Dear Visitors, 
It is my distinct pleasure to welcome you to the Calgary DEM, a dynamic and inclusive community of clinicians, scholars, administrators, and students. As the head of this department, I am honored to introduce you to the breadth and depth of our work, where clinical excellence and academic rigor converge.

The Calgary DEM is uniquely positioned with a unified operational and academic structure, encompassing four urban hospital sites that collectively serve over 300,000 patients annually. Our team provides comprehensive care across the full spectrum of clinical emergency medicine, and we are deeply integrated with our pediatric emergency medicine colleagues, with many of our members also working at the Alberta Children’s Hospital pediatric emergency department. Our department is proud to offer two accredited residency training programs in EM (FRCPC and CCFP-EM) and a fellowship training program in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (CPT). We also support the core clerkship in EM for medical students at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM), and have a robust visiting elective program for students and residents. We also boast active programs in multidisciplinary simulation, EM ultrasound, and maintain strong collaborations with Alberta Health Services (AHS) Emergency Medical Services, Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS), and the Poison and Drug Information Services (PADIS), leaders in prehospital transport medicine and poison information services, respectively.

As a full academic department within the CSM at the University of Calgary, the DEM is deeply committed to advancing the field of EM through research, quality improvement, and education tailored to our local context. Our robust scholarly programs offer numerous opportunities for innovation and professional growth, ensuring that our faculty and students remain at the forefront of EM.

We are incredibly fortunate to have an exceptional leadership and administrative team dedicated to our mission of delivering outstanding patient care through integrated clinical and academic excellence. As Department Head, I am committed to fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence. Effective administration, in my view, balances operational management with the inspiration and empowerment of individuals to reach their full potential. I am dedicated to creating an environment where every team member feels valued, supported, and motivated to contribute their best work. 

Looking ahead, over the next few years my focus will be on promoting equity, ensuring operational sustainability, and cultivating a culture of continuous learning and feedback within the DEM. I eagerly anticipate working collaboratively with all departments at the CSM, AHS and others to achieve these goals.

Whether you are a prospective student/resident or staff member, a current member of our team, or an alumnus, I invite you to explore our website to learn more about the exciting initiatives and achievements happening here in Calgary. We are proud of our contributions to EM in Southern Alberta and look forward to shaping the future together.

Warm regards,

Catherine Patocka

Department Head, Emergency Medicine 
University of Calgary & AHS Calgary Zone