Subspecialty and Complex Anesthesiology 5 Credits/Maximum of 40

Catalog description

This 4 week elective offered in Phase III/IV will build upon the concepts learned during the prerequisite 2 week electives, and is designed for students interested in preparation for a career in anesthesiology. The elective will be designed for students to function at the level expected of a resident intern on the anesthesia team. Students will have experiences in complex subspecialty cases including; pediatrics, obstetrics, cardiothoracic, vascular, acute pain management, and neurosurgery. Students will learn advanced applications of physiology, pharmacology, and anatomy in the care of patients with complex disease pathologies for subspecialty surgery. Perioperative patient care will occur largely within the operating room setting, including the Children's Hospital and Labor & Delivery Unit. Daily clinical assignments with the anesthesia team will provide continuous direct supervision by faculty, residents, and nurse anesthetists. Learning experiences will include observation, participation, and interactive discussions with the anesthesia team during clinical patient care. Students will attend the resident lecture series offered during the selective period. Daily performance evaluations by the anesthesia team will serve as formative and summative feedback. Case based learning discussions and the simulation lab may be used to provide additional learning opportunities. At the discretion of the faculty anesthesiologist, students will have the opportunity to perform monitor placement and basic procedures under direct supervision during patient care. Students will be expected to complete required reading assignments and discussion questions based upon the learning objectives. Preparation for daily assignments will include knowledge of pertinent patient information from the electronic medical record and discussion of the anticipated anesthetic plan with the anesthesia team prior to the surgical procedure. Clinical assignments will be determined by the course director and a core group of anesthesiology faculty, and will be released in congruency with the operating room schedule on the day prior to surgery. Students will report in the morning to assist with operating room setup and will remain with the assigned anesthesia team until completion of the day. Attendance at daily clinical assignments will be mandatory and excusals will be at the discretion of the course director. Students will be expected to participate in one weekend and three overnight calls during the 4 week period.