Medical Student Education

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The Department of Anesthesiology is very proud to be part of the required curriculum for third year Yale medical students. We are proud to have our ongoing commitment to medical education recognized by the School.

The Department continues to maintain a strong presence in undergraduate medical education with the growth of the third-year medical studentsubspecialty rotation. Under the leadership of Shams Akhtar (Clerkship Director), Jeffrey Schwartz (Director of Medical Studies) and Viji Kurup (Assistant Director of Medical Studies) and thanks to the interest and dedication of all the faculty and residents, the students report that it has been an excellent experience. The rotation's emphasis is on teaching principles and practices that will serve the students regardless of their chosen field and, in particular, to assist the future physician in providing effective perioperative consultation for the surgical patient. The students gain experience in airway management, endotracheal intubation, and intravenous cannulation. Lectures and discussions focus on perioperative issues such as preoperative evaluation, fluid management, cardiopulmonary physiology, invasive hemodynamic monitoring, sedation/paralytics/local anesthesia outside the OR, postoperative pain management, co-existing disease, and making the patient ready for surgery. Students are part of the anesthesia care team and are expected to participate in our patients' preoperative and postoperative care. As a required clerkship we hope to demonstrate to the entire medical school class the fascinating aspects of anesthesiology.

To encourage excellence in the teaching of medical students, each year we recognize one resident by giving the Resident Award for Excellence in Medical Student Education.

The Anesthesia Interest Group, led by Dr. Kirk Shelley, is bringing together students with an interest in anesthesiology and exposing them to ongoing research ideas, career guidance, and general enrichment.

Jerry Collins, PhD and Jeffrey Schwartz, MD lead the 'Analgesia and Sedation' small-group conference that is part of the second year pharmacology course.

Our fourth-year elective continues to be popular and attract students from around the country and all over the world including Brazil, Germany and Lebanon. Students receive in-depth instruction in the principles and practice of anesthesiology. Students have the opportunity to create their own experiences as advanced training in anticipation of a career in anesthesiology, in-depth exposure to the anesthetic management of patients in the specialty they have selected, or for additional experience in airway management.

Anesthesia Course Offerings

• Anesthesiology 103
  Clinical Clerkship
  Full-time clinical clerkship for students. Students will be assigned throughout the year to Yale-New Haven Hospital for introduction to clinical anesthesiology, including preoperative evaluation of patients, selection of anesthetic technique, and administration of anesthetics under supervision. Perioperative medicine, airway management, monitoring techniques, clinical pharmacology and physiology are emphasized.
• Anesthesiology 104
  Advanced Clinical Clerkship
  Four week elective, full-time clinical clerkship throughout the year (except July and August) for two students. Individualized program of instruction in anesthesia sub-specialties, including cardiovascular, neurosurgical, obstetrical, and pediatric anesthesia.
• Anesthesiology 141
  Clinical Research
  One or two students - hours arranged. Participation in ongoing research by Departmental faculty involving clinical responses to drugs affecting cardiopulmonary and central nervous systems. The development of individual research projects is also encouraged.
• Anesthesiology 142
  Basic Research Within Anesthesiology
  One or two students - hours arranged. Laboratory research training in the autonomic, cardiopulmonary, or neurophysiological effects of drugs.

Postdoctoral Education

Postdoctoral education was not limited to the teaching of clinical anesthesiology to residents. Senior residents and research fellows also received instruction on introductory and advanced research techniques. Educational programs in research expanded greatly during the year and included the following areas: (1) clinical and laboratory activities related to intensive care and respiratory care; (2) clinical and laboratory activities related to cardiothoracic physiology; (3) clinical and laboratory activities related to pediatric anesthesiology; (4) vascular reactivity of lung and cardiovascular system; (5) perinatal and pediatric function in relation to anesthesiology; (6) pulmonary and cardiovascular pharmacology and physiology; and (7) neuropharmacology and neurophysiology.

Intramural Education

Intramural continuing education consisted of participation in seminars and other educational exercises within the Yale-New Haven Medical Center. The subjects of these lectures included all phases of anesthesiology - acute respiratory care, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, pharmacology, obstetrics, pediatrics, neuroanesthesia, thoracic anesthesia conferences, and patient management conferences. The lectures were well received by staff and residents.

Extramural Education

Our faculty gave lectures and participated in seminars locally, nationally and internationally.

Education provides the foundation for our future! Our faculty and staff are dedicated to the pursuit and sharing of knowledge, as well as to the development and refinement of superb technical skills. Our educational, clinical and research missions complement each other to increase our specialty's font of knowledge and to prepare future generations of physicians.