During a one-month rotation, the resident work closely with an experienced staff of PACU nurses and a pharmacist, as well as surgical colleagues. A supervising staff anesthesiologist makes bedside teaching rounds throughout the day with the PACU resident. Management of septic shock, multiple organ failure, respiratory failure, acute renal failure, hepatic insufficiency and arrhythmia diagnosis is a fundamental part of the training experience. All patients are managed by residents on a co-primary basis with an intensivist. Comprehensive treatment strategies in the SICU include nutritional support, hemodynamic resuscitation, advances in mechanical ventilation, infection control and issues related to sedation and analgesia.
Residents share in-house call duties with their surgical colleagues and other anesthesia residents.
Educational experience is fostered through literature review and four conferences each week. Residents learn to recognize and treat acute illness and to defend their rationale for management strategies. This clinic was created to assure comprehensive and timely preoperative evaluations. The center is staffed by anesthesia attendings, assisted by residents and nurses. Surgical patients are evaluated within two weeks of surgery.