2023 Education and Innovation Grant Recipients

The Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine is pleased to announce the successful recipients of our inaugural 2023 Anesthesia Education & Innovation Grant.

This grant, dedicated to fostering educational and training initiatives within the department, has been made possible through the generous contributions of Dr. Salvatore Spadafora and our esteemed community of learners, alumni, faculty, and friends.

Successful Applicants

Congratulations to the the successful applicants, Dr. Hermann dos Santos Fernandes and Dr. Elaine Ng. The department is delighted to support their work in advancing education innovations the field of anesthesia and pain medicine, ultimately to improving patient care. Your commitment to education and innovation is inspiring and we eagerly anticipate witnessing the profound impact of your research.

Research Summary

Dr. dos Santos Fernandes' submission was titled "Online educational material versus conventional teaching for acquiring ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia skills by novice performers." The study centres on evaluating the effectiveness of online educational materials from New York School of Regional Anesthesia and Ultrasound for Regional Anesthesia websites in teaching medical students how to perform ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus blocks. The goal is to compare the learning outcomes of students exposed to online materials versus those receiving traditional, in-person instruction. The study aims to determine if online resources are non-inferior to conventional teaching methods in terms of the knowledge and skills acquired by medical students.

Dr. Ng's project was titled, "Innovative Teaching of the History of Pediatric Anesthesia at the Hospital for Sick Children". The research plans on establishing an online database featuring historical pediatric anesthesia items at The Hospital for Sick Children. The primary goal is to educate trainees, both current and future, about the hospital's significant historical contributions to the field. The project places a strong emphasis on leveraging technology to ensure accessibility and engagement, facilitating a dynamic exploration of the hospital's rich history and its influence on the specialty of pediatric anesthesia.

Review Process

The review and scoring processes for the Education and Innovation Grant were designed to be as fair, thorough, and unbiased as possible. The application was reviewed by senior internal and external faculty at the University of Toronto. These experienced faculty reviewed and scored each application using a standardized scoring system. The faculty members who served on the review panel are experienced reviewers from various education sectors.

We sincerely thank them for their expertise and commitment to delivering knowledge to help score the applications.

Additional Recognition

We are grateful to the Education Grant Committee for their contribution in creating and overseeing the award processes to help our faculty pursue their goals. Additionally, we thank our administrative team's commitment to developing the new application portal. We appreciate their hard work!

Future Opportunities

Our department will be announcing the upcoming launch of another cycle for the Education and Innovation Grant in the new year. We encourage you to keep an eye out for the next call for applications, as this grant offers valuable opportunities for those looking to further their educational activities and pursue innovative projects. This grant is open to all anesthesia faculty with a passion for education innovation. Don't miss out on this chance to take your education or innovative ideas to the next level. Stay tuned for more information on the upcoming application cycle and how you can apply.

We thank our faculty and the anesthesia community for making this grant possible. We encourage you to donate, as this will enable the opportunities for us to continue supporting our dedicated faculty in their education and innovation activities. Click the link to donate: Anesthesia Education Innovation Fund.

Please join us in congratulating our colleagues on their successful application!

Learn more about the Anesthesia Education and Innovation Grant