Anesthesiology Residency

Objectives of the Anesthesiology Residency Program

• To provide the resident with in-depth postgraduate training in veterinary anesthesiology through participation in the clinical management of anesthesia in veterinary patients of all domestic and many laboratory and exotic species, clinical research, clinical and didactic teaching, clinical seminars and formal lectures, and interactions with the clinical and basic science faculty.
• To allow the resident to become proficient in the areas included in the scope of veterinary anesthesiology which are:
  • Management of procedures for rendering an animal insensitive to pain during surgical operations.
  • Life-support functions under the stress of anesthesia and surgical manipulations.
  • Clinical management of the patient unconscious from whatever cause.
  • Management of problems in pain relief.
  • Application of specific methods of inhalation therapy.
  • Clinical management of various fluid, electrolyte, and metabolic disturbances.
  • Management of problems in cardiac, respiratory and cerebral resuscitation.
  • Use of chemicals to immobilize and restrain the various patients and to capture and control wild and exotic animals.
  • Specific recommendations for numbers and species required may be found in the ACVA Residency Training Standards.
• To allow the resident to work toward the requirements necessary to qualify for examination by the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists (ACVA) and board certification by that group.

Administration of the Anesthesiology Residency Program

• Chairperson - Chief of the Anesthesiology Section or the senior faculty member appointed by the Chief of the Anesthesiology Section.
• Members - All senior faculty members of the Anesthesiology Section and any other senior faculty members(s) deemed necessary by the Chief of the Anesthesia Section to a maximum of 4 members.

• To complete the tasks set forth in the guidelines for the anesthesiology residency.
• To evaluate the resident's performance on a regular basis.
• To make recommendations to the Head of Department concerning the continuation of the resident into the 2nd and 3rd years of the program.
• To make recommendations to the Head of Department concerning the issuance of certificates that document the completion of the anesthesiology residency program.
• To evaluate the resident's publications in cooperation with the resident's advisor.
• To organize, guide, and conduct the search and selection process for anesthesiology residents.
• To regularly review and recommend changes in the anesthesiology residency program.

Anesthesiology Resident's Advisor

In concert with the Chief of the Anesthesiology Section, each resident will select an advisor within 30 days after the start of their residency program. The advisor must be a diplomate of the ACVA.

• To ensure that the resident is aware of the requirements of the Anesthesiology Residency Program.
• To consult with the resident in planning clinical activities, course work, research endeavors, teaching responsibilities, and related activities for the entire program.
• To supervise completion of scheduled requirements at designated intervals as established by the Anesthesiology Residency Committee.
• To suggest reading material and study aids for the resident in his/her preparation for certification examination by the ACVA.
• To provide evaluations and progress reports to the resident at appropriate times during the residency program. October 1, February 1, and June 1 will be the times designated for resident evaluations by the members of the Anesthesiology Section.

Anesthesiology Residency Program Description

Faculty position in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences. The appointment is usually at the rank of Veterinary Resident Instructor.

The resident will spend approximately half-time in the Large Animal Clinic and half-time in the Small Animal Clinic, participating in the direct anesthetic management of clinical patients and teaching of veterinary students under the direction of a senior clinical anesthesiologist. The teaching responsibilities fall under the courses, VMID 962 and VMID 923.

The resident will participate in the delivery of the lectures and/or laboratory responsibilities of the following courses as directed by the chief of the Anesthesiology Section:

• VMID 923 - General Surgery and Anesthesiology
• VTPP 924 - Veterinary Pharmacology
• VMID 935 (Surgery)

• The Head of the Department of VSCS determines salaries annually as for all other faculty.
• Residents are eligible to participate in the university's health insurance program.
• Other benefits are determined by the university.
• Residents have the same opportunities to purchase athletic tickets, use university facilities, and avail themselves of other benefits as other faculty members.
• Information about vacation, holidays, compensatory time, sick leave and other benefits are available through the Department Office. University benefits are described in detail at http://HR.tamu.edu/benefits. Unless otherwise approved by the Chief of the Anesthesiology Section, vacation and compensatory time will be taken during blocks not assigned to clinical duty. Specific requirements are set by the ACVA Residency Training. Residents should familiarize themselves with the ACVA Standards regarding time allowed for vacation, sickness, etc. during an approved program.

Anesthesiology residents will participate in clinical seminars (departmental intern-resident seminar series) and rounds as directed by the Residency Committee - a minimum of one seminar per year.

• The resident will be expected to have submitted 1 article for publication in a refereed journal by the middle of the 2nd year of the residency. The article must have anesthetic application, but can be in the nature of a case report or retrospective study if the resident desires.
• The resident should have 1 publication based on a residency research project prepared for submission to a high-quality refereed journal at the end of the 3rd year of the residency.
• The resident should research the requirement of the ACVA with regard to publications and take the steps necessary to meet the ACVA guidelines during the residency.

The resident will maintain a case log of all cases managed during the residency program. The log will include case number, signalment, species, breed, date, anesthetic drugs used, and complications.

• First Year: The resident will have one 4-week block not assigned to clinical service.
• Second Year: The resident will have three 4-week blocks not assigned to clinical service.
• Third Year: The resident will have three 4-week blocks not assigned to clinical service.
• The exact number and distribution of the blocks off clinics may vary with the agreement of the advisor and the Chief of Anesthesiology.
• The Chief of Anesthesiology will determine the timing of the blocks that the resident is not assigned to clinical service, based on the needs of the resident and as well as the needs of all of the faculty in the Anesthesiology Section.
• The blocks not assigned to clinical service are designated for study, completion of research and writing, and preparation for teaching, boards, and scientific presentations. One of the blocks not assigned to clinical duty in the 3rd year may be used for an outside rotation at the resident's expense in another veterinary anesthesiology program or in a human anesthesiology program. However, this outside rotation is not a requirement.
• Except for the outside rotation, residents are expected to be at the work place unless specifically on annual leave, compensatory time, sick days, or leave approved for university business.

• The anesthesiology resident will cover emergency duty according to the protocol in place at the time as determined by the Chief of the Anesthesiology Section.
• In general, residents will have a large amount of first-call anesthesiology duty in the assigned clinic with back-up by the senior faculty member.
• The total quantity of emergency duty will depend on the number of faculty in the Anesthesiology Section at the time, but the resident can expect to participate regularly in routine and intersemester emergency duty schedules.
• The emergency duty schedule will be determined by the Chief of the Anesthesiology Section.
• Participation in case management afterhours (after 5:00 pm, nights, and weekends) is required and the amount is dictated by caseload.

Certification of Completion of the Program

Certification of residency training is presented at the completion of the program as outlined in this document. No certificate will be issued, and the faculty of the anesthesiology section will not provide any documentation of clinical training in anesthesiology, if the resident does not complete the entire 3 years of residency training satisfactorily, or does not make satisfactory progress toward a research publication.

Graduate Program and Research

The resident has the option to enroll in the Graduate Program of the university, and to take courses and complete a research project and thesis as directed by his/her graduate advisory committee.