Advanced Airway Management

(1 position per year)

Clinical Curriculum

The airway fellowship focuses on the acquisition and demonstration of expertise in airway evaluation and management, enabling the individual to serve as an essential resource in the teaching and management of difficult airways.

The fellow will be actively involved in the care of patients undergoing complex head and neck surgical procedures. Approximately 100 major head and neck procedures, 50 laryngectomies and/or pharyngectomies, several tracheal resections, retrosternal thyroidectomies, laser airway surgery, panendoscopies, awake tracheotomies, neck dissections and major reconstructions are performed each year.

Additionally, the fellow will participate in the care of patients undergoing high risk procedures in surgical oncology, vascular surgery, plastic surgery, non-cardiac procedures in patients with cardiac disease, as well as post organ transplant and potential organ transplant recipients.

The fellow will gain proficiency with a range of specific devices including a variety of supraglottic airways, bronchoscopes, video laryngoscopes and optical stylets. There is also an emphasis on identifying and managing the "difficult to extubate" airway, with various evaluation techniques, tube exchangers and supraglottic airways.

The fellow will have the opportunity to participate in the out-patient Head and Neck Clinic, assessing airways, mastering endoscopic techniques, and observing the outcome of complex reconstructions. 

An elective (maximum 2 weeks/academic year) at Mount Sinai Hospital to gain experience in complex airway management for dental surgery (including individuals with developmental delay) can also be arranged.

Call duties

Currently call duties are in house and start at 16:00. Calls are done on a rotational basis and shared amongst the advanced airway and ACP fellows.

Educational Curriculum

Weekly teaching sessions are held Tuesday’s at 17:00 covering various and TGH practice specific topics. Echocardiography lectures and case discussion rounds are done Wednesdays and Thursdays at 17:00 and attendance and participation is encouraged. Monthly professor rounds are organized on Mondays at 17:00. Departmental rounds are scheduled for Friday mornings at 07:30.

Research

Participation in research and education is expected. Research is integrated into the fellowship with academic time provided to those involved in projects, with a goal of one non-clinical day per week, depending on clinical needs to a maximum of 40 days over a 12-month fellowship period.

There will be opportunities to join existing research projects, initiate new ones and to present findings at local, national, and international meetings.

Participation and presentation in academic conferences is encouraged. Travel grants are available for presentations at eligible North American meetings.

Active participation in the airway workshops at the Toronto Anesthesia Symposium is expected.

Application requirements and process:

The fellowship is aimed at anesthesiologist in their early professional career. Interested applicants need to have successfully completed all the required anesthesia examinations, be registered with the official regulatory authorities and have at least 5 years of anesthesia training and experience at an academic centre. (1 of the 5 years may include a rotational year, also known as an internship, houseman year and medical officer year)

A current and valid ACLS certification is a requirement.

Applicants need to apply by using the online platform.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted 12-18 months before the tentative start date for reference letters and to further the application. Please do not send any reference letters until requested to do so.

Successful candidates will be notified about 9-15 months ahead of a potential start date. An interview might be required.

If you are interested in applying, please complete the online application for the respective date:

• The July 2024 application session has now closed.
• If you are interested in applying for July 2025, please complete this online application form.

If you are interested in applying, please complete the online application for the respective date.

Direct inquiries to:

Dr. Adam Snyman
Coordinator, Fellowship Program 
Toronto General Hospital 
200 Elizabeth Street, EN3-438 
Toronto, ON Canada M5G 2C4 
adam.snyman@uhn.ca