Profile, Division of Cardiology
Division Head:
Dr. Derek Human, Clinical Professor
Qualifications: B.A. Hons., B.M., B.Ch. (Oxon), Cert.Ped.Cardiology, FRCPC
Biography: Dr. Derek G. Human has been Head of the Division since his appointment to the staff in 1993. His initial training and clinical work in pediatric cardiology was at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, and subsequently he spent six years at the IWK Children’s Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He remains closely involved in clinical pediatric cardiology with a special interest in cardiac catheterization and cardiac transplantation. His research interests at this time include the evaluation and expansion of the province-wide services for pediatric cardiology, the development of quality control indicators in the long-term follow-up of survivors of surgery for congenital heart disease, and the management of Kawasaki Disease.
Program Director:
Dr. Walter J. Duncan, Clinical Professor
Qualifications: M.D. (Sask.), FRCPC, FAAP, FACC
Biography: Dr. Duncan graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 1974 and completed pediatrics and pediatric cardiology training in Toronto. He was on staff at the Hospital for Sick Children until 1982, Saskatoon Royal University Hospital until 1990 and then the head of the Division at Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario until 1998. His areas of research interest are post-graduate medical education, and the development of telemedicine initiatives. Primary clinical interests are echocardiography, including fetal echocardiography, and cardiac catheterization.
Additional Faculty:
Dr. Brian Sinclair
Dr. George Sandor
Dr. Jim Potts
Dr. Marion Tipple
Dr. Martin Hosking
Dr. Shubhayan Sanatani
Divisional Information:
The Pediatric Cardiology Training Program is an integral part of the only tertiary care cardiac centre for children in the Province of British Columbia. The clinical activities of the Division include approximately 7,000 patient visits per annum and 200 cardiac catheterization procedures, including a full range of interventional procedures. A Partnership Program to regional hospitals across the Province has been instituted.
The inpatient services have been reorganised to create a Patient-Based Care Unit for Cardiac Sciences, forming a close working relationship with the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Critical Care. Approximately 250 cardiac surgical operations are performed each year. A busy consultation service is also provided to the Special Care Nursery and other pediatric divisions.
The diagnostic services encompass the full range of non-invasive services expected in a leading academic institution. Fetal echocardiography service is provided jointly with the high-risk perinatal unit of B.C.’s Women’s Hospital. Invasive electrophysiology studies are performed collaboratively with colleagues in the Division of Cardiology at the Heart Centre, St. Paul’s Hospital, although plans are underway to develop this service at Children’s.
The Division enjoys excellent relations with the Department of Radiology and together we provide an imaging service second to none in Angiography, Cardiac CT and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging. There is an extensive pathological museum and good liaison with the Department of Pathology.
Fellowship Information:
The Training Program requires involvement in a busy clinical service with diagnostic and surgical services second to none. There are regular rounds involving all of the diagnostic services and the basic three-year training will result in a thorough clinical training under the personal supervision of the five consultant cardiologists. Involvement in research projects is expected, with trainees working with the staff cardiologists in their various areas of interest, and supervised by Dr J Potts, Research Director for the Division. We have a particular interest and expertise in the evaluation of ventricular function, which would provide a focus for intensive research in the third/fourth years of the Fellowship Program.
Dr. Duncan and Dr. Human have both served as the Chair of the Examining Board in Pediatric Cardiology, and Dr. Hosking is currently Chair of the Board. Trainees have had an outstanding record of success in their Fellowship Exams.
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