Biography
Dr. Michelle Chiu completed her Anesthesiology training at the University of Ottawa. She obtained Fellowship training in Regional Anesthesiology at Monash University (Melbourne, Australia) where she also completed a Fellowship in Simulation & Medical Education. Her academic interests are focused on medical education, simulation, assessment of competence and faculty development.
In 2022-2023, Dr. Chiu held the position of Interim Chair and Head of the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine (DAPM) at the University of Ottawa, with a cross-appointment to the Department of Innovation in Medical Education. Previous to this, she was the DAPM Vice Chair of Education, overseeing all departmental educational activities, and the DAPM Simulation Director, where she was responsible for developing, coordinating and implementing simulation-based education for students, residents, faculty and allied health.
She is the past-Chair of the Canadian National Anesthesiology Simulation Curriculum (CanNASC) Committee; this work resulted in the development and implementation of a national simulation-based strategy for competency assessment of postgraduate trainees that is required for their Royal College certification. She was the Director of Exam Material Development for the Royal College Anesthesiology Examination Board for 8 years, where she spearheaded the introduction of high-stakes assessment of Intrinsic CanMEDS competencies at the certification examinations. She is one of two RCPSC Simulation Educators in Canada, working to expand the role, use and integration of simulation in postgraduate education, continuing professional development and health care systems.
Appointments
| Duration | Appointment |
|---|---|
| 2022 - 2023 | Interim Head and Chair, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital |
| 2020 - 2022 | Vice-Chair of Education, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa |
| 2017 - present | Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa |
| 2017 - present | Associate Professor, Department of Innovation in Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa |
| 2014 - present | Simulation Educator, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada |
| 2010- 2020 | Simulation Director, Department of Anesthesiology, The Ottawa Hospital & University of Ottawa |
| 2014 - present | Simulation Educator Training (SET) Course Faculty, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada |
| 2013 - 2020 | Chair, Canadian National Anesthesiology Simulation Curriculum (CanNASC) Committee, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada & Anesthesiology Specialty Committee (Past-Chair 2021) |
| 2013 - 2018 | Director of Exam Material Development, Anesthesiology Examination Board, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada |
| 2011 - 2016 | Director, Foundational Elements of Applied Simulation Theory (FEAST) Curriculum Academy for Innovation in Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa |
| 2007 - present | Clinician Investigator, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute |
| 2006 - 2016 | Co-Director - Anesthesia Fellowship in Simulation and Medical Education, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Ottawa |
Honours and awards
| Year | Honour/Award |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Nominee, The Ottawa Hospital Excellence Awards – Innovation and Creativity (COVID-19 Virtual Reality Videos) |
| 2020 | Nominee, Faculty of Medicine Educator of the Year Award – Clerkship / Residency / Fellowship / Continuing Education, University of Ottawa |
| 2020 | Faculty of Medicine Women in Leadership Fund, University of Ottawa |
| 2019 | Best Presentation Award – Research, “The Examiner as the Standardized Patient: Evaluating a Strategy for Assessment of Intrinsic CanMEDs Roles at the Royal College Anesthesiology Examination,” Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Simulation Summit |
| 2019 | Clinical Educator Award, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Ottawa |
| 2015 | Teaching Skills Attainment Award with Distinction, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa |
| 2014 | Teaching Skills Attainment Award with Merit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa |
| 2011 | Honourable Mention, Award of Educational Advancement and Innovation in Postgraduate Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa |
| 2007 | Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society David S. Sheridan Canadian Research Award, Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society Annual Meeting, Calgary, Alberta |
| 2002 | University of Ottawa International Fellowship Award, University of Ottawa |
Selected Publications
Chiu M, Crooks S, Fraser A, Rao P, Boet S. Physical health risks during simulation-based COVID-19 pandemic readiness training. Can J Anaesth. 2020-06-27. doi: 10.1007/s12630-020-01744-y.
Chiu M. Simulation as an educational modality in an Anesthesiology Resident Wellness Program. Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, 2017, 64(4). DOI 10.1007/s12630-016-0791-y
Chiu M, Posner G, Humphrey-Murto S. Foundational Elements of Applied Simulation Theory: Development and Implementation of a Longitudinal Simulation Educator Curriculum. Cureus 2017 Jan 27; 9(1): e1002. DOI 10.7759/cureus.1002
Chiu M, Tarshis J, Antoniou A, Bosma TL, Burjorjee JE, Cowie N, Crooks S, Doyle K, Dubois D, Everett T, Fisher R, Hayter M, McKinnon G, Noseworthy D, O’Regan N, Peachey G, Robitaille A, Sullivan M, Tenenbein M, Tremblay MH. Simulation-based Assessment of Anesthesiology Residents’ Competence: Development and Implementation of the Canadian National Anesthesiology Simulation Curriculum (CanNASC). Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, 2016, 63(12): 1357-1363. DOI: 10.1007/s12630-016-0733-8
Stodel EJ, Wyand A, Crooks S, Moffett S, Chiu M, Hudson CCC. Designing and implementing a competency-based training program for anesthesiology residents at the University of Ottawa. Anesthesiology Research and Practice, 2015, Vol 2015, Article ID 713038, http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/713038
Chiu M, Bryson GL, Lui A, Watters JM, Taljaard M, Nathan HJ. Reducing persistent postoperative pain and disability one year after breast cancer surgery: A randomized, controlled trial comparing thoracic paravertebral block to local anesthetic infiltration. Annals of Surgical Oncology, 2014, Mar;21(3):795-801. DOI: 10.1245/s10434-013-3334-6.
Hayter MA, Bould MD, Afsari M, Riem N, Chiu M, Boet S. Does warm-up using mental practice improve crisis resource management performance? A simulation study. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 2013, 110(2): 299-304. doi: 10.1093/bja/aes351
Chiu M, Arab AA, Elliott R, Naik VN. An experiential teaching session on anesthesia machine check improves resident performance after 5 years. Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, 2012, 59(3): 280-287. DOI 10.1007/s12630-011-9649-5.
Kim J, Neilipovitz D, Cardinal P, Chiu M. A Comparison of Global Rating Scale and Checklist Scores in the Validation of an Evaluation Tool to Assess Performance in the Resuscitation of Critically Ill Patients During Simulated Emergencies (Abbreviated as "CRM Simulator Study IB"). Simulation in Healthcare. Spring 2009, 4(1): 6-16.
Chiu M, Yang H, Po J, Wynands E. What have we really learned from SARS? Canadian Journal of Anesthesiology, 2006, 53(2): 113-6.
Kim J, Neilipovitz D, Cardinal P, Chiu M, Clinch J. A pilot study using high-fidelity simulation to formally evaluate performance in the resuscitation of critically ill patients: The University of Ottawa Critical Care Medicine, High-Fidelity Simulation, and Crisis Resource Management I Study. Critical Care Medicine, 2006, 34(8): 2167-74.