Excellence
in Education
UChicago has a long history of academic excellence that sets the tone for the residency experience. Our didactic curriculum is tailored to meet the academic needs of the residents, and continually evolves based on their feedback. We have protected lectures Monday through Friday from 6:30–7 AM, in addition to Grand Rounds and an intensive lecture series during the tutorial months. We have a nurturing educational environment that focuses on preparing you for success on the Basic and Advanced exams, while also providing innovative teaching that prepares residents for the future.
KEYWORDS
Every year, the American Board of Anesthesiology publishes Keywords, which represent core concepts in anesthesiology. The resident-led Keywords lecture series is designed to address these concepts and is tailored towards the CA-1s and CA-2s, with active guidance and discussion from attending physicians who are experts in those topics. The chief residents place a special emphasis on selecting Keywords from the In-Training Exam that were most commonly missed by anesthesia residents nationwide.
BOARD SERIES REVIEWS
Master educator, Dr. Robert Fong hosts the weekly Board Review Series lectures on Tuesday mornings. Each month has a different educational theme, such that all didactics from Keywords to Mock Oral Boards are structured around the same topic area in order to build a strong foundation of knowledge for residents. Dr. Fong crafts his lectures to address the monthly educational themes and challenges residents to participate in the discussion and problem-solving of commonly tested board topics. These lectures are highly praised by the residents and are attended by CRNAs and attendings alike due to their high-yield nature.
P.U.L.S.E.
P.U.L.S.E. is our Perioperative Ultrasound Longitudinal Sonographic Education. Suggested and implemented by one of our former chief residents, and championed by our attendings who bring with them a wealth of regional anesthesia experience, our P.U.L.S.E. curriculum emphasizes hands-on learning. The P.U.L.S.E. curriculum follows the educational theme set each month. Moreover, every operating has an ultrasound that is readily available to be used for TTE, regional anesthesia, line placement, and education.
FACULTY LECTUREs
Our illustrious faculty are some of the highest-regarded academic anesthesiologists in the country, having served as past presidents of the American Society of Anesthesiology and the Society for Critical Care Anesthesiology. Their passion for anesthesiology translates into their educational and research interests, and they gladly share their wisdom and knowledge with residents. Faculty members lecture residents both in morning didactics, during Grand Rounds, and at the bedside in our Intensive Care Units, in addition to informally in the OR and between cases.
INTRAOPERATIVE TEACHING
Attending physicians never waste an opportunity to teach in the operating rooms. Whether you are a CA-1 on your tutorial month working 1:1 with faculty, or a senior resident learning the nuances of ECHO, our residents and attendings find learning opportunities in every procedure. Residents prepare for each case the night before, followed the next day by intraoperative teaching from attending physicians who give a combination of formal and informal lectures in the operating room to complement the residents’ studying. As residents progress through the program, they take on greater responsibilities and have opportunities to teach themselves.
Lunch & Learn
The Lunch & Learn lecture series was started last year with a focus on topics geared towards the different classes. Once a week, residents have an hour of protected education time where their clinical duties are covered. Topics from board review to various intraoperative considerations to ethics are reviewed by our Anesthesiology faculty members, as well as faculty from the surgical departments.
MOCK ORAL BOARDS
All residents benefit from UChicago’s strong mock oral boards curriculum. Junior and senior residents come together for practice oral boards on Thursday and Friday mornings, led by faculty who are seasoned oral board examiners. Residents prepare for two weeks before their oral board’s date with the support of faculty with specific expert knowledge in those topics and review strategies for success for oral boards. UChicago residents consistently rate the mock oral boards curriculum as integral to their success in the oral boards after graduation.
Airway Workshop
Every year, our department hosts a hands-on Airway workshop. The workshop goes over the airway approach algorithm, emergency front of neck airway access (eFONA). There are skills stations with a focus on various topics ranging from fiberoptic bronchoscope, basic and advanced techniques of supraglottic airways , Airtraq, airway ultrasound, SuperNova nasal mask demonstration, eFONA using the “scalpel-finger-bougie-tube’” approach and other eFONA approaches using 3D printed larynx models.
SIMULATION
Residents at UChicago benefit from the use of our Airway Laboratory, Echo Laboratory, and the Simulation Center, where they can practice their skills in advanced airway techniques, imaging, and difficult patient scenarios. CA-1 residents have dedicated airway lab exposure during the tutorial month. Through the P.U.L.S.E. curriculum, residents are exposed to our ECHO simulators during the cardiac-themed educational block. Twice a year, residents are relieved of their clinical duties for a day to participate in high-fidelity simulations with CA-1s, CA-2s, and CA-3s, bringing together skill sets from all levels of training that doubles as a terrific resident bonding experience. Residents also participate in high fidelity simulation exercises at the Grainger Center for Simulation when rotating at Northshore University.
The University of Chicago is one of the most well-respected research institutions in the country. CA-3’s may elect up to six months of dedicated research time. Motivated residents submit a proposal in their CA-2 year outlining their research project and intended objectives. If selected, residents are then able to complete their research projects while still taking call in the ORs, with the hope of eventual manuscript publication while keeping up their clinical skills. Past residents have gone on to continue their research as Obstetric and Critical Care Fellows. Residents in their CA-1-3 years present and win accolades at a wide variety of conferences including ASA, NAANS, SOCCA, SPA, SCA, SOAP, ASRA, and MARC.
