Airway, Breathing, Conversation

Recorded on November 21, 2025.

Join us for grand rounds this week where Dr. Rachana Bodani, a psychiatrist with the University of Saskatchewan, discusses the neurophysiology of sleep and how to manage sleep disruption as a healthcare worker.

Dr. Rachana Bodani graduated with her Medical Degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 2009, after which she completed her psychiatry residency training at Western University in London, Ontario. Shortly after beginning her clinical practice, she resumed further education to complete an MSc in sleep medicine through the department of neuroscience at Oxford University. Dr. Bodani has been actively involved in faculty, undergraduate and postgraduate education. She currently holds the positions of the provincial psychiatry rotation director for clerkship, and the competence committee chair for the psychiatry residency program at the U of S. When she is not working, she is a busy mom who loves to cook, travel, and cheer on her 2 busy children.

Please note that while this podcast is run by healthcare professionals, it is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing beats care that is individualized to your own unique medical needs, so if you have any questions about content covered in this podcast that relates to your own health, please speak with your doctor today.

Additionally, the views expressed on this show are our own and do not necessarily represent those of the USask Department of Anesthesiology.

Recorded on November 14, 2025.

Join us for grand rounds this week where Dr. Aleksander Vitali, a functional and pediatric neurosurgeon practicing in Saskatoon, and Dr. Jonathan Norton, a PhD neurophysiologist also practicing in Saskatoon, discuss functional neurosurgical procedures and the impact of anesthesia on these procedures.

Aleksander Vitali received his MD in Poland, completed training in South Africa and fellowships in Functional and Pediatric Neurosurgery in Vancouver. He has been a neurosurgeon in Saskatoon since 2007.

Jonathan Norton gained his PhD in Neuroscience from University College London, UK, and moved to Saskatoon in 2013 to establish an intraoperative neurophysiology program. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, with an interest in pediatric neurophysiology alongside neuromodulation.

Please note that while this podcast is run by healthcare professionals, it is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing beats care that is individualized to your own unique medical needs, so if you have any questions about content covered in this podcast that relates to your own health, please speak with your doctor today.

Additionally, the views expressed on this show are our own and do not necessarily represent those of the USask Department of Anesthesiology.

Recorded on November 7, 2025.

Join us for grand rounds this week where Dr. Howard Meng, an anesthesiologist and pain medicine physician from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Canada, discusses the treatment of traumatic rib fracture pain.

Dr. Howard Meng is an anesthesiologist and pain medicine physician at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. He is the Medical Director of the Acute Pain Service and Director of Pain for the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. He is the Medical Director of the Integrated Pain Program at the Holland Working Conditions Program and an investigator with the Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation. He practices chronic pain at Women’s College Hospital as part of the Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute.

Please note that while this podcast is run by healthcare professionals, it is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing beats care that is individualized to your own unique medical needs, so if you have any questions about content covered in this podcast that relates to your own health, please speak with your doctor today.

Additionally, the views expressed on this show are our own and do not necessarily represent those of the USask Department of Anesthesiology.

Recorded on October 24, 2025.

Join us for grand rounds this week where Dr. Oksana Prokopchuk-Gauk, a hematologist and transfusion medicine specialist working in Saskatoon, discusses considerations surrounding perioperative transfusion medicine.

Dr. Oksana Prokopchuk-Gauk is the Provincial Transfusion Medicine Clinical Lead with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and an adult hematologist with the Saskatchewan Bleeding Disorders Program based at RUH in Saskatoon. Her background includes completion of foundational medical training at the University of Saskatchewan, followed by a Hematology residency and Transfusion Medicine Fellowship in Alberta. Dr. Prokopchuk-Gauk actively participates in provincial and national transfusion medicine committees, including the National Advisory Committee on Blood and Blood Products. Her research interests include identifying strategies to improve transfusion safety and blood utilization, and optimize perioperative care in patients with inherited bleeding disorders.

Please note that while this podcast is run by healthcare professionals, it is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing beats care that is individualized to your own unique medical needs, so if you have any questions about content covered in this podcast that relates to your own health, please speak with your doctor today.

Additionally, the views expressed on this show are our own and do not necessarily represent those of the USask Department of Anesthesiology.

Recorded on October 10, 2025.

Join us for grand rounds this week where Drs. Johannes van der Merwe of Orthopedic Surgery, Michael Prystajecky of GIM, and Henry Bi of Anesthesiology, discuss a multidisciplinary approach to patients in the orthopedic setting.

Please note that while this podcast is run by healthcare professionals, it is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing beats care that is individualized to your own unique medical needs, so if you have any questions about content covered in this podcast that relates to your own health, please speak with your doctor today.

Additionally, the views expressed on this show are our own and do not necessarily represent those of the USask Department of Anesthesiology.

Recorded on October 3, 2025.

Join us for grand rounds this week where Dr. Greg Peters, an immunologist and respirologist working in Saskatoon, discusses perioperative anaphylaxis.

