Section of Respirology - Training Program Description
The Adult Respiratory Program at the University of Calgary is a two-year program offered to residents who have completed their core internal medicine training. The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons now requires at least 18 months of clinical training. This 18 months is distributed through the two-year program. During the remaining 6 months, additional clinical training or research training may be undertaken.
The first year of the program includes respirology consultation service, critical care rotations and a sound grounding in pulmonary physiology by way of a Pulmonary Function Lab rotation with one on one tutoring. During the remaining 4 or 5 blocks in the first year, electives may be chosen to explore areas of interest. Mandatory rotations remain to be completed during the second year; however, there is considerable flexibility to explore future career interests.
Ambulatory care is given a major emphasis in our program. Each of the residents chooses a preceptor for a weekly clinic. This experience runs longitudinally throughout their two years. Over this two-year period increased responsibility and independence is given to the resident, allowing them to function as a consultant by the end of their experience. In addition, attendance at a wide variety of specialized and general respiratory outpatient clinics is mandated. A minimum of 2 months (and usually 4 months) is spent on “clinic rotations” during which time the residents’ only responsibility is to attend clinics.
Call commitment during the program is limited to the respiratory consultation service, ICU and Thoracic Surgery. The call is one in four nights and weekends and call is taken from home. During elective rotations, laboratory rotations, research and clinic rotations the resident is not expected to do night or weekend call.
An active interventional bronchoscopy service and a well-equipped unit for the assessment and treatment of pulmonary hypertension have recently greatly enhanced the training experience in Calgary. Close associations with San Diego allow for clinical and research opportunities in both locations in the area of pulmonary hypertension. Calgary also has a long history of excellence in Sleep Medicine allowing for many clinical and research opportunities.
The Section of Respirology and associated Respiratory Research group has the capacity to provide a wide range of additional training. Members of the Section are able to offer expertise in training in a variety of areas including; control of ventilation, respiratory muscle function, sleep associated ventilatory disorders, lung pathology, surfactant, immunology and lung defences, clinical trials, respiratory epidemiology, mycobacterial diseases, occupational lung diseases, pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary thromboembolic disease, lung disorders in immunocompromised subjects and following bone marrow transplantation, cystic fibrosis, gastroesophageal reflux disease and the lung, fibrotic lung disease, interventional bronchoscopy and in the ethics of clinical trials. Should the resident choose an academic path with research as a primary focus they will be encouraged and guided in setting up a research fellowship. Research can be done for a full six months as allowed by the college; however, those wishing to pursue an academic research career generally require training beyond this. Such additional training is also available in Calgary in many respiratory related areas.
A structured weekly academic half-day includes a course covering a broad range of topics including a systematic review of radiology and pathology. On alternate years, an advanced physiology course is offered. Additional elements included in the academic half day are the CanMeds course, bioethics discussion sessions and communication sessions. A broad range of other academic activities is available to the residents, including rounds, which are listed elsewhere on the website.
All three major hospitals (FMC, PLC, and RGH) are available as training sites, each offering a somewhat different experience and case mix. Excellent teachers and clinicians are present at each site.
The following table shows an example of a resident’s schedule over the two years. Considerable flexibility is possible when scheduling to accommodate the resident’s needs and career path.
| PFT | Pulmonary function laboratory |
| RC | Respiratory consultation and respiratory inpatient care (includes ambulatory care and certain pulmonary function laboratory duties). |
| AC | Ambulatory Care – wide variety of clinics attended. |
| PED | Pediatric respirology |
| RES | Research |
| ICU | Critical Care |
| SLP | Sleep |
| REHAB | Rehabilitation rotation |
| EL |
Electives Include:
|
| H | Holiday |