Anesthesiology Pathway Introduction Sites and Personnel Goals and Objectives Pathway Description Pathway Summary Table Required Courses Recommended Electives Electives Learning Resources Evaluation

Introduction

The Anesthesiology Pathway is recommended for students who seek careers in the field of Anesthesiology. The educational focus is toward a firm understanding of physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology and anatomy to prepare the student for taking care of critically ill and surgical patients. The track is designed to provide the interested student with a broad base of knowledge and sufficient practical experience in multiple clinical areas to support both the generalist focus of the University and the focused needs of the student seeking a subspecialty career in Anesthesiology. The central core of this track will be rotations through Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Cardiology, Pulmonary Medicine and Anesthesiology. These will be supplemented with three electives of the student's choosing.

Return to top of page

Pathway Director:
Drexel University COM
Gary S. Okum, M.D.
Drexel University College of Medicine
Hahnemann Campus
245 N. 15th Street, Mail Stop 310
Philadelphia, PA  19102
(215) 762-7972 Phone
(215) 762-8656 Fax
e-mail: gokum@drexelmed.edu

Associate Directors and Teaching Sites:

Site	Associate Director	Administrative Assistant	Students Per Site
HUH	Gary S. Okum, M.D. Hahnemann University Hospital Department of Anesthesiology Broad & Vine, M.S. 310 Philadelphia PA 19102 (215) 762-7972 Phone (215) 762-8656 Fax e-mail: gokum@drexelmed.edu
AGH	William Simmons, M.D. Allegheny General Hospital Dept. of Anesthesiology 320 East North Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15212 (412) 359-3155 Phone (412) 359-3483 Fax	Natalie Garbinsky (412) 359-3155 Phone (412) 359-3483 Fax

Return to top of page

The goals of the Anesthesiology Pathway are as follows:
A. To provide the student with a broad educational foundation
B. To refine the student's understanding of physiology, pharmacology, anatomy and pathophysiology
C. To expand the student's experience in the care of critically ill patients in medical surgical settings
D. To broaden the student's scope of clinical experience to include an area of specialty care which present significant challenges to the anesthesia provider (e.g. Cardiology, Pulmonary Medicine, Obstetrics and Pediatrics
E. To introduce the student to the field of Anesthesiology in an organized and in-depth manner which will complement the Junior Clerkship experience
F. To allow the student to explore subspecialty areas of Anesthesiology
G. To encourage the student to identify areas for elective rotation where there is an interest or learning goal which needs to be met.

Students who complete the Anesthesiology Pathway will:
· Expand their understanding of basic science through conferences, rounds and clinical management discussions
· Employ and enhance their clinical diagnostic and management skills especially in critically ill patients
· Integrate their basic science and clinical knowledge toward an efficient and professional approach to patients, particularly those who are critically ill.
· Conduct preoperative preparation, intraoperative management and early postoperative management of healthy patients including acute pain management techniques
· Recognize that critically ill patients are not exclusively elderly and acknowledge that cardiac, pulmonary, obstetrical, pediatric and neonatal problems offer a significant challenge to medical providers
· Extrapolate from experiences outside the operating theater the important diagnostic, decision-making and management issues which might have particular relevance to patients who are critically ill, need operative care or have chronic pain
· Identify for electives, those areas which are of particular interest, those which will enhance their base of generalist knowledge, or those which will fill learning goals not addressed above.

Return to top of page

Click here for a summary table of the Anesthesiology Pathway.

Required Courses

There are three required courses in the Anesthesiology pathway:

Neurology
Neurology is required by the University as a senior year course. During this course we would expect that the student will become familiar with the mental status and in-depth neurologic exam. These knowledge and physical exam skills will be enhanced during the remainder of the senior year and internship. These skills will be a valuable adjunct to a career in Anesthesiology.

Internal Medicine
Internal Medicine is required by the University as a senior year course. During this course we would expect that the student will continue to expand their understanding of basic science, integrate the basic science with clinical medicine, refine differential diagnosis skills, hone problem solving abilities and improve skills of physical diagnosis and practice teamwork.

