Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University

Graeme Rocker, MA, MHSc, DM, FRCP, FRCPC
Division Head

Dr Graeme Rocker is a Professor of Medicine and a Senior Clinical Research Scholar at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is Head of the Division of Respirology and is cross-appointed locally in the Division of Palliative Medicine.

He graduated from the Oxford University Clinical Medical School and did most of his postgraduate training in Oxford or Nottingham. His research into Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome led to a Doctorate from the University of Oxford in 1989. He received a Masters degree in Bioethics from the University of Toronto in 2001. He was President of the Canadian Critical Care Society 2002-2004 and secretary of the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group from 1998-2002.

Dr Rocker's current CIHR funded research activities focus on palliation of dyspnea in patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He is the Medical Director of the 'INSPIRED' COPD community-based outreach program. He received the 2009 Roger Bone Award from the American College of Chest physicians for advances/leadership in end of life care and was the lead editor of an Oxford University Press Specialist Handbook on End of Life Care in the ICU published in 2010.

John Acres, MD, FRCPC, FCCP, CIME

Dr. John Acres was born in Halifax. He is married with one daughter. He graduated from Dalhousie Medical School in 1970. Dr. Acres worked in General Practice in Musquodoboit Harbour from 1970-1976. He trained in Internal Medicine in Halifax from 1976-1979. He trained in Respirology in Winnipeg from 1979-1981 with the last year spent with Dr. Meir Kryger in the St. Boniface Sleep Laboratory. He practiced Respiratory Medicine in Moncton, NB from 1981-1998 and moved to Sydney, Cape Breton from 1998-2004. He is presently working full time as a Medical Advisor, Chronic Pain Unit at the Workers' Compensation Board of Nova Scotia and is on the Courtesy Staff with the Division of Respirology, Department of Medicine at the QEII.

Dennis M. Bowie, MD, FRCPC

Dr. Dennis Bowie completed his Bachelor of Science Degree at Saint Mary's University and subsequently graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University in 1973. After a rotating internship, he did five years of family practice in Middleton, NS. Subsequently, he did three years of Internal Medicine at Dalhousie University followed by one year of Respiratory Medicine leading to two years of Respiratory Medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario until 1984. He received his Internal Medicine Fellowship in 1982 and Respirology Fellowship in 1983. His research training was in the mechanisms of dyspnea and he subsequently took a staff position in 1984 at the Victoria General Hospital and Dalhousie University as a staff Respirology and is presently an Associate Professor in Medicine at Dalhousie University. He served as Head of the Division of Respirology from 1991 to 2001 and is a past President of the Canadian Thoracic Society. Dr. Bowie's interests are in teaching particularly in clinical and respiratory problems with a special interest in asthma, interstitial lung disease and dyspnea. He has served and still serves on a number of National Committees related to the Canadian Thoracic Society as well as a member of a number of Advisory Boards for various Pharmaceutical companies.

Paul Hernandez, MD, FRCPC

Dr. Paul Hernandez completed his bachelor of science degree (1983) at Dalhousie University. He then completed his Medical degree (1987) and Internal Medicine (1990) and Respiratory Medicine (1993) post-graduate training at McGill University and affiliated teaching hospitals in Montreal, QC. He is currently a Staff Respirologist at QEII Health Sciences Centre and Medical Director of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program in Halifax, NS. He is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Dalhousie University.

Dr. Hernandez's main clinical interests are in the area of obstructive lung diseases, particularly COPD, pulmonary rehabilitation and pulmonary hypertension. His primary research interest is in integrative clinical physiology and management of dyspnea, exercise intolerance and obstructive lung diseases. Since 2002, he has been chair of the Canadian Thoracic Society COPD Guidelines Dissemination and Implementation Committee. As an educator, Dr. Hernandez is very active in development and delivery of continuing health education programs in respiratory medicine and as an examiner on the Internal Medicine Examination Board of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Dr Colm McParland MB, FRCPI, FRCPC

Dr Colm McParland obtained his medical degree with Honours from the National University of Ireland (University College Dublin) 1982, completed Internal Medicine training in Dublin and then came to Canada 1987 to complete Respirology clinical and research training at the University of Saskatchewan. He is currently a Staff Respirologist at QEII Health Sciences Centre and Medical Director of the Pulmonary Function Laboratory in Halifax, NS. He is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Dalhousie University.

Dr. McParland's main clinical and research interests are the evaluation of breathlessness, obstructive lung disease, and the role of physiological evaluation in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory illness. Dr McParland is the Postgraduate education director for the Division of Respirology, Dalhousie University.

Debra L. Morrison, MD, FRCPC

Dr. Debra Morrison is the Clinical Director of the Sleep Disorders Program. She is a Staff Respirologist at the QEII Health Sciences Center and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Dalhousie University. Dr. Morrison did her residency in internal medicine and Respirology at the University of Toronto and a fellowship in sleep and breathing at the University of Calgary. She has been affiliated with the sleep program since 1991 and Clinical Director since 1998. Dr. Morrison's research interests include heart failure and sleep disordered breathing, home diagnostic testing for the diagnosis of sleep apnea and outcomes of sleep apnea patients who are diagnosed and treated in the home setting.

Sleep Disorders Program

Nancy J. Morrison, MD, FRCPC, FCCP

Dr. Nancy Morrison completed her Bachelor in Science Degree with a first class honors in Chemistry at Dalhousie University in 1977. She graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University in 1981. After a rotating internship at Victoria Hospital and the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, she completed three years of Internal Medicine training at the University of Calgary followed by three years of training in Respiratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia. During her Respirology training she completed a variety of research projects including occupational asthma, respiratory muscle performance, exercise testing and correlation of various pulmonary function tests with high resolution CT Scanning and the associated pathology. In 1988, Dr. Morrison returned to Nova Scotia and is currently a Staff Respirologist at the QEII Health Sciences Centre and Associate Professor of Medicine at Dalhousie University.

Dr. Morrison is interested in a wide variety of clinical problems in respirology but has particular interest in Cystic Fibrosis and Interstitial Lung Disease. She is involved in National Committees related to Cystic Fibrosis. Dr. Morrison is extensively involved in education, particularly coordinating Undergraduate Respirology education and she is the Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine Clerkship Director for Internal Medicine. She has won numerous awards for her teaching abilities.