James Helman

James Diller Helman MD’s background includes a passion for education, leadership, research, professionalism, and clinical excellence. He has excelled as a residency program director for 16 of his 28 years of post‐graduate practice and served as a residency and fellowship educator his entire career. He established a new anesthesia residency and cardiac anesthesia program upon completion of his cardiac anesthesiology fellowship training at the University of California, San Francisco in 1991 and recently excelled as the anesthesiology residency program director the last 12 years at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, Washington.

Dr. Helman has been recognized for his leadership and mentorship skills while working with students (medical students, residents, and fellows) and faculty. He has been selected and served numerous leadership roles in both the military and civilian venues. He served in the US Army for 22 years and retired in 2005 at the rank of Colonel which included leadership roles in combat support hospitals, vice‐chair of an active duty anesthesiology department, and oversight of the healthcare for US Army reserve soldiers in Washington. In the academic healthcare community, he has served as vice‐chair of an anesthesiology department, as the section head for cardiac anesthesiology (22 years) and, as noted above, as anesthesiology residency program director. Additionally, he has been recognized by both his peers and students (residents and fellows) for his leadership, academic success, and clinical prowess with numerous awards to include six peer‐based awards and six faculty teaching awards.

Dr. Helman currently works and teaches with the faculty in the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre since his arrival in Toronto in November 2019.