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SickKids

Elana Thau

Title:
Staff Physician, Diviasion of Paediatric Emergency Medicine
Designations:
B.H.Sc., MD, FRCPC
Pronouns:
She/Her
Alternate Contact Name:
Jennifer Courneyea
Alternate Phone:
416-813-7654 X414021
U of T Positions:
Assistant Professor, Department of Paediatrics
Other Positions:
Course Lead, Acute Care Resuscitation Program

Hospital Positions

PEM Simulation Staff, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine

Research Positions

Project Investigator, SickKids Research Institute

Learning Positions

Program Director, Simulation Fellowship, Division of Paediatric Emergency Medicine
Simulation Instructor, Learning Institute

Biography

Dr. Elana Thau is a paediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physician at SickKids and an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. She completed her paediatrics residence, PEM fellowship and advanced training simulation fellowship at SickKids through the University of Toronto. She is currently in the process of completing a masters program in Health Science Education through McMaster University. Thau has served as the program director of the PEM advanced training program in Simulation since 2025. Her academic and research interests are in simulation and medical education.

Education and experience

  • 2024–Present: Master of Health Science Education, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
  • 2020–2022: Simulation Advanced Training Fellowship, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
  • 2017–2020: Paediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
  • 2014–2017: Paediatric Residency Training Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
  • 2010–2014: Doctor of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, BC, Canada.
  • 2005–2009: Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours), McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.

Funding

  • 2025: POCUS in Paediatric Arrest (Res-US pulse check): Development and Evaluation of a Simulation-Based Curriculum. Co-Investigator. Paediatric Consultant Educational Innovation Grant, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children. $10000 CAD.
  • 2024: Check Act React Evaluate (CARE): Developing a PEM Safety Escape Room. Primary Investigator. Creative Professional Activity Grant, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children. $10000 CAD.

Achievements

  • 2025: CAEP25 (Canandian Association of Emergency Physician) Emergency Ultrasound Committee Research award for best 2025 Pediatric POCUS Paper, Canada.
  • 2021: David Johnson Award for Best Fellows Research Presentation, Finalist.  Pediatric Emergency Research Canada Conference, Canada.
  • 2014: Rakesh Goal Prize in Medicine. Overall excellence in the clinical disciplines in the final year of medical school, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.  
  • 2014: Drs. Sydney and Constance Friedman Travel Award, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.                        
  • 2014: Margaret E. Barr Bigelow Memorial Scholarship. Merit based scholarship awarded to final year University of British Columbia student based on faculty recommendation, Vancouver, BC, Canada                             
  • 2013: D. F. MacKenzie Scholarship. Merit based scholarship awarded to a fourth-year medical student on faculty recommendation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.              
  • 2013: Harcharan Kaur Mann Memorial Scholarship in Medicine, Merit based scholarship awarded to a fourth-year medical student on faculty recommendation, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Publications

  1. Takadera T, Thau E, McLean L, Simone L, Schonfeld, D, Fayyaz J, Kvatinsky N, Litwin S, Harel-Sterling M. POCUS in Paediatric Arrest (Res-US pulse check): Development and Evaluation of a Simulation-Based Curriculum, Resuscitation Plus. 2026. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resplu.2026.101380 
  2. Katz-Dana., H., Singer-Harel D, Thau E, Pathmaraj M, Simone L, Olsynzki P, Pirie J, Harel-Sterling M. Ultrasound in pediatric emergency  medicine simulation: evaluation of a longitudinal curriculum. Can J Emerg Med 2025 Apr;27(4):274-284. Epub 2025 Feb 6. PMID: 39915435. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43678-024-00854-6 
  3. Bregman S, Thau E, Pusic M, Perez M, Boutis K. A Performance-Based Competency Assessment of Pediatric Chest Radiograph Interpretation Among Practicing Physicians. J Contin Educ Health Prof. 2024 Winter 01;44(1):28-34. Epub 2022 Dec 21. PMID: 36728983. doi:  10.1097/CEH.0000000000000481
  4. Thau E, Perez M, Pusic M, Pecaric M, Rizzuti, D, Boutis K. (2021). Image Interpretation: Learning Analytics Informed Education Opportunities. AEM Education and Training. AEM Educ Train. 2021 Apr 1;5(2):e10592. PMID: 33898916. doi: 10.1002/aet2.10592
  5. David L.S, Garcia E, Cain S.M, Thau E, Tyson J.R, Snutch T.P. Splice-variant changes of the Ca(V)3.2 T-type calcium channel mediate voltage-dependent facilitation and associate with cardiac hypertrophy and development. Channels (Austin). 2010 Sep-Oct;4(5):375-89. Epub 2010 Sep 1. PMID: 20699644. doi: 10.4161/chan.4.5.12874

Funding

  • 2025: POCUS in Paediatric Arrest (Res-US pulse check): Development and Evaluation of a Simulation-Based Curriculum. Co-Investigator. Paediatric Consultant Educational Innovation Grant, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children. $10000 CAD.
  • 2024: Check Act React Evaluate (CARE): Developing a PEM Safety Escape Room. Primary Investigator. Creative Professional Activity Grant, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children. $10000 CAD.
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