The great majority of our graduating residents pass the written board exam on their first attempt. We promote our residents learning from day one through a comprehensive lecture program, and by making it as easy as possible for all residents to attend these conferences. We also enroll all CA1-CA3 residents in the Stanford STARTprep program. Click https://aim.stanford.edu/project/startprep/ to read more about it. Each morning before the start of surgery, when everybody is awake and available, we have our daily conferences. We get together and discuss an anesthesia topic. You can view the current month’s conference schedule here. Our conferences include:

Basics of Anesthesia Lecture Series Designed for CA-1 residents but open to all, this is an intense, eight- to ten-week series of daily lectures given each July and August, covering nearly every chapter from an introductory anesthesiology textbook

Patient Management Conference A clinical case scenario in the format of the oral board exam. A case scenario is announced in advance, and a faculty member leads a discussion with the residents on anesthetic management

Journal Club A review of the clinical and basic science literature, presented by a resident and faculty member

Survey of Anesthesia An in-depth, didactic lecture on an essential anesthesia topic

Subspecialty Conferences A clinical review of pain, obstetric, pediatric, cardiac, and neuroanesthesia

Critical Skills Workshop An occasional session in which younger residents learn hands on skills as they prepare for call-taking responsibilities, including setting up rooms for various kinds of subspecialty emergencies, setup and use of advanced airway equipment, management and setup of rapid infusion devices and drug infusion systems, etc.

ACE Questions An every-other-week conference discussing questions from the Anesthesiology Continuing Education component of the Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology (MOCA) program. This satisfies that program’s lifelong-learning and self-assessment requirements, and exposes residents to essential knowledge material that is likely to be seen on the annual In-Training Examination

Morning Report An every-other-week Socratic method-type conference in which all aspects of one of that day’s cases is discussed. It’s lively and freewheeling, and encourages preparedness and thinking on your feet

Practice Management Each fall, we present a brief series of conferences tailored to private practice anesthesia. A private practice anesthesiologist presents the facts of that practice style, whether in the OR or pain management environment, and an expert talks to the residents about contract negotiation and other aspects of securing post-residency employment.

Consensus & Best Practices Periodic overview of specialty consensus and evidence-based best practices.

Subspecialty Update Periodic overview by subspecialty faculty of new and emerging practices and concepts in their area of expertise.

CA-3 residents rotate through a one week Systems-Based Practice Module to introduce them to the everyday management issues of a busy OR environment from several different points of view. On Monday, they shadow the OR Board Runner and then create the Tuesday schedule assignments. On Tuesday, they function as the Board Runner (under supervision). On Wednesday, they attend the OR Staff Meeting and then shadow the OR Director of Perioperative Services. That afternoon, they shadow the OR pharmacy staff to gain insight in the issues and logistics of meeting perioperative pharmacy needs. On Thursday, they learn the basics of anesthesiology and OR billing operations. And finally on Friday, they meet with the director of the OR to discuss their written summary of the OR processes, including suggestions on quality improvement.

In addition, each month there is either a Grand Rounds visiting speaker or a Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) Conference held in the department. We feel that this combination of educational conferences and opportunities for social interaction provide our residents with exposure to academic topics, nationally known speakers, and the excitement of transferring book knowledge into clinical reality.

Simulation The department has a reserved, weekly block of time for simulation in the Dr. Allan L. and Mary L. Graham Clinical Performance Center. For more information on this exciting addition to resident education, click on Simulation Education.