Dr. Peters graduated at the U of S in 1999, and initially did a family medicine residency, and then worked for 5 years as a small town Family Doctor and Emergency Physician. In 2006, he went back to residency at the U of S in Internal Medicine and did a fellowship in Respirology from 2009–2011 before going to Winnipeg MB in 2011 to do a second fellowship in Clinical Immunology & Allergy. He has worked in private practice in Saskatoon since 2013.

Please note that while this podcast is run by healthcare professionals, it is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing beats care that is individualized to your own unique medical needs, so if you have any questions about content covered in this podcast that relates to your own health, please speak with your doctor today.

Additionally, the views expressed on this show are our own and do not necessarily represent those of the USask Department of Anesthesiology.

Recorded on September 19, 2025.

Join us for grand rounds this week where Dr. Jerome Leis, an infectious disease physician and Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, discusses changes in perioperative practices to prevent post-operative infection.

Dr. Jerome Leis is an Infectious Disease physician and Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. He is an Associate Professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto with a Quality Improvement focus on infection prevention. Examples of such improvements that have been adopted widely into practice include models that support more judicious use of medical devices, antibiotics and diagnostic testing, and use of technology to support hand hygiene improvement.

Please note that while this podcast is run by healthcare professionals, it is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing beats care that is individualized to your own unique medical needs, so if you have any questions about content covered in this podcast that relates to your own health, please speak with your doctor today.

Additionally, the views expressed on this show are our own and do not necessarily represent those of the USask Department of Anesthesiology.

Recorded on June 4, 2025.

Join us this week where USask anesthesia PGY5 residents (and soon to be staff) Drs. Alixe Pellerin, Alison Knapp, and Angela Hodgson, as well as anesthesia PGY1 Dr. Nigel Hey, discuss their journey through residency over the last 5 years.

Dr. Alixe Pellerin was born and raised in Saskatoon. Prior to medicine, she worked as an emergency room nurse. She is the founder of "Airway, Breathing, Coffee", a free anesthesia medical education site focused on infographic creation. When she isn’t working, Alixe loves baking, taking her dogs for long walks, and cooking with her husband.

Dr. Alison Knapp is a PGY5 anesthesia resident at the University of Saskatchewan. She completed medical school in Toronto, and will be joining the USask Department of Anesthesia as a new staff in July of 2025.

Dr. Angie Hodgson is a current R5 anesthesia resident at usask. She will be working in Saskatoon as an anesthesiologist starting in July, and is excited to join the awesome group we have here. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, running, playing tennis, and spending time with friends and family, and her partner, Preston.

Dr. Nigel Hey is a first year anesthesia resident here at the USASK Saskatoon site. He was born and raised in Saskatoon, but did the majority of his medical school in Regina. His medical interests include palliative care and ICU. Outside of work, Nigel enjoys exercising, playing sports, and prioritizing time with friends and family.

Please note that while this podcast is run by healthcare professionals, it is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing beats care that is individualized to your own unique medical needs, so if you have any questions about content covered in this podcast that relates to your own health, please speak with your doctor today.

Additionally, the views expressed on this show are our own and do not necessarily represent those of the USask Department of Anesthesiology.

Recorded on February 5, 2025.

Join us this week where Shawn Silver, a second year medical student and prior STARS and ICU nurse with a master's degree in medical education, discusses his unique relationship with medical education and insight into how different medical professionals develop their own skillsets.

Shawn Silver is a second year medical student at USask at the Saskatoon campus. He was born on a farm outside of Prince Albert. He graduated from USask with a BScN in 2012 from the Prince Albert campus. After moving to Saskatoon in 2012, he worked as an RN at RUH Emergency and Adult ICU before starting at STARS as a Flight Nurse and Mobile Education Leader. He obtained his Master of Education in Health Professions Education from USask in 2023. Shawn loves to share his passion for medical education, focusing on resuscitation, trauma, PoCUS, and all things that are simulation.

Dr. James Macaskill is a PGY-1 in Anesthesia based in Saskatoon. He was born in South Africa and completed his undergraduate degree in Economics, followed by his MD at the University of Saskatchewan. Outside of medicine, he enjoy traveling with his wife, Jess, and making music with friends!

Please note that while this podcast is run by healthcare professionals, it is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing beats care that is individualized to your own unique medical needs, so if you have any questions about content covered in this podcast that relates to your own health, please speak with your doctor today.

Additionally, the views expressed on this show are our own and do not necessarily represent those of the USask Department of Anesthesiology.

Recorded on May 30, 2025.

Join us for grand rounds this week where Dr. Paige Fox, a plastic surgeon and associate professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, discusses sustainability and environmentally-friendly practices in the operating room.

Dr. Paige Fox is Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who specializes in hand surgery, reconstructive microsurgery, as well as peripheral nerve and brachial plexus surgery. She is an Associate Professor in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive surgery in the Department of Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Fox has a passion for sustainability and health care's effect on the environment. She serves as the Medical Director of Sustainability for Stanford Health Care where she is involved in efforts to green the OR and the clinics.

Please note that while this podcast is run by healthcare professionals, it is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing beats care that is individualized to your own unique medical needs, so if you have any questions about content covered in this podcast that relates to your own health, please speak with your doctor today.

Additionally, the views expressed on this show are our own and do not necessarily represent those of the USask Department of Anesthesiology.