Faizal Haji, MD, PhD, FRCSC

Scholar

Dr. Faizal Haji is a pediatric neurosurgeon at the BC Children’s Hospital and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Haji is also co-lead for the Surgical Education Research Interest Group and Associate Director of the Global Surgery Lab within the Department of Surgery at UBC.

Dr. Haji completed undergraduate studies followed by medical training at McMaster University. After graduating from medical school in 2008, he completed his neurosurgical residency at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. During residency, Dr. Haji obtained a PhD from the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto, alongside completing research fellowships at the Ronald R. Wilson Centre for Research in Education at UHN and the Learning Institute at the Hospital for Sick Children. His dissertation focused on the effect of fidelity, complexity and cognitive load on learning and transfer of procedural skills for novices engaged in simulation based education. Upon completing neurosurigical residency and becoming a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 2018, Dr. Haji completed a postgraduate fellowship in pediatric neurological surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where his research focused on capacity development for postgraduate surgical training in resource-limited settings. After training, Dr. Haji spent two years as a pediatric and adult neurosurgeon at the Kingston Health Sciences Centre and Medical Education Scholar at Queen’s University. Dr. Haji’s academic interest is in health professions education, with his program of research focusing on three areas: (i) optimizing the design of simulation-based education for medical and surgical skills training with particular focus on cognitive load and learner engagement; (ii) surgical decision making and factors influencing the quality of education and assessment during surgical training; and (iii) translating innovations in health professions education to facilitate surgical capacity development in resource-limited settings through global surgical partnership.

Research Interests

Surgical Education
Healthcare simulation
Cognitive load and Instructional Design
Learner engagement
Global health/Global Surgery Education and Capacity Development

Awards

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada – Robert Maudsley Fellowship for Studies in Medical Education (2011-2015)
Canadian Institutes for Health Research – CIHR Nominee, Canadian Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting (2013)
Canadian Institutes for Health Research – Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (2013-2015)
The Wilson Centre (University of Toronto) – Richard K. Reznick Award for Outstanding Research Paper (2014)
Western University Centre for Education Research and Innovation – Carol Herbert Award for Outstanding Research Paper (2015)
American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Neurological Surgery – AAP/SONs Award (2018)

Grants

SEAMO Endowed Education and Scholarship Fund, South Eastern Associated Medical Organization (2022). $14,486
UBC Department of Surgery Seed Grant, University of British Columbia (2021). $12,500
CAME Wooster Family Grant in Medical Education, Canadian Association of Medical Education (2021). $5,000
SEAMO Global Health Project Development Fund, South Eastern Associated Medical Organization (2021). $48,200
SEAMO Endowed Scholarship and Education Fund, South Eastern Associated Medical Organization (2021). $14,997
Clinical Teachers Association of Queen’s Research Endowment Grant, Queen’s University (2020). $20,000
SEAMO Endowed Scholarship and Education Fund, South Eastern Associated Medical Organization (2020). $14,875
SEAMO Endowed Scholarship and Education Fund, South Eastern Associated Medical Organization (2020). $15,000
SEAMO Endowed Scholarship and Education Fund, South Eastern Associated Medical Organization (2020). $14,950
Queen’s University Department of Surgery Research Grant, Queen’s University (2020). $15,000
Faculty Support for Research in Education Grant, Schulich Medicine & Dentistry (2017-2019) $2,500
Competency-based Medical Education Innovation Fund, Schulich Medicine & Dentistry (2017-2018) $3,500
Sim-ONE Simulation Development & Implementation Grant, Simulation Canada (2013-2015). $24,915
Medical Education Research Grant (12/MERG-27), Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (2012-2014). $27,954
SBHAC Research Grant, Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Canada (2012-2014). $18,000
AHSC-AFP Innovation Fund Grant (AMOSO Division) (2009-2011). $86,667

