Clinical Training

The Department of Anesthesiology's three and four year educational programs, along with optional fellowships, are designed to train you as a consultant in anesthesiology and prepare you for the challenges of a life-long career in this exciting field. Our goal is to educate superior anesthesiologists able to competently and confidently handle any clinical situation.

The clinical base year (CAB, or PGY-1) provides a broad foundation of medical knowledge and clinical experience upon which subsequent training builds. Rotations in general medicine, cardiology, pulmonary medicine, emergency medicine, general surgery, pediatric surgery, pediatrics, neonatology, and anesthesiology provide a challenging and rewarding first year.

The Clinical Anesthesiology program encompasses the CA-1 through CA-3 (PGY-2 through 4) years. The CA-1 year begins with the Introduction to Anesthesiology Curriculum, a combination of closely supervised clinical training, Human Simulator experience, and academic and practical instruction sessions designed to rapidly introduce you to the fundamentals of safe patient care. Goals and objectives are clearly defined, and individual resident progress is closely monitored. As your competence and confidence grow you will function with greater independence and care for increasingly complex patients. Midway through the CA-1 year you will begin subspecialty rotations, working closely with faculty members extensively trained and experienced in their subspecialty area. Subspecialty rotations continue into the CA-2 year, including one-month rotations dedicated exclusively to regional anesthesia, airway management, and rotations in a multi-disciplinary critical care unit staffed and co-directed by members of the Department of Anesthesiology. The CA-2 year builds technical expertise, clinical judgment, decision-making skills and confidence.

The CA-3 year offers great flexibility in its goal of providing residents with extensive experience caring for the most critically ill patients. Advanced rotations are available throughout the spectrum of subspecialties, with experience gained in such broad ranging areas as operating room management and techniques of transesophageal echocardiography and neuromonitoring. In addition, one CA-3 resident each year has the opportunity to accompany a Department faculty member on an international medical mission. A six-month research track is available for residents considering careers in scientific investigation.

Throughout the program residents supplement their clinical experience in the Department's Human Simulation and Education Center. Utilizing a state-of-the-art METI Human Patient Simulator and new PediaSim, students and residents gain experience in basic anesthetic techniques, critical incident management, and crisis resource management.

Finally, the Department of Anesthesiology offers flexible, individualized fellowship programs. Clinical fellowships are available in a range of areas including Ambulatory Medicine and Administration, Cardiac Anesthesiology with an emphasis on transesophageal echocardiography, transplant anesthesiology, and Neuroanesthesiology with extensive experience in neuromonitoring techniques. An accredited Anesthesiology/Critical Care fellowship provides candidates with extensive experience in the medical/surgical intensive care unit under the supervision of attending physicians from the Departments of Anesthesiology and Internal Medicine. Completion of this program makes the fellow eligible for the Certificate of Special Qualifications in Critical Care Medicine offered biannually by examination by the American Board of Anesthesiology.