2026 CAS Pinnacle Rounds: Celebrating National Anesthesia Education
Our member-exclusive education program – CAS Pinnacle Rounds: Celebrating National Anesthesia Education continues in 2026, featuring new anesthesia teaching rounds from the country, submitted by Canadian universities. As a CAS member, you have access to new ideas and perspectives covering a diversity of topics to help enhance your knowledge.
The CAS Pinnacle Rounds is a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Each round is eligible for 1 hour of Section 1 credit.
Note - Your CAS Membership must be in good standing for the event date in order to access the member discount. You will be able to register as soon as you receive the renewal confirmation. Click here to renew.
Click on each event below for details on the upcoming rounds. All events are listed chronologically. For information on our past rounds, please check the events archive page.
Unseen Vectors and the Sterile Truth: Rethinking Infection Control for the Anesthesiologist
February 4, 2026
8 pm ET
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Infection control practices like disposable surgical caps, MRSA gowning, and wiping the rubber stopper on a medical vial are often passed from attendings to residents through example and institutional traditions. This presentation reviews best practices by professional associations and appraises the literature supporting common infection control practices.
Moderator: Dr Maha Al Mandhari
Dr Maha Al Mandhari is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and a cardiovascular anesthesiologist and intensive care physician at Toronto General Hospital, UHN. She is also the Director of Quality and Safety at the Interdepartmental Center for Critical Care at University Health Network (UHN) and Mount Sinai Hospital. Additionally, she serves as the Hospital Donation Physician for Toronto General Hospital at TGLN and chairs the Quality and Patient Safety Committee at the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society.
Presenter: Dr Hui Yu (Betty) Zhang
Dr Hui Yu (Betty) Zhang is a PGY5 Anesthesiology Resident at the University of Manitoba and completed her undergraduate medical training at McMaster University. She has a passion for challenging practice norms and thinking critically about how we can more safely, efficiently, ethically, and sustainably deliver anesthetic care. Her interests include resident advocacy and medical leadership and previously served as the Vice President of the Professional Association of Residents and Interns of Manitoba (PARIM).
Learning Objectives:
After attending this round, the participants will be able to:
- Identify best practices for infection control in anesthesiology
- Appraise the literature supporting common practices in operating room attire and personal protective equipment
- Advocate for more attention to ultrasound being a vector for infection, especially as its use becomes more prevalent
Time is Brain: Stroke Management and Review of Nova Scotia EVT Process Times From an Anesthesia Perspective
April 16, 2026
8 pm ET
More than 97,000 strokes occur in Canada every year, with incidence increasing over time. Anesthesiologists in Canada are typically involved in endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) management, albeit in varying degrees across the country. In this talk, we will review community and perioperative stroke management guidelines and typical anesthetic considerations. We will then cover Nova Scotia's current institutional standards, practices, and performance using data from our provincial stroke registry, before reflecting on the broader impacts of international clinical trials on EVT practices and the role of anesthesiologists in the care of stroke patients.
Presenter: Dr Kristin Ko
Dr. Kristin Ko is a PGY-3 anesthesiology resident from Dalhousie University. She completed a BSc in neuroscience, MASc in biomedical engineering focusing on neural tissue engineering, and MD all at Dalhousie; only leaving the province to briefly work in Wisconsin in biologics manufacturing before medical school. Born and raised in Halifax, she is hoping to eventually practice in Nova Scotia and loves her home province. Outside of the anesthesia world, she likes to ski, try new foods, participate in resident advocacy and leadership through various boards and committees, and play with her cat, Nora.
Learning Objectives:
After attending this round, the participants will be able to:
- Describe the management of acute ischemic stroke and key anesthesia considerations that impact stroke outcomes.
- Outline perioperative stroke management and the process for in hospital stroke activations within Nova Scotia
- Appraise the standard stroke activation timeline within Nova Scotia, current institutional performance for both in and outpatient activations, and present limitations; and discuss potential improvements from an anesthesia perspective.