averages 1350 patients triaged per month with 16,672 visits in 2019.
Site Rotations: Saskatoon-based Residents
Rotation Description |
Duration |
Location |
Emergency Medicine |
12 weeks |
RUH, SPH, SCH |
Community Emergency Medicine |
4 weeks |
Various locations available such as Prince Albert and North Battleford |
Transition to Practice (Emergency Medicine) |
4 weeks |
Royal University Hospital |
Pediatric Emergency Medicine |
6 weeks (2 weeks are longitudinal) |
Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital |
Adult Intensive Care |
6 weeks |
Royal University Hospital or St. Paul’s Hospital |
Coronary Care Unit |
4 weeks |
Royal University Hospital |
Orthopedic Surgery |
2 weeks |
Royal University Hospital |
Plastic Surgery |
2 weeks |
Royal University Hospital |
Anesthesia |
4 weeks longitudinal |
RUH, SPH, SCH |
Trauma |
4 weeks |
RUH, SPH, SCH |
Elective |
2 weeks |
|
Toxicology |
Longitudinal |
|
Stroke Team |
1 week |
Royal University Hospital |
Ophthalmology (Red Eye Clinic) |
1 week |
Saskatoon City Hospital |
Site Rotations: Regina-based Residents
| Rotation Description | Duration | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Medicine | 18 weeks | Regina General Hospital and Pasqua Hospital |
| Community Emergency Medicine | 4 weeks | Various locations available such as Moose Jaw and Swift Current |
| Transition to Practice (Emergency Medicine) | 4 weeks | Regina General Hospital |
| Pediatric Emergency Medicine | 4 weeks | Royal University Hospital |
| Adult Intensive Care | 6 weeks | Regina General Hospital |
| Coronary Care Unit | 2 weeks | Regina General Hospital |
| Orthopedic Surgery | 4 weeks | Regina General Hospital |
| Plastic Surgery | 2 weeks Longitudinal | Regina General Hospital or Pasqua Hospital |
| Anesthesia | 2 weeks | Regina General Hospital |
| Trauma | 4 weeks | Regina General Hospital |
| Elective | 2 weeks | |
| Toxicology | Longitudinal |
Site Rotations: Swift Current-based Residents
| Rotation | Duration | Description | Location |
| ER/Longitudinal Learning | 34 weeks | A flexible schedule based on EM competencies and learner specific goals. Longitudinal exposure will be provided in Emergency Medicine, ICU, Anesthesia, Obstetrics, Orthopedics, Inpatient Medicine, Toxicology, Family Medicine Half Days Back | CRH, Swift Current |
| Pediatric Emergency Medicine | 4 weeks | Based in the provincial children’s hospital | JPCH, Saskatoon |
| Trauma | 2 weeks | A call based rotation working with the RGH Trauma Team. RGH is the tertiary trauma hub for the south of Saskatchewan | RGH, Regina |
| Transition to Practice | 2 weeks in Regina & 2 weeks in Swift Current | Diverse rotation combining lectures, guided learner and department management shifts, and prehospital medicine. | RGH, Regina & CRH, Swift Current |
| Elective Time | 8 weeks | Flexible time residents can use to tailor the curriculum to meet their personal learning objectives | TBD |
Teaching Program
A formal teaching program in emergency medicine consists of grand rounds, academic full and half days, textbook rounds, high fidelity and in-situ simulations, procedure rounds, ultrasound rounds, journal club, and examination preparation. Textbook rounds and examination preparation follow a coordinated monthly curriculum. Academic full days occur monthly with morning simulations and examination preparation. Academic half days occur weekly and are joint between the three training sites via video conference. Learning objectives are achieved through formal teaching rounds, seminars and workshops. There is scheduled combined academic programming between the three sites for critical care days and toxicology academic full day.
Scholarly Project
Residents are required to complete a scholarly project. Resources and support are available from the Academic Departments of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine.