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.

Clinical Base Year (CBY)
We are a Categorical program that includes a Clinical Base Year (PGY-1) with balanced rotations in several specialties. The goal of this year of training is to obtain a base of knowledge in order to treat a variety of patients undergoing anesthesia. All residents rotate at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.

Rotations include:

OR Anesthesia: 3 blocks

Acute Pain Service: 1 block

Presurgical Testing Clinic: 1 block

MICU: 2 blocks

CCU: 1 block

Medical Wards: 3 blocks

Emergency Medicine: 1 block

Night Float: 0.5 block

Vacation: 1 block
CA-1
The goal of the first year of clinical training is to give residents the broadest possible exposure to the range of the practice of anesthesia. This is achieved through a series of month-long clinical rotations at Georgetown University Hospital. At the start of the CA-1 year, a week-long session of lectures and workshops will serve to orient each resident to the fundamentals of anesthetic practice. Throughout the year, supervision of a resident’s performance will be guided by the levels of proficiency and comfort each resident exhibits, in a manner that allows for independence in judgment and action while ensuring safe patient care. At the completion of the CA-1 year, each resident can expect to have experience in a broad sampling of anesthetic care and techniques.

Rotations include:

Ambulatory

Chronic Pain

ENT / Airway

ENT Surgical Service

General & Gynecologic Surgery

Neuro

Satellite

Obstetrics

Orthopedics

Pediatrics

Urology
CA-2
Rotations include:

Cardiac at Washington Hospital Center

SICU

Neuroanesthesia

Obstetrics

Acute Pain/Regional

Chronic Pain

Pediatrics at Children’s National Medical Center

Thoracic/Vascular

Transplant (Adult and Pediatric Liver, Kidney, Small Bowel, Pancreas)
CA-3
Residents pursue a year of advanced training in those clinical or research areas of greatest interest, which includes 6 months of elective rotations. Elective rotations exist at Georgetown University Hospital, Washington Hospital Center, Children’s National Medical Center, University of Maryland Shock Trauma, Hospital for Special Surgery, Georgetown Pain Management, MedStar SiTEL, and MedStar Lafayette Ambulatory Surgery Center. Residents may also choose to pursue an international mission trip to provide anesthetic care in an underserved region.

Rotations include:

Acute Pain/Regional (MGUH, WHC, HSS)

Advanced Clinical Track

Ambulatory (MedStar Lafayette Center)

Cardiac

Chronic Pain

Obstetrics

PACU

Pediatrics

Point of Care Ultrasound

Thoracic/Vascular

Transition to Practice

Transplant

Trauma

Frequently asked questions

How many residents are in the program?

Each future incoming class will have 12 residents per PGY class, totaling 48 categorical positions.
What are the “pros” of the residency program?

The superb faculty – house staff interactions, the diversity of clinical experiences, the outstanding quality of the residents, great location in Washington, DC, the opportunities for varied electives, and the responsiveness of the administration to resident concerns all stand out as highlights. There are no fellows at Georgetown, and so residents perform advanced fellow-level cases early in their clincal training. Our transplant program in particular is very strong. Our interns get the opportunity to rotate with the anesthesia department for up to 5 months during their first year which allows them to experience challenging cases early in their CA1 year. Every graduate has obtained their first choice of post-residency fellowship or job placement.
What are the differences between Georgetown (GUH), Washington Hospital Center (WHC), and MedStar?

Georgetown has had many years of partnership with MedStar Health, the largest health system in the Mid-Atlantic region. MedStar is a not-for profit organization. This partnership was entered in order to better manage the Georgetown University Hospital and physician practice; MedStar is known to excel in financial management of hospital systems. Georgetown University Hospital program is the only University-based residency program in the MedStar system.
Are the patients at Georgetown “private” patients?

All patients admitted to GUH have a designated attending of record. The vast majority of these patients (approximately 80%) are admitted to full-time, on site faculty. Most of these patients are admitted to our full-time hospitalist service, and are essentially “service” patients.
What are the advantages / disadvantages of rotating through the various hospitals in the MedStar system?

Our affiliates add tremendous diversity (in terms of demographics, diseases, acuity, hospital size, location) to the program. WHC offers superb cardiovascular and trauma experience within the MedStar system. The faculty members at all of our affiliates are tremendously loyal to Georgetown, and have been educating students and residents for more than 60 years. The advantage is the breadth of experiences available to the Georgetown Anesthesiology resident, as well as opportunities for residents to become familiar with private practitioners – this may be helpful for future job opportunities.
What about the cost of living in the DC area?

True, Washington DC is viewed as a high cost place to live. Many residents choose to live in less expensive areas within a few miles of DC (Arlington, VA / Rosslyn – just over Key Bridge / suburban Maryland) – these areas are easily accessible to Georgetown and all affiliates and significantly reduce housing costs. Significant salary increases over the past two years have also helped ease the burden to some extent.
Where do most of