Our department helps ease the transition for our new residents into the exciting and sometimes demanding field of Anesthesiology. New residents attend a week-long orientation during which he/she is oriented to our Anesthesiology Department and the Human Patient Simulator Center and additionally becomes certified in Advanced Trauma Life Support.
The first month in the operating rooms is designed to provide familiarity with the dynamic world of Anesthesiology. New PGY-1 residents are assigned to the operating rooms in either May or June for orientation, CA-1s orient in July. Each new intern or CA-1 resident is paired with a resident mentor for one-and-a-half weeks (both are supervised by a faculty member) and a faculty mentor for one week. The resident and faculty mentors work one-on-one with each beginning resident to teach them the fundamentals of anesthetic preparation and management. New residents spend four days in the Human Patient Simulator Center to further develop their skills of airway management, uncomplicated induction of anesthesia, and machine checks. They also attend a specially designed lecture series that emphasizes the basic concepts of Anesthesia.
Residents who are starting out do not take overnight call until the completion of their first anesthesia month spent in the operating rooms. One to two “Baby Calls” are assigned to expose
him/her to the duties of call. This comprehensive orientation month is tailored to help our residents develop the confidence and skills necessary for a solid foundation in Anesthesiology.