Education and Research

Education

The CHARGE program provides excellent training opportunities for residents and fellows interested in complex abdominal wall hernias. Elective residents will work at both the University of Alberta Hospital and the Royal Alexandra Hospital, operating with our CHARGE surgeons and obtaining exposure to innovative techniques and high volumes of patients and pathologies pertaining to complex hernias. Trainees will also be able to see and review new patients in CHARGE clinics and on the ward. CHARGE surgeons receive a significant number of referrals each month from a large geographic area, facilitating increased exposure to a variety of challenging cases.

To apply, please submit a personal letter describing your interest in the program and career aspirations, along with a curriculum vitae, to Dr. Anantha and the CHARGE executive assistant Ms. Andrea Chochla.

The Acute Care and Emergency Surgery (ACES) Fellowship program at the University of Alberta can also provide an in-built educational and training experience with the CHARGE program for fellows who have a specific interest in abdominal wall reconstruction. Please contact Dr. Michael Kim if you are interested in the ACES Fellowship.


Research

The CHARGE program is emerging as a regional and national leader in advancing complex hernia care in Canada, through sharing best practices. Members of CHARGE are also executive directors of the Canadian Hernia Society, a leading authority on hernia care in Canada. Surgeons at CHARGE routinely evaluate outcomes through databases, and collaborate with other researchers from the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, and Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, to conduct multidisciplinary clinical research projects.