Critical Care Medicine

Department of Medicine - Division of Critical Care Medicine Web Page

The Regional Critical Care Program of McMaster University offers a two year program in Adult Critical Care Medicine which is accredited by The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Applicants must emanate from Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Anaesthesia or Thoracic Surgery. Applications will be considered if the candidate is either already certified in one of these specialties or will be eligible for certification prior to the end of the two year Critical Care Program.

The Program, while utilizing the regional resources of both the University as well as all of its teaching hospitals, is centrally coordinated in a multidisciplinary fashion thus reflecting the cross-specialty horizontal nature of Critical Care Medicine in Canada. Recognizing the varied backgrounds of the Critical Care trainees, the program is set up to enable a great deal of flexibility with regards to the details of training. This will insure that regardless of background, each individual, whether emanating from Medicine, Surgery or Anaesthesia, will be able to function as an I.C.U. consultant on any type of patient. Thus rotations will vary according to an assessment of the individual's strengths and weaknesses. The program affords the opportunity to fill in gaps, broaden one's experience, and deepen everyone's capabilities.

The Critical Care Program consists of both clinical I.C.U. experience in multiple, busy multidisciplinary I.C.U.'s caring for general medical and surgical patients, as well as large numbers of trauma, neurosurgical and cardiovascular patients. Experience is also available with paediatric intensive care as well as burn patients. The trainee functions at a progressive level of responsibility, assuming the role of I.C.U. coordinator as soon as it is appropriate to do so, although always with faculty back-up. On-call for the I.C.U. is usually out of hospital as support to the in-house physicians. The I.C.U.'s are staffed by residents/interns from medicine, surgery, anaesthesia, and emergency medicine, as well as physicians who are paid for service. Thus, the Critical Care Trainee functions in an oversee, supervisory, and teaching role.

In addition to the clinical I.C.U. experience, the academic side of the program affords varied and full opportunities to develop and perfect teaching skills as well as to expand and deepen one's appreciation and understanding of the whole field of Critical Care. Seminars (directed towards the advanced trainee), journal clubs, regional rounds, etc. all round out a full academic experience.

Electives, both block and horizontal, are available in virtually any field of endeavour in order to provide the opportunity to strengthen and diversify one's abilities.

Opportunity for pursuing research is available both via the possibility of pursuing advanced training in Research Methodology and/or the availability of a variety of active researchers within the department and support for independent projects initiated by the trainee.

A maximum credit of one year may be obtained towards Critical Care training while completing training in one of the base specialties. If such "overlap" of two programs is of interest, it is necessary for the application to Critical Care to be completed in the summer PRIOR to the anticipated "overlap" year so that consideration can be given for acceptance into the Critical Care Program. Planning for such an "overlap" year will require the input of both the base specialty as well as the Critical Care Program Directors. Retroactive credit for previous training cannot be considered.

Thus, in summary, the Critical Care Program of McMaster University is a fully accredited program offering an individualized opportunity for training in all aspects of Adult Critical Care Medicine under the auspices of a respected and highly regarded multidisciplinary faculty.

Inquiries to:

Dr. Tim Karachi

Program Director
Critical Care Medicine
c/o Anesthesia, Room 2U
1200 Main St. W.
Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5
Phone: 905-521-2100, extension 75180
Fax: 905-523-1224

Deadline date for applications:

September 15th