Academic Leaders
Dr. Charles Wong CCFP-EM Residency Program Director
Charles is an emergency room physician practicing out of the Rockyview General Hospital, as well as part-time at all five Calgary Zone Urgent Care Centres. He and his wife live in southwest Calgary where they raise their two wonderful children.
Dr. Anjali Pandya FRCPC Program Director
After completing her undergraduate degree at Queen’s University, Anjli returned to Calgary for medical school and residency training. She received her FRCPC in Emergency Medicine in 2017 and has since been working as a full-time staff physician at the PLC and FMC. Prior to becoming Assistant Program Director, Anjli worked on helping the program transition to Competency-by-Design by designing an introductory curriculum for incoming residents and acting first as Competency-by-Design Assessment Lead and subsequently stepping into the role of Competency-by-Design Lead. She has also pursued further training in Global Health Policy and obtained her Diploma in Global Health Policy from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 2018. Anjli is passionate about constantly improving the quality of residency training and education in Calgary and is grateful to be part of such an innovative and dedicated team of educators, who are privileged to work with an excellent group of residents.
Dr. Kelsey Ragan FRCPC Assistant Program Director
After obtaining an MPH at the University of Toronto, Kelsey completed her MD in Toronto and her FRCPC in Calgary. She currently works at the FMC and PLC EDs, and works as a transport physician with STARS. She has made outstanding educational contributions since her graduation, including as Co-Lead of Journal Club and Co-Lead of the Equity, Diversity and Advocacy Curriculum.
Dr. Kathryn Crowder Research Director
Kathryn Crowder is the Department of Emergency Medicine Research Director at the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine. She is an Emergency Physician in the Calgary Zone and Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Calgary. Her research interests include ED overcrowding, access and flow interventions, multi-disciplinary collaboration in ED patient care, and care of ED patients with opiate use disorder. She also participates in ED-level quality improvement projects and believes that ED knowledge and practice is advanced by collaboration in research.
Dr. Stephanie Vandenberg Associate Research Director
Dr. Stephanie Vandenberg is an emergency physician in the Calgary Zone, Research Director for the Department of Emergency Medicine (@uofcemresearch) and Clinical Lecturer at the Cumming School of Medicine. She received her MD from the University of Toronto and holds a Bachelor of Arts & Science from McMaster University with a Minor in Biochemistry and a thesis in Paediatric HIV. She completed a Master’s of Science in Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and performed a subgroup analysis of the WOMAN trial data (tranexamic acid in postpartum hemorrhage) for her graduate project.
Stephanie uses a “research for advocacy” framework to engage discussions on health systems, harm reduction, and ways to improve vulnerable populations’ health outcomes using principles of social entrepreneurship and information design/visualization.
Dr. Claire Acton Off-Service and Undergraduate Resident Coordinator
Claire Acton completed her FRCP residency training at the UofT in 2018, and worked in Toronto as a staff physician for two years before moving to Calgary. As a resident, she travelled to Ethiopia as part of the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration - EM branch, where she recognized an immediate need for point-of care ultrasound training. After this elective, she founded the POCUS curriculum for TAAAC-EM, of which is the still a co-director. Claire also co-founded the Equity, Diversity, Advocacy and Cultural Safety (EDACS) curriculum for emergency medicine residents at UofT, with the goal to help residents gain knowledge and experience to act on health inequities and advocate for their patients in vulnerable populations. With the help of Dr Kelsey Ragan, they have brought the EDACS curriculum to UofC emergency medicine, of which they have just completed their first academic cycle. Claire received a Master Teacher Certificate from the UofT in 2020, and is looking forward to improving curriculum design and postgraduate education in her new role.
Dr. Eric McGillis RCPSC Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology
Eric McGillis is a Clinical Assistant Professor and works as an Emergency physician with AHS-Calgary Zone and as a Medical Toxicologist with PADIS. He is the Program Director of the RCPSC Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology subspecialty program. He obtained his FRCPC in Emergency Medicine from the University of Calgary, followed by a Medical Toxicology fellowship at the Minnesota Poison Control System.
Dr. Melanie Sohn Clerkship Director, UME
Dr. Melanie Sohn completed her medical school at the University of Alberta, her family practice residency at Dalhousie University, and her CCFP(EM) residency at the University of Ottawa. She then did her Masters in Medical Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. Melanie is the Course Chair for Procedural Skills and the Clerkship Director for Emergency Medicine at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. She enjoys reading, running and trying to find the best almond croissant in Calgary.
Dr. Brittany Sunderani Deputy Head of Education
Dr. Brit Sunderani was born and raised in Calgary, where she pursued her passion for medicine from an early age. She completed her medical school at the University of Calgary, followed by her residency in Emergency Medicine with the University of British Columbia at Vancouver General Hospital. To further specialize, Dr. Sunderani undertook a Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship at Alberta Children's Hospital.
After completing her training, Dr. Sunderani returned to Calgary and currently enjoys her practice at the Peter Lougheed Centre, Foothills Medical Centre, and Alberta Children's Hospital. In addition to her clinical duties, Dr. Sunderani has been actively involved in the education of medical students and residents. She is excited to embark on a new educational role, collaborating with colleagues across the city to build on the exceptional foundation laid by Dr. Fareen Zaver in her new role as Deputy Head of Education.