Why Choose UAlberta for the Pediatric Neonatal Perinatal Residency Program?

• Program provides state-of-the-art neonatal care to all babies born in northern Alberta, the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, northern British Columbia, and western Saskatchewan.
• David Schiff NICU at the University of Alberta Hospital is home to all neonates requiring cardiac surgery admitted from areas of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
• There is a very active NICU transport team.
• In a protected academic half day each week, residents will go through a comprehensive two year academic curriculum encompassing all medical and non medical aspects of neonatology to promote the development of a knowledgeable and well rounded neonatologist. It is taught by neonatologists and specialists in the area including physiology, EBM journal clubs, case reviews, exam preparation, leadership and conflict resolution skills, ethics, to name a few.
• There are 28 neonatologists in the Neonatal Program, and a full complement of pediatric and surgical specialists and subspecialists.
• There are resources and supports to promote success in research or an academic pursuit for those residents who show an aptitude including an established working relationship with the Clinical Investigator Program and various master’s programs.
• An active simulation and brief/ debriefing program.
• A mentorship program.
• An annual weekend resident retreat and sponsored time/finances to attend at least one conference/year.
• Diverse living, arts and recreational opportunities in Edmonton.

The Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Residency Program provides trainees the opportunity to learn and practice knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to provide state of the art neonatal care both in the premature and surgical (including cardiac) neonatal population.

Broad experiences also encompass transport medicine, perinatology and neurodevelopmental follow up with a well supported research/academic pursuit component. This is a core two-year subspecialty training program with an optional third year.

The program is based out of the two tertiary neonatal units of the Royal Alexandra Hospital NICU (RAH) and the David Schiff NICU at the University of Alberta Hospital site (UAH), and the two Level 2 NICUs at the Grey Nuns (GNH) and Misericordia (MIS) hospitals.

Program Highlights

• A large encatchment area with approximately 29,000 deliveries/year resulting in a large number of admissions and broad range of clinical problems to provide comprehensive training in neonatology.
• A very busy 69 bed prematurity NICU with a high volume high risk delivery suite and exposure to high-risk perinatology.
• A busy surgical/cardiac NICU that manages a wide range of pre and postoperative surgical neonates.
• A rich research environment for residents with recognized leaders in the fields of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, cardiovascular effects of hypoxic-reoxygenation injury, NIDCAP, and neurodevelopmental follow-up of complex therapies.
• Active transport program with more than 550 per year.
• In addition to an established rotating two year CanMEDS curriculum during a protected academic half-day, residents may attend seminars/rounds in neonatal medicine, perinatology, neurodevelopment, and cardiovascular care.
• State of the art NICU practices - nitric oxide, high frequency oscillatory ventilation, affiliated ECMO program in PICU.
• Program collaborates with a full complement of pediatric and surgical specialists and subspecialists to provide specialized services such as cardiac and cardiosurgical services, neurosurgery, neonatal general surgery, ENT.
• Financial and time support for residents to take a relevant university course, a research methodology course, attend at least one conference/year and an annual resident retreat.
• Possible third year of training, predominantly research or an academic pursuit, available for selected residents.