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Anesthesiology

Martin Helrich Professor and Chair
Peter Rock, MD, MBA

The Department of Anesthesiology provides a required rotation for students during their junior year (GSUR 531-01). This weeklong rotation includes clinical experience in the operating room as well as didactic experience. Students receive instruction in basic airway, pharmacology and anesthetic techniques. A sub-internship rotation in the surgical intensive care unit and several month-long similar electives are offered by the department. A brief description of each course follows:

Sub-Internship (548-01)

The goal of this course is to provide the student with clinical experience in the evaluation and management of critically ill patients, primarily, but not exclusively, surgical patients. The student spends the majority of the time during this rotation working in the surgical intensive unit (SICU). The student will participate in daily work and teaching rounds and have responsibility for the care of assigned patients under the direction of the SICU physician team. Students admit patients to the unit, perform history, physical and laboratory assessments, present patients on rounds and provide ongoing care.

Anesthesiology (ANES 541-01)

A month elective in anesthesiology providing active “hands-on” clinical participation to provide broad insight into the practice of anesthesiology. Students learn how this specialty functions in preoperative evaluation, intraoperative management and post anesthesia care as well as consultation services in pain management. Application of the basic sciences during anesthesia is also presented.

Pain Management Center (ANES 542-01)

This elective offers students broad exposure to strategies and techniques employed in pain management. At the University of Maryland Pain Management Center, located at Kernan Hospital, students will participate in the evaluation and management of patients with chronic pain syndromes. Alternative therapies (acupuncture and hypnosis) are often incorporated. Students also participate in daily morning rounds on the Acute Pain Management Service. This consult assists in the management of hospitalized patients with particularly challenging post-operative use of opioids in pain management.

Graduate Program

The program has a continuing commitment to the development of astute clinicians, avid researchers, excellent graduate and undergraduate educators, and quality, compassionate patient care. The department administers over 20,000 anesthetics per year.

The residency is accredited for the training continuum of three years. The diverse curriculum permits candidates to fulfill the educational requirements for entrance to the American Board of Anesthesiology examination system. Appointments are made at the CA-1/PGY-2 level. The Clinical Base Year (CB/PGY-1) is arranged by the candidate.

Residency training consists of supervised daily instruction in the care of patients requiring surgery, obstetric care, pain management, critical care services, and preadmission evaluation. Experience is provided in postoperative care, resuscitation, respiratory and circulatory emergency care, and ventilator management.

Postgraduate Fellowships

Individuals may choose to complete subspecialty fellowship training (12 to 24 months) beyond the three clinical anesthesia years. There are ACGME accredited fellowships in critical care medicine, cardiothoracic anesthesia and pain management, as well as advanced subspecialty fellowship training in neurosurgical, obstetrics, trauma, and research.

A fully accredited one-year fellowship program is available in anesthesiology critical care. The curriculum includes nine months of critical care experience in the intensive care units at the University of Maryland Medical Center and Shock Trauma Center, one month of echocardiography, and two months of an elective. Clinical research opportunities are available.

The accredited Pain Management Fellowship includes acute, chronic, cancer pain management with modalities of acupuncture, biofeedback, psychotherapy, physical therapy, nerve blocks, transcutaneous nerve stimulation, patient controlled analgesia, intrathecal and epidural opiates via implantable pumps. Clinical research opportunities are available.

The accredited Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship includes participation in heart and lung transplantation, on- and off-pump coronary revascularization, pulmonary and esophageal surgery, major vascular trauma and pediatric cardiac cases. Fellows complete rotations in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit. Transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography training are provided. Clinical research opportunities are available.