Meet Diagnostic Radiology Resident Dr. Karl Narvacan

Last month, the Department of Medical Imaging (MI) started its Education Spotlight series, starting with our Diagnostic Radiology Residency, where we heard from both current DR Program Director Dr. Rachel Fleming and Deputy Chief Resident Dr. Taryn Rohringer. As we continue to feature resident perspectives, this month we caught up with PGY3 DR Resident Dr. Karl Narvacan.

Dr. Narvacan, who received his Doctor of Medicine and Bachelor of Science, Honors in Neuroscience, at the University of Alberta, originally came to the University of Toronto (UofT) in 2019 for a residency in neurosurgery with the Department of Surgery. Having always been keenly interested in science, math and neuroscience, a career in medicine – and neurosurgery in particular – seemed like a perfect fit for him.

While he completed the first three years of neurosurgery residency, Dr. Narvacan found himself wanting to work in a specialty that both combined all his interests and was integrated into the larger healthcare system. This, on top of considerations for work-life balance later in his career, Dr. Narvacan found himself applying for and successfully being accepted to MI’s DR Residency in 2022, starting as a PGY2 resident.

“Neuroscience has been a lifelong passion of mine and knowing that through radiology I could work in neuroradiology, it felt like the right fit for me,” Dr. Narvacan explains. “I’m also really interested in technology and something that really drew me to radiology is that this specialty is always at the forefront of technological advancements. Being able to combine neuroscience with medicine, technology and AI was a big pull for me.”

Dr. Narvacan credits his move in part to former DR resident Dr. Tshea Dowers, whom he was close with when they were both in year one of their residencies at St. Michael’s Hospital. “After talking with Dr. Dowers about our respective residency experiences, she gave me a spark of interest and encouraged me to apply,” he says. “She was a sort of beacon of light during the COVID years as I transitioned to radiology.”

In his experience so far, Dr. Narvacan has enjoyed the challenges that come with a fast-paced learning environment, including jumping quickly from one lesson or technique to the next. But what he’s really been impressed with is the Department’s faculty who provide the training.

“Every day you talk to someone who has written a book about a specific topic or who is leading a national or international organization,” he explains. “We have access to wonderful teachers who are leaders in their specialties in radiology, and it’s a great learning experience.”

Dr. Narvacan has been taking advantage of the Department’s talent, getting mentorship from MI’s Chair Dr. Michael Patlas, with the Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal (CARJ), of which Dr. Patlas is Editor-in-Chief. “Being around this impressive faculty, you feel like you’re in a place where you actually learn,” he says. “But more importantly, you learn from the best and from people who are paving the way for the next generation of radiologists.”

When asked how he feels about his time in Neurosurgery, Dr. Narvacan stresses that it’s all useful knowledge for his career, and that he is grateful for all the mentorship and education he has received.

While he still has two more years of residency to go, Dr. Narvacan is enjoying learning about medicine through a different lens, as well as the quick pace of training. “It’s been a blast, honestly,” he says of his residency so far.

In addition to his education, Dr. Narvacan has amassed numerous authorships on oral and poster presentations and refereed publications, as well as received several awards, including Alberta’s Top 30 Under 30 and multiple scholarships.