What is the working environment like in the URMC operating rooms and clinical locations?
Residents and faculty have a strong relationship that is shared both among the anesthesiologists as well as the CRNAs and surgeons with whom they work. There is a sense of cordiality and friendly camaraderie in a comfortable working environment.
What can you tell me about the freedom to customize my residency curriculum and add additional learning opportunities? How adaptable is the residency?
Outside the set guidelines determined nationally for all programs, the program here is very open to adjusting schedules as well as providing support for requested electives and individual endeavors. Overall the curriculum allows most residents to finish all of the required rotations by the end of their CA-2 year, allowing CA-3 residents freedom to focus on rotations of personal interest. In the past, residents have completed work in health care policy, chronic pain, and clinical/outcomes/education research outside of the OR.
What can I expect from my internship year?
In 2012, we implemented a newly structured curriculum that we believe is unique and provides unparalleled education for our residents. For the first few months, interns participate in core rotations including medicine wards, surgical subspecialties, chronic pain, medical consult services, and critical care. By September/October we already start to orient half of the class to the operating rooms. After orientation, our interns are “officially” anesthesiology residents and spend another 2-5 months during their FIRST YEAR administering and maintaining anesthetics. We spread out and pair the remaining CBY anesthesiology CORE subspecialties throughout the rest of the CBY-CA2 years (i.e. Neurology /Neuro Anesthesia, Peds Surgery/Peds Anesthesia, Pulmonology/Thoracic Anesthesia, Cardiology/Cardiac Anesthesia). See a sample schedule of the curriculum for more details.
As an intern, am I going to be "lost" to the other services, forgotten or left to fend for myself?
Absolutely not. The anesthesia department is heavily involved in determining where interns are staffed and how their time is utilized. Additionally, the anesthesiology department is constantly in contact with the other departments addressing new goals and situations as they arise. As program coordinator, Rena is extremely helpful and always available to help with anything that may come up.
How do the other departments feel about/treat/interact with the anesthesiology residents? How do the departments interact?
Our department is looked at with a lot of respect. The residents that have come before have been pleasant, hard-working, and smart. Nearly all departments respect and support all other departments. The hospital really has an amicable atmosphere.
Is there any camaraderie amongst the classes?
Even though residents rarely work directly with one another (that is just the nature of anesthesiology), our residents do form strong bonds both inside and outside of the hospital. There are resident-initiated dinners and activities which occur almost on weekly basis, with pretty good turnout.
Do you offer any international travel opportunities?
As an elective during your final year, we offer a Global Health rotation with one of several core faculty members. In the past, our residents have traveled to Cameroon, Ethiopia, Honduras, and India. We've even had a resident participate in The American Society of Anesthesiologists Global Humanitarian Outreach Committee's Resident International Anesthesia Scholarship Program. Of course, this is all subject to limitations due to COVID and other restrictions such as watches and security threats.
What is Call Compensation and why is it a nice perk?
Call Compensation is a way for us to work additional hours as a way to make extra money. A resident, who is in good academic standing and has completed OB and Cardiac anesthesia rotations, can be credentialed for Call Compensation.