Anesthesiology Residency Program

The MedStar Health - Georgetown University Hospital Residency Program in Anesthesiology

Since 1956, the anesthesiology residency program at Georgetown University Hospital offers residents an outstanding blend of clinical experience, didactic instruction, and personal attention. It is a medium-sized academic program within a large, non-profit health care system that provides high quality perioperative care to patients of all genders, races, and socioeconomic status in the Washington, D.C. region. Georgetown residents are well prepared to excel as either community or academic consultant anesthesiologists. Residents train to become perioperative physicians who can handle the simplest cases to the most complex anesthetics and intensive care situations.

The residency program utilizes the breadth and depth of clinical experiences available at Georgetown and its affiliated hospitals (Washington Hospital Center, Children’s National Medical Center). Residents build an educational portfolio that includes a high volume of subspecialty cases in cardiothoracic, neuro, obstetric, hepatobiliary, and transplant anesthesia. They provide care for patients undergoing advanced “fellow level” cases in a department which does not offer competing fellowship programs. The senior year is nearly completely elective, allowing residents to personalize their education through a variety of pathways.

Residents are taught by dedicated faculty who cultivate a supportive learning environment and who exemplify clinical excellence, professionalism, and life-long learning. The clinical experience is supplemented by a carefully designed didactic and simulation program where residents are both learners and teachers guided by experienced faculty. In the Jesuit manner of the institution, the program fosters a culture of cura personalis – placing value on the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of our patients and our physicians.

Mission

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital will provide expert, compassionate care for each and all of our patients, advancing the tradition of Catholic health care and the Jesuit spirit of service to others. We are committed to promoting health and wellness through the delivery of the highest-quality education and first-class research.

• We will commit to a culture of patient care by physicians and staff who are grounded in standards of bhavior, accountability and loyalty.
• By attracting the best doctors, nurses and staff, we will ensure superior clinical outcomes in a safe environment, using innovative state-of-the-art procedures and technology.
• We will provide a workplace of positive regard, mutual respect and open communication that empowers our employees to develop and excel and recognizes and rewards outstanding performance.
• As part of a premier academic medical center, we will work to educate and mentor the next generation of health care professionals and leaders.
• With Georgetown University, we will develop and support innovative research for the betterment of our patients and humankind.
• Through careful financial stewardship based on sound business principles, we will assure our patients, physicians and employees of our continued fiscal strength.

Values

Knowledge: We believe that excellent patient care is contingent upon a strong knowledge base and innovative research.

Compassion: We will treat our patients and their families with kindness and empathy while attending to their physical and spiritual comfort.

Service to Others: We will strive to anticipate and meet the needs of our patients, physicians and co-workers.

Heritage: We pledge to continue and advance the tradition and ideals that flow from more than a century of excellence at Georgetown University Hospital. As a Catholic hospital, Georgetown University Hospital subscribes to the Ethical and Religious Directives as promulgated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Trust: We are committed to open communication and mutual respect, engendering interdependence and confidence in each other.

Integrity: We will be honest, direct and just in our everyday interaction, respecting each other in a professional manner and protecting the confidentiality and privacy of our patients.

Sense of Team: We will endeavor to work together in an efficient and seamless manner, bridging divisions and disciplines, and continuously adapting to the changing health care environment.

Accountability: As physicians, management and staff, we will accept ownership and fully discharge the responsibilities of our respective positions.

Curriculum 

Program Structure

The goal of the residency program of the Department of Anesthesiology is to train physicians to become both consultants in anesthesiology as well as diplomats of the American Board of Anesthesiology. It is a four-year categorical program organized in accordance with the American Board of Anesthesiology and the RRC of the ACGME. The current structure is:

PGY 1 & 2: Clinical Base Year and Basic Anesthesiology
PGY 3 & 4: Subspecialty and Advanced Anesthesiology

Throughout their training, residents are fully supervised by anesthesiology faculty and staff members. The faculty is composed of about 30 full- and part-time anesthesiologists whose subspecialty training includes fellowships or expertise in cardiovascular anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia, neuro-anesthesia, pain management, and critical care medicine. During their training, residents continually reflect on their performance, seek feedback and guidance from faculty, and work towards improvement and eventual mastery. This cycle is the key to life-long learning and mastery of the skills necessary to become an independent consultant anesthesiologist.

Residents are assigned an individual clinical advisor to act as a mentor throughout the 3 years of Clinical Anesthesia training. Residency training is a team effort by the resident and the faculty, with an emphasis on progressive independence, constantly improving knowledge, and development of a professional and ethical attitude that defines the best physicians. Each training year and each individual clinical rotation has its own educational “Goals and Objectives.” Meeting the “Goals and Objectives” of the training years and rotations is the pathway of the educational process.
Our program has 12 residents per class. The Department participates in the National Resident Matching Program for all positions at the PGY1 level.