Undergraduate Medical Education
The Department of Anesthesia provides teaching and educational opportunities that produce highly skilled physicians who are well-versed in the latest literature and practices and who provide exceptional patient care. The department is involved in all four years of the medical degree program but most prominently in Case Based Learning (CBL) tutoring, the Communication Skills Program and elective experiences.
Each academic year, approximately seventeen faculty members in the department—many of whom are award-winning teachers—teach undergraduate students at Dalhousie Medical School.
Electives available to Dalhousie medicine students
The Department of Anesthesia offers elective opportunities to first- and second-year medical students enrolled in the Dalhousie medical program. These electives involve spending a half-day each week with an anesthesiologist in a clinical environment. Emphasis is on acquiring the technical skills involved in vascular access and airway management while reviewing pharmacology and pathophysiology relevant to the cases being managed.
Electives available to medicine students at all medical schools in Canada
Students from Dalhousie and other medical schools who are enrolled in their final year of study are also encouraged to complete an elective experience in the Department of Anesthesia. We currently offer two-week, full-time clinical electives designed for maximum case exposure in various areas of anesthesia, including pain services, gynecology, obstetrics and pediatrics. Students may choose to complete electives at the QEII Health Sciences Centre, IWK Health Centre, Saint John Regional Hospital, or Annapolis Valley District Health Authority (Kentville). We also offer assistance in arranging electives at the Moncton Hospital, Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital (Fredericton) and the Cape Breton District Health Authority(Sydney).
During electives, students are invited to participate in academic sessions offered by the department, such as grand rounds, journal clubs and visiting professors. To view a sample of a Department of Anesthesia elective, click here.
Non-Dalhousie students should contact Dalhousie’s Electives Coordinator for an application.
To learn more about undergraduate education in the Department of Anesthesia, please contact:
Dr. Ben Schelew
Medical Director - Undergraduate
benschelew@gmail.com
Phone: 902.489.1230
Heather Irwin
Administrative Assistant
Heather.Irwin@cdha.nshealth.ca
Phone: 902.473.2325
