Narendra Vakharia, MD, FRCPC

Biography  

An anesthesiologist specializing in women’s and obstetric anesthesia, Dr. Vakharia is a very active educator. His earlier roles include Program Director for Dalhousie University Anesthesia Residency Training and Nucleus Member of the Specialty Committee in Anesthesiology for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He has also been the Medical Director of Medical Simulation and the Office of Education for the Dalhousie Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management, and Perioperative Medicine.

Selected publications

• Sjaus A, Power S, Ritchie CK, Vakharia N, Craig C. Educational designs for interdisciplinary communication in obstetric emergencies: an explanatory study of simulation and classroom learning through the lens of Cultural Historical Activity Theory. Advances in Health Sciences Education. [Submitted].
• Munro A, George RB, Vakharia N (2017). Appendicitis in Pregnancy [Book Chapter]. In: Difficult and Failed Airway Management (pp. 589-94). McGraw Hill: New York.
• Munro A, Vakharia N (2016). Appendicitis In Pregnancy [Book Chapter]. In: Coonan T, Law J, Morris I, Stewart R(Eds), Management of the Difficult and Failed Airway. McGraw-Hill Education: New York City, New York, United States.
• Vakharia N, George RB (2011). Appendicitis in Pregnancy [Book Chapter]. In: Hung O, Murphy M (Eds), Management of the Difficult and Failed Airway, Second Edition (pp. 500-504). McGraw-Hill: New York.
• Vakharia N (2008). Airway Management of the Obstetrical Patient with an Anticipated Difficult Airway [Book Chapter]. In: Vakharia N (Ed), Management of the Difficult and Failed Airway. McGraw-Hill: New York.
• Power-Macdonald S, Sjaus A, Vakharia N, Ritchie K. To Sim or not to Sim? A descriptive-comparative analysis of interprofessional communication training. [Podium] Dalhousie Department of Anesthesiology Research Day (Halifax,NS), April 2021.
• Sjaus A (research supervisor), Power S (primary author - resident), Ritchie KC (senior author), Vakharia N (coauthor). Simulation and Interactive Classroom in Interdisciplinary Communication Skills Training: Qualitative Analysis Reveals Strengths of Each Modality. [Podium] Canadian Anesthesiologist's Society 2020 Annual Meeting (Halifax, NS), June 2020.

Selected presentations

• Clinical Debriefing: Promoting Shared Experiences and facilitating conversations among Team Members (2023) - ORNAC Virtual Annual Conference - Virtual [Panel]
• Interprofessional Simulation Workshop (2019) - Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada Annual Meeting 2019 Halifax, NS [Conference Workshop]
• Clinical Debriefing vs Simulation Debriefing: Similarities, Differences and Lessons Learned (2021) – Dalhousie University, Continuing Professional Development - Halifax, NS [Panel]
• CBME: How to set up and use your Competence Committee (2017) - PGME Education Day for Program Directors & Program Administrators - Halifax, NS [Conference Workshop]

Selected awards and honours

• Award of Excellence, Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management & Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University (2015)
• Letter of Recognition, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, (2015,2015,2017)

Memberships

• Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
• College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia
• Canadian Medical Association
• Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society
• Society for Airway Management
• Society for Simulation in Healthcare

Employment

• Staff Anesthesiologist, IWK Health
• Staff Anesthesiologist, Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health