The PG1 year is designed to provide a broad base of clinical experience to further the skills of the medical graduate before beginning specific anesthesia training. A list of objectives is provided below.
The content of the PG1 year is also described below and includes mandatory rotations in anesthesia, medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine and pediatrics.
The remaining month is for elective experience. Electives are chosen by the resident and may be taken in other hospitals. Anesthesia PG1 residents are assigned to one of the following hospitals following a departmental "mini-match":
Mount Sinai Hospital
St. Michael's Hospital
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Women’s College Hospital
The University Health Network (Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospitals)
PG1 Objectives
The PG-1 year will allow the new anesthesia resident to build on knowledge and skills gained in medical school and the clinical clerkship. It is the overall goal to allow the resident to gain as much possible experience over a broad range of medical practice before beginning specific training in Anesthesia.
The resident will gain broader experience and more specific insight into those areas of medical practice which most interact with the practice of anesthesia and the perioperative care of the patient.
The resident will improve skills in patient assessment: interview and history taking, physical examination and ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests.
The resident will further develop independent clinical judgment and responsibility.
The resident will further develop skills in interpersonal relationships with patients, colleagues and other members of the patient care team.
The resident will gain further experience in the continuing care of patients and more understanding of the natural history of disease.
These goals will be achieved through the required rotations and two elective months.
Anesthesia.
The resident should become familiar with the basic concepts of anesthesia with special emphasis on patient assessment.
PG1 Content
Required Courses:
Anesthesia - 4 months
Internal Medicine - 2 months
Surgery - 2 months
Obstetrics - 1 month
Pediatrics - 1 month
Emergency medicine - 1 month
Recommended Electives:
Critical Care - 1 month
Emergency Medicine - 1 month
Family Medicine - 1 month
Medical subspecialties - 1 month
Psychiatry - 1 month
Radiology - 1 month
Extra experience in any of the required disciplines - 1 month
Notes about PG1 Content:
The anesthesia months are not counted as part of the 30 months required in Section 2(a) of the Royal College Training Requirements and other rotations; e.g. internal medicine/critical care are not counted as part of the 12 months required in Section 2(b) of the Training Requirements.
Experience in Emergency Medicine is recommended to build experience in rapid patient assessment and triage. Also, it may be very helpful in preparation for the MCCQE Part II.
