Introduction

The typical continuum of education in Anesthesiology consists of 4 years of training, the clinical base year (CBY) and 36 months of clinical anesthesia training (CA1, CA2, and CA3 years). The program requirements are outlined for July 1st, 2007, and with new requirements for July 1st, 2008 on the ACGME website. Broadly, beginning in July 2008, at least 6 months must include experience in caring for inpatients in specialties such as internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, family medicine. There should be rotations in critical care and emergency medicine, for at least one month, and not more than two months, and up to one month may be taken in Anesthesiology.

What is New?

Options for Entry into an Anesthesiology Program

  1. Integrated CBY with the three year Anesthesiology Program to make a 4 year Program.

  1. A PGY 1 year and 3-year program.

  1. Transfer (e.g. from Surgery or Internal Medicine) after 1 + years of GME training.

All PGY-1 program directors will be required to provide to the Anesthesiology program directors interval assessments of performance for interns who have previously committed to Anesthesiology Programs.

In August 2006, the Department of Anesthesiology at Columbia applied to ACGME and was approved for a four year program for 24 residents per year (i.e. total of 96 residents) to commence July 1st, 2008 or thereafter. We will therefore move ahead with this program in a three staged manner (see later).

What Else is in There?

  • Regardless of where residents take their PGY-1 year they must have:

    • 6 months of inpatient care:

Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Surgical Specialties, OB/GYN, Neurology, Family Medicine or a combination of the above.

    • 1-2 months each of emergency Room Medicine and Critical Care Medicine.

    • May have up to 1 month of Anesthesiology

    • Missing elements? Make up during CA1 – 3.

These new program requirements go into effect 7/1/2008.

We believe at Columbia that a 48 month curriculum will improve the anesthesiology curriculum and training of our individual Columbia residents and guarantee that all anesthesia residents in the program have a broad experience in providing direct care for acutely ill hospitalized patients in a first tier academic medical center that is consistently ranked on the U.S. New & World Report Honor Roll. We intend to provide the “ideal” internship.

What about the CA-1 to CA-3 Years?

The RRC says that:

  • There must be a minimum of two 1-month rotations in pediatrics, cardiac, neuro and OB anesthesia.
  • 4 months of critical care medicine – up to 2 months may occur in PGY-1; taken in at least one month intervals.
  • 3 months of Pain Medicine – up to 1 month may occur in PGY-1; taken in at least one month intervals.
  • 1 month of preoperative Medicine taken in at least one month intervals.
  • 0.5 month in a Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
  • Elective Time
    • There will be several months of elective time which can be used to finish all required PGY-1 experiences for those who have transferred from another specialty; it could also be used for research or advanced anesthesia subspecialty rotations or related activities.

What are We Doing at Columbia?

In August 2006 the Department of Anesthesiology at Columbia applied to the ACGME Anesthesiology RRC for approval for a four year integrated program that would include the PGY-1 year. This was approved to commence July 1st, 2008. All training will be at Columbia University Medical Center, and will follow the RRC requirements as outlined on this website.  We believe that we have outlined a terrific program for our anesthesiology residents, and look forward to their being with us for the whole four years. 

How will the Transition Work at Columbia?

We will continue to have 24 residents per academic year, and will not reduce our class size.  Our total resident complement is 72 for a three year program. When we move to a four year program, and it is fully implemented we will have a total complement of 96 residents.  In July 1st, 2008 we will offer 8 PGY-1 positions; July 1st, 2009, 16 PGY-1 positions; July 1st, 2010 we will offer the full 24 PGY-1 positions; thus we will move to a four year program over a three year period to ensure a smooth transition.  We will have two Assistant Program Directors who will coordinate the first year program and work with Dr. Pang – Brian Egan and Dean Jones.

Dean Jones

Originally from Canada, I have had the pleasure of calling New York City my home since 2002. 

I completed undergraduate studies in Pharmacology at the University of British Columbia and earned my MD at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.  My residency training in anesthesia was completed at the University of Toronto and Columbia University.  I am a Diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.  Since 2006 I have been a Faculty member in the Department of Anesthesiology at Columbia University.

I am interested in both medical student and resident education.  Some of my present educational activities include supervision of the Chief resident weekly rounds, lecturer for both the core curriculum and crisis management curriculum, director of the resident ABA written exam review, and development of the departmental intranet site for resident education.

My clinical interests include general, vascular, and transplant anesthesia; and OR management.  Research interests include perioperative renal protection and medical education.

Brian Egan

Hi, my name is Brian Egan.  I graduated from Dartmouth College with a BA in Psychology in 1995.  I went on to study medicine at Yale University and graduated with an MD, MPH in 2000.  After completing a transitional year internship at St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport, Connecticut, I studied anesthesiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA.  Following my residency I sought out an academic appointment and was pleased to join the staff of Columbia University Medical Center in the Fall of 2004.  Since my arrival I have been heavily interested in resident education and resident advocacy.  I have been an active lecturer both in the operating rooms and in dedicated didactic sessions.  For the past six months I have also been assisting in the medical student education process as they rotate through their required week on anesthesiology, and I have the responsibility of overseeing the education of the oral-maxillofacial residents as they rotate through anesthesia.  I am a diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA), a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), and a member of the Society for Education in Anesthesia (SEA).  I am very pleased to be a part of the growing emphasis on resident education as represented by the growth of the 4 year curriculum and am very happy to be intimately involved with the new PGY-1 year as co-program director.  Along with Drs. Wood, Pang, Whittington, and my co-director, Dr. Dean Jones, I hope to make the new PGY-1 year a superior, integrated experience which will provide a solid medical foundation and lead seemlessly into the completion of the education process.

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