First Year (CA-1)
The first year of clinical anesthesia begins with both clinical and didactic training. During the first month, residents are paired with two faculty tutors for a full month of one-to-one tutoring. Daily lunchtime seminars during the first two months familiarize the trainee with the basics of anesthesia and critical care. Rotations during the first part of the CA1 year are more basic than those later in training so that residents gain skills with a variety of patients and cases. The duration of most subspecialty rotations is one month, with extensive time spent on general cases. As the CA1 year progresses, residents start getting exposed to several of the subspecialty rotations, including cardiac anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia, obstetrics, ICU, and the pain service.
Second Year (CA-2)
During the second year of clinical training, residents take on more complex cases and greater responsibility. The large number of highly complex cases at the University of Chicago helps residents build flexibility and broaden their training experiences. A subset of the CA2 residents rotate at Northshore University’s Evanston Hospital for their neuroanesthesia rotations. CA-2 residents also teach medical students under faculty supervision. This year is a time to increase and master skills and to consider the subspecialty areas to pursue during the CA-3 year and thereafter.
Third Year (CA-3)
The CA-3 year is almost exclusively elective. Many CA-3 residents choose the advanced clinical track and direction for independent study about the preoperative management of patients undergoing complex surgical procedures. A major emphasis is critical thinking and leadership skills necessary to function as a consultant in anesthesiology. The resident has gradually increasing independence and takes on a variety of cases to practice different anesthesia techniques. Residents elect to experience senior-level rotations throughout our system: in the ICU, cardiac ORs, pediatric ORs, obstetrics, on the pain services, and in the community setting at NorthShore. Up to 6 months of protected research time is available for interested residents.