CA-1 Lecture Series
Weekly three-hour education sessions provide a comprehensive exposure to clinical anesthesiology and professional development. During the first half of the session, residents are assigned reading material and led through a lecture/discussion by a faculty member with expertise in the topic area. Through the course of the year, the residents will cover the entire suggested ABA content outline for the Basic Examination in Anesthesiology. The second half of the session will be focused on professional development.
These regularly scheduled sessions will contribute to the resident's professional development both during and after residency. Topics include wellness, effective presentation skills, financial literacy, and teaching skills. This time will also include active learning through simulation sessions, written board preparation and introduction to transthoracic echocardiography concepts. Presentations are provided by faculty and visiting speakers.
CA-2/3 Lecture Series
Weekly three-hour education sessions are based on detailed texts in physiology, pharmacology, and the anesthetic implications of co-existing disease. During the first half of the lecture session, didactic and active learning lectures guides trainees through in-depth discussions of the entire range of knowledge expected of a consultant in anesthesiology and the ABA content outline for the Advanced Examination in Anesthesiology.
The second half of the session will focus on professional development. The professional development sessions build on topics learned during the first year and expand to include topics such as interviewing techniques and evaluating contracts. The second half of the lecture sessions will also include simulation, written and oral board preparation, wellness topics, transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography concepts and provide an opportunity to facilitate a problem based learning discussion.
Anesthesia Grand Rounds and Morbidity and Mortality Conferences
Department Grand rounds are held on a weekly basis, bringing together all of the members of the department. Grand Rounds presentations feature visiting professors, non-departmental UVM/UVM Medical Center faculty, and Departmental faculty. Residents will prepare a grand rounds presentation during their training. Morbidity and mortality conferences are case-based and are aimed at learning more from problems and challenges that have arisen in the course of delivering clinical care. Residents will be asked to participate when appropriate with faculty oversight, direction and support.
Journal Club
This monthly conference (Sept-Oct, Feb-June) is held on a weekday evening at the home of a faculty member or on campus at the hospital. CA-1 residents are assigned articles and asked to present a brief synopsis of the published findings in an informal discussion style with backup support from a CA-2/3 resident. Critical elements of our Journal Club include highlighting research design and statistical considerations with a goal toward developing skills in critical analysis of scientific literature.
Key Words Written Board Review
This monthly conference is intended for all residents and is a review of the American Board of Anesthesiology key work phrases. With faculty supervision, assigned reading material is reviewed in the context of ABA in-training examination-style questions through an active learning process.
Simulation
Department faculty is intricately involved in the College of Medicine's Clinical Simulation Center. About six times a year, each clinical anesthesia class participates in a simulation experience taught by faculty within the center. Each CA3 resident participates in separate mock Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) to prepare them for the ABA applied exam.
Oral Board Simulation
All residents will undergo a simulated oral board examination session on a bi-annual basis with department faculty. Evaluation and feedback help prepare residents for the ABA advanced exam. In addition to these formal sessions, oral board review also occurs during the professional development lecture series.
Regional and National Meetings
Our residents are encouraged and supported to attend regional and national meetings during the course of their residency. Two annual regional meetings, the Vermont Perspectives in Anesthesia and The Northern New England Critical Care Conference, are organized by Departmental faculty.