Anesthesiology
Students seeking to increase their knowledge of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine will actively participate in the anesthetic care of surgical patients. Progressive and increased responsibility for pre-, intra-, and postoperative patient management will be assumed by the student under the direction of an anesthesiologist. The student will participate fully in the perioperative anesthetic care of a healthy patient during uncomplicated surgery. Students will participate in the Department's didactic conferences; reading is required to meet learning objectives. The students must take the course at HUH or AGH; away or affiliated sites have not yet been approved.

Specific Goals and Objectives
A. Perform preanesthetic evaluation, present an organized summary of findings and develop a rational plan of anesthetic management
B. Discuss effects of surgery and anesthesia on common medical conditions and execute plans to manage these conditions perioperatively
C. Conduct the intraoperative administration of anesthesia demonstrating knowledge of anesthetic pharmacology
D. Perform peripheral venous cannulation, bag and mask airway management and endotracheal intubation
E. Interpret clinical signs and monitoring data to assess physiologic function and react to changes logically
F. Demonstrate a professional attitude in the clinical setting
G. Correctly interpret and evaluate monitored data
H. Explain concepts of acute pain management
I. Discuss a chronic pain syndrome and present a diagnostic and therapeutic management plan highlighting multidisciplinary pain evaluation and management options.

Evaluator(s): Faculty with contact facilitated by the site coordinator with the pathway director
Process: Clinical supervision and discussion, Structured Clinical Questions
Grading: Standard senior evaluation forms will be used for end of course reporting
Feedback to Students: Verbal and written including strengths and weaknesses
Feedback from Students:End rotation questionnaire

Reporting for Anesthesia Elective
HU: Anesthesia Classroom on the first day of the rotation at 0700
AGH: OR Office on the first day of the rotation at 0700
Night Call: Optional

Recommended Electives
There are two sets of recommended electives. They were chosen to assure that students bound for a career in Anesthesiology will have a strong scientific and clinical base of understanding with respect to critically ill patients. These three courses, however chosen, will significantly enhance the student's appreciation for critically ill patients of all ages. This base of expertise will add to the student's ability to extrapolate information from basic science, ambulatory clinics and office settings toward the patient in the critical care setting.

These courses will be allowed at any LCME approved medical school or ACOME approved residency program (home or away).

• Critical Care Medicine (MICU, CCU)
• Cardiology, Pulmonary Medicine, Obstetrics, Pediatrics with inpatient emphasis

Electives
The student will choose three free electives. These may be either at "home" or an "away" site. These electives may be chosen from any discipline, including Anesthesiology. These elective choices will allow the student to identify areas of interest or deficiency for additional focus.

Return to top of page

Basics of Anesthesia, Third Edition, by Stoelting and Miller (copy loaned to the student during the rotation); Case Conference, Resident Conference, ORs, OB Suites, Pain Clinic and Anesthesia Library. Computer simulation and educational media as available.

Return to top of page

The student will be evaluated by the faculty and residents in each course. Evaluation results will be sent to the student, the student's advisor and the pathway director. Students not receiving a grade of satisfactory or higher will be counseled and provided with remediation.

The student will be asked to evaluate the individual courses and the comments sent to the course directors.

The student will be asked to evaluate the pathway in an effort to make the pathway maximally appropriate for the student interested in Anesthesiology.

The forum for discussion of the Anesthesiology Course and the Senior Anesthesiology Pathway will be the Education Committee of the Department. The Chairmen of the Department of Anesthesiology at HUH and AGH will agree on an Education Committee Chairperson, and they will designate the mechanism of choosing committee members. The Education Committee will meet at announced and regular intervals during the academic year. The Education Committee will have as one of its duties to review the Senior Pathway with respect to curriculum, evaluation, implementation, consistency and outcomes. The Education Committee will recommend changes to the program as necessary and communicate this to the Pathway Director who will communicate it to the Associate Directors for implementation.

Return to top of page