2024 Resident Award Recipient
Dr. Connor Brenna
The Ontario’s Anesthesiologists Resident Award is our opportunity to recognize anesthesia residents in Ontario for their leadership, professionalism, collaboration and integrity.
Our second-ever edition of this award has been presented to Dr. Connor Brenna, a PGY-4 resident in the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Brenna is also a PhD student at U of T’s Department of Physiology.
Dr. Brenna was nominated for this award by his peers in part because he is quickly establishing himself as one of the leading research-focused anesthesiologists in Canada. With a foundation built on strong collaboration, his academic work is redefining how we understand the sustained effects of anesthetic drugs on the brain.
This research includes investigating the antidepressant properties of nitrous oxide, which led to him winning a 2024 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, one of Canada’s most prestigious awards for doctoral students, as well as the Ontario’s Anesthesiologists — Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society’s Residents’ Research Grant, which is funded by our organization.
Dr. Brenna’s impressive research record is especially remarkable considering the countless hours he has dedicated to his residency training, alongside his commitment to becoming a leading educator and emerging leader in our field
His mentorship has inspired more than a few medical students to pursue anesthesiology as a specialty. He has also directly shaped their residency experience through his work with U of T’s Undergraduate Medical Education Committee, which improved the curriculum and exam structure for the anesthesiology clerkship rotation.
Dr. Brenna’s dedication to improving working conditions for residents can also be found in his work with the Professional Association of Residents of Ontario (PARO), where he was elected to the Board of Directors as treasurer. In this role he oversees the Resident Enhancement Fund and participates in several committees focused on university appeals, hospital onboarding, and improving call room facilities.
Additionally, as the resident representative for post-graduate medical education, he played a critical role in improving the efficiency of hospital onboarding procedures and minimizing redundancy in learning modules.
Dr. Brenna is also noted by his peers for his “dedication to fostering ethical practice,” as evidenced by the seminars on ethics and professionalism he presents to U of T medical students, as well as his contributions to the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society’s Ethics Committee.
Other associations that he has contributed to include the Ontario Medical Student Association, Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society,American Society of Anesthesiologists' Medical Student Governing Council and the Ontario's Anesthesiologists' Environmental Sustainability Working Group.
Prior to his residency, Dr. Brenna completed his medical degree at the University of Toronto and a bachelor's degree at the University of Saskatchewan.
Follow Dr. Brenna on X (Twitter) at @CTA_Brenna