The Gasette

Anesthesia Newsletter

June 2026

Welcome to the June 2026 issue of the Gasette!

As we move into the summer months, I would like to take a moment to recognize and celebrate recent accomplishments of our faculty, staff, and learners.

This edition highlights both individual and team achievements across the Department—from advances in education and research to the dedication demonstrated in patient care. Our recent events have not only showcased these successes but also underscored the strength of our community and our shared commitment to clinical and academic excellence.

Kind regards,

Dr. Janice Chisholm, MD FRCPC

Head, Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine

Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health and

Dalhousie University

Professor, Dalhousie University

Chair, RCPSC Specialty Committee in Anesthesiology

President, Association of Canadian University Departments of Anesthesia (ACUDA)

Research Day 2026

Above: Research Live! with Rishi Gupta & Keynote Guests

Bottom: Anesthesia Residents

The Departments of Anesthesia, Surgery, Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, along with the Dalhousie Pain Network, hosted this year’s Research Day on May 11, 2026. The event provided an excellent opportunity to showcase trainee work, strengthen collaboration across departments, and share emerging scholarship with a broader community of knowledge users.

The Anesthesia program welcomed 129 attendees and opened with a presentation by Dr. Jessica Spence titled “Perioperative benzodiazepines: should we use them in our patients?” A highlight of the afternoon was the debut of Research Live!, hosted by Dr. Rishi Gupta. Designed in a late-night talk show format, the session offered an engaging and innovative perspective on the people behind the research. This was complemented by a keynote address from Dr. Brian Nosek, “Shifting Incentives from Getting It Published to Getting It Right.”

This year marked a record with 34 trainee presentations. Award recipients included undergraduate students Katie Clark, Kaela Fraser, and Olivia Pappin; graduate students Jennika Veinot and Cameron Calder; and residents Drs. David Jones and Bridgette Chan.

Second-year anesthesia resident Dr. Emma Nielsen received the Interdisciplinary Trainee Speaker Award for her presentation, “Experiences and Correlates of Adverse and Traumatic Events in Pediatric Perioperative Providers.”

Reflecting on the project, Emma noted, “The participation and engagement from health care workers exceeded our expectations, highlighting how important this topic is.” Her supervisor, Dr. Sally Bird, added, “This project has been enlightening for our whole team, and Emma demonstrated real leadership in getting it off the ground.”

All those who responded to the evaluation survey indicated that the event exceeded (51%) or met (49%) their expectations. Congratulations to all presenters and their supervisors for their contributions and to the Office of Research team for organizing an inspiring event.

Celebrating Excellence

Above: Award Recipients (L–R): Lillian Breckenridge, Dr. Tristan Dumbarton, Vicki Christian, Marcy MacCallum, Dr. Ana Sjaus, and Dr. Janice Chisholm

Bottom left: Retirees (L–R): Dr. Alison Kelland and Carmelle d’Entremont

Bottom right: Academic Promotions (L–R): Drs. Mathew Kiberd, Allana Munro, Janice Chisholm, and Sally Bird

On May 20, the Department gathered for its annual Celebration of Excellence, recognizing team members that help us meet our clinical and academic mission.

With more than 70 attendees, the evening honoured award recipients, marked academic promotions, and celebrated colleagues entering retirement. The event was characterized by heartfelt tributes, shared laughter, and a strong sense of pride and collegiality. We extend special thanks to Dr. David Anderson, Dean of Medicine, for joining us.

Award Recipients

Dr. Tristan Dumbarton, IWK Pediatric Medical Director

Dr. Tom Marrie Leadership Award

Dr. Ana Sjaus, IWK Women’s and Obstetric Medical Director

Internal Individual Award

Lillian Breckenridge, Block Room Attendant, Halifax Infirmary

External Individual Award

Marcy MacCallum, Anesthesia Assistant, NSH

Dale Morrison Memorial Award for an Anesthesia Assistant

Kathy Bradbrook, Anesthesia Technician, NSH

Dale Morrison Memorial Award for an Anesthesia Technician

Vicki Christian, Department Coordinator

Dr. Fiona Roper Wellness Award

Faculty Promotion (effective July 1, 2026)

Dr. Sally Bird, Associate Professor
Dr. Mathew Kiberd, Associate Professor
Dr. Arnim Vlatten, Full Professor
Dr. Allana Munro, Full Professor

Retirements

Dr. Alison Kelland, Anesthesiologist
Dr. Robert Paterson, Anesthesiologist
Carmelle d’Entremont, Chief Operating Officer

Graduation and Teaching Awards

Top left: Graduating Residents

Front row (L-R): Drs. David Jones, Regan Brownbridge

Second row (L-R): Drs. Jinessa Lane, Livia Anthes, Stella Kang, Clémence Côté

Top right: Dr. Emma Kehoe (left) and graduating fellow Dr. Catherine Liddle (right)

Bottom left: Teaching Award Recipients (L-R): Drs. Graeme McBride, Rochelle MacLellan, Mike Smyth, John Bartolacci, Sunti Barahi, Kayla MacSween, Shannon Bradley

Bottom right: Dr. Patricia Doyle (left) and graduating fellow Dr. Meghan Wentzell

On June 13, the Department hosted its annual Send-Off event, celebrating residents and fellows as they graduate from their programs and prepare for the next stage of their careers. During the event, we also recognize the dedication of faculty members who enrich our learning environment through their commitment to teaching and mentorship.

For our residents, graduation marked the end of a significant chapter. Over the years, they navigated demanding schedules, challenging cases, overnight call shifts, and countless learning opportunities. They grew not only as physicians, but also as colleagues, mentors, and friends. Along the way, they built relationships and shared experiences that will remain with them throughout their careers.

Our fellows celebrated the completion of another important step in their professional journey. Through their subspecialty training, they further developed their expertise, embraced new challenges, and made meaningful contributions to our Department.

It has been a privilege to watch the growth and accomplishments of our residents and fellows, and we look forward to seeing the impact they will have on the patients, learners, and communities throughout their careers.

Residents

Dr. Livia Anthes
Dr. Regan Brownbridge
Dr. Clémence Côté
Dr. David Jones
Dr. Jinessa Lane
Dr. Stella Kang

Fellows

Dr. Catherine Liddle - Pediatric Anesthesia
Dr. Sangetha Selvaraj - Airway Management
Dr. Meghan Wentzell - Women’s & Obstetric Anesthesia

Teaching Award Recipients

Dr. Graeme McBride - Undergraduate Teacher of the Year
Dr. Sunti Barahi - Daily Encounter Cards Award
Dr. Rochelle MacLellan - In-Training Assessment Report Award
Dr. Mike Smyth - Mentor Role Model of the Year
Dr. Shannon Bradley - Resident Advocate of the Year
Dr. Kayla MacSween - Clinical Teacher of the Year: Community
Dr. John Bartolacci - Clinical Teacher of the Year
Dr. Intek Hong - Resident Teacher Award

More Faculty and Resident Accolades

Department faculty and residents are also making their mark beyond the local community, with recognition being gained on the national stage.

Dr. Vishal Uppal was honoured with the Springer Nature Editor of Distinction Award 2026 for his contributions to maintaining high editorial standards with the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia.

Dr. Allana Munro won The Partnership for Women’s Health Research Canada (PWHR) 2026 Mid-Career Excellence in Women’s Health Research Award.

Second year anesthesia resident Dr. Laura Jones organized a departmental fundraising initiative in April and finished in 2nd place in this year’s Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society International Education Foundation (CASIEF) - Lifebox Resident Challenge.

At the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society (CAS) Annual Meeting in Ottawa this June, many were recognized with several prestigious awards and research funding.

Dr. Jon Bailey - Humanitarian Award, which is awarded in recognition of excellence in global anesthesiology.
Dr. Greg Dobson - Outstanding Volunteer Award in recognition of his significant and sustained contributions to CAS through volunteer service.
Dr. Christian Lehmann - Neuroanesthesia Section Research Grant for “P3Stroke - Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetics of Propofol in Stroke,” advancing knowledge and innovation in neuroanesthesia and neurologic perioperative care.
Dr. Sunti Barahi - Best Abstract in Obstetric Anesthesia for her study “Predictors of delayed urinary catheter removal following enhanced recovery after cesarean delivery: a retrospective cohort study”
Residents Drs. Emma MacLean, Alec MacPherson, MengQi Zhang, and Parnian Hosseini, coached by Dr. Ben Schelew - CAS 2026 Sim Olympics Gold Medal.

Congratulations to all on these outstanding achievements.

About us

We are a clinical and academic Department affiliated with Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine, Nova Scotia Health (Central Zone) and the IWK Health. Some of our academic faculty are also located in regions across the Maritimes and beyond.

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