Publication Highlights

Haji FA, Lepard JR, Davis MC, Lien ND, Can DD, Hung CV, Rocque BG, Johnston JM. (2021). A model for global surgical training and capacity development: the Children’s of Alabama–Viet Nam pediatric neurosurgery partnership. Child’s Nervous System, 37(2), 627-36.
Lepard J, Syed-Akbari H, Haji F, Davis M, Johnston J, Harkness W. (2020). The Initial Experience of InterSurgeon: An Online Platform to Facilitate Global Neurosurgical Partnerships. Neurosurgical Focus, 48(3), E15.
Mahmood T, Mylopoulos M, Bagli D, Damignani R, Haji FA. (2019). A mixed methods study of challenges in the implementation and use of the Surgical Safety Checklist. Surgery, 165(4), 832-837.
Padgett J, Cristancho S, Cherry R, Lingard L, Haji F. (2019). Engagement: what is it good for? Advances in Health Sciences Education, 24(4), 811-825.
Haji FA, Cheung JJH, Regehr G, Woods N, DeRibaupierre S, Dubrowski A. (2016). Thrive or overload? The effect of task complexity on novices’ simulation-based learning. Medical Education, 50, 955-68.
Haji F, Rojas D, Childs R, deRibaupierre S, Dubrowski A. (2015). Measuring cognitive load: performance, mental effort, and simulation task complexity. Medical Education, 49(8), 815-27.
Haji F, Khan R, Regehr G, Ng G, deRibaupierre S, Dubrowski A. (2015) Operationalizing Elaboration Theory for simulation instructional design: a Delphi study. Medical Education, 49(6), 576-88.
Haji F, Khan R, Regehr G, Drake J, deRibaupierre S, Dubrowski A. (2015). Measuring cognitive load of novices during simulation-based psychomotor skills training: sensitivity of dual-task performance and subjective ratings. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 20(5), 1237-53.
Haji F, DaSilva C, Diagle T, Dubrowski A. (2014). From bricks to buildings: adapting the MRC framework to develop programs of research in simulation education and training for the health professions. Simulation in Healthcare, 9(4), 249-59.
Haji F, Morin MP, Parker K. (2013). Rethinking program evaluation in health professions education: beyond ‘did it work?’ Medical Education, 47(4), 342-351.

Recent Presentations

Haji F, Dharsee N, Giuliani M. (2021). Curriculum: Context, Change, and Development. Faculty Development Workshop at the 13th AORTIC International Conference on Cancer, Africa.
Haji F. (2020). How simulation can move the needle. Keynote presentation, Queen’s University Faculty of Health Sciences Introduction to Simulation Seminar.
Haji F, O’Kelly C, Clarke D, Brein S, Megyesi J. (2016). Innovations in Neurosurgical Education. Plenary panel, 51st Canadian Federation of Neurological Sciences Congress, Quebec City.
Haji F. (2016). Promises and pitfalls: simulation based education in resource-limited settings. Keynote presentation, Society for Simulation in Europe Annual Meeting, Lisbon, Portugal.
Haji F. (2015). Challenging our assumptions: context, complexity and choice in novice learning. Emerging Investigators Showcase, 2015 Royal College Simulation Summit, Banff, AB.
Naismith L, Haji F, Sibbald M, Cheung J, Tavares W, Fraser K, Cavalcanti R. (2015). How to apply cognitive load theory to simulation research and practice in health professions. 2015 Royal College Simulation Summit, Banff, AB.
Haji F, Tavares W. (2015). A tale of two PhD’s: same theory, similar challenges, different contexts. Keynote presentation, “The Bayfield Meeting”, Bayfield, ON.
Haji F, Chan C, Shilkofski N, Sigalet E. (2015). Globalization of Education programs, Extension of Collaborative Networks in Resource-Poor Countries. Plenary Panel, 7th International Pediatric Simulation Symposia and Workshops, Vancouver, BC,.
Haji F. (2015). Challenging our assumptions: The role of context similarity, task complexity, and learner choice in simulation training. The Hodges Educational Scholarship International Symposium, Toronto, ON.
Shetty R, Ikeyama T, Grover E, Haji F, Weinstock P. (2014). Growing National Simulation Initiatives in Emerging Areas. Panel presentation, 6th International Pediatric Simulation Symposia and Workshops, Vienna, Austria.