Dr. Burwash earned his medical degree from Queen's University in 1985. He subsequently trained in Internal Medicine at Queen's University and Cardiology at Dalhousie University. He was certified as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in Internal Medicine (1989) and in Cardiology (1990). Following his cardiology training, Dr. Burwash completed a one-year fellowship in echocardiography at Dalhousie University and a two-year fellowship in echocardiography at the University of Washington through the support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.  

In July 1993, Dr. Burwash joined the Division of Cardiology at the Victoria General Hospital, Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In February 1996, he joined the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.  

Dr. Burwash is involved in medical education through the Faculty of Medicine at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels at the University of Ottawa. He is also involved in the continuing medical education of physicians in general cardiology and echocardiography.  

He is a member of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, Canadian Society of Echocardiography, and the American Society of Echocardiography.