Academic Intensivist – Neurocritical Care

Department of Critical Care Medicine

Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta

The Department of Critical Care Medicine at the University of Alberta invites applications for an Academic Intensivist with expertise in Neurocritical Care. This position is designed for a clinician-investigator or clinician-scientist committed to integrating high-level clinical practice with a focused, policy-relevant academic program in neurocritical care and critical care systems.

The successful applicant must hold an MD and FRCPC (or equivalent) with certification in Critical Care Medicine and be eligible for licensure in Alberta (CPSA). Subspecialty training or significant experience in neurocritical care is required. Formal graduate training (MSc, PhD, or equivalent) in health services research, clinical epidemiology, education research, quality improvement, or a related discipline is strongly preferred.

Excellence will be demonstrated through advanced methodological training, a record of peer-reviewed publications, with expectation of applying for competitive grant funding, and evidence of developing an independent academic focus. Candidates with expertise in health services research, health policy, implementation science, decision analysis, program evaluation, quality measurement, workforce planning, ICU capacity and resource allocation, or competency-based medical education are particularly encouraged to apply.

Clinical Role

The successful candidate will serve as attending physician in the Neurosciences ICU and Neurosciences Observation Unit at the University of Alberta Hospital, leading an interprofessional team during clinical service weeks (8–14 weeks annually). The unit is a closed, high-acuity service that provides shared management with neurology, neurosurgery, orthopedic spine, trauma surgery, and neuroradiology.

The Neurosciences ICU is one of only two dedicated neurocritical care units in Canada, encompassing 11 ventilated ICU beds and 8 high-acuity beds, admitting over 900 patients annually. The program is entering a period of significant growth, including planned expansion and the development of a new neurocritical care fellowship program.

Active engagement in clinical neurocritical care is viewed as foundational to academic development. The successful candidate will contribute to the management of complex neurologic and neurosurgical conditions while participating in the development and evaluation of care pathways, quality metrics, interprofessional models of care, and system-level initiatives that inform institutional and provincial planning.

Academic Expectations

This position is structured to support the development of a coherent, programmatic body of work as a clinical investigator. The successful candidate will be expected to:

•          Develop and lead an innovative investigator-initiated research program aligned with neurocritical care delivery, health system performance, and/or medical education policy.

•          Conduct research that informs regionalization of neurocritical care services, ICU capacity planning, resource allocation, workforce sustainability, and outcomes measurement.

•          Utilize rigorous methods including administrative data analysis, modeling, decision analysis, implementation science, and program evaluation.

•          Contribute to medical education scholarship, particularly in competency-based medical education, assessment in high-acuity environments, interprofessional ICU education, and fellowship training models.

•          Foster collaborations locally, provincially, and nationally (e.g., Canadian Critical Care Trials Group and other academic networks).

•          Apply for external peer-reviewed salary and operating grants (e.g., CIHR and other national funding bodies).

The Department strongly values research that is embedded within health system priorities and that produces findings directly translatable to policy and service delivery decisions.

Education and Mentorship

The successful candidate will contribute to undergraduate, postgraduate, and fellowship education in Critical Care Medicine and will supervise and mentor clinical trainees, graduate students, and emerging faculty. Opportunities exist to shape and evaluate the new neurocritical care fellowship program and to contribute to innovation in competency-based education within critical care.

Department and Faculty Environment

The Department of Critical Care Medicine is a growing, research-intensive department consisting of 9 Full-Time and 6 Special Continuing Academic Faculty, as well as over 60 Clinical Faculty across two academic and three community hospitals in Edmonton, encompassing approximately 127 adult ICU beds across 8 ICUs.

Research spans basic science, translational research, clinical trials, and health services research across the spectrum of critical care medicine. The Neurosciences ICU participates in investigator-initiated, CIHR-funded, and industry-funded studies and contributes to the Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Registry. The Department and Faculty are committed to supporting early and mid-career clinician-investigators through mentorship, collaboration, and infrastructure support.

Interested candidates should submit:

• A letter of application outlining clinical expertise and a clear academic vision

• A current curriculum vitae

• A copy of CPSA practice permit or letter of eligibility

• Three letters of reference

Applications should be addressed to:

Dr. Elizabeth Wilcox

Medical Director, Neurosciences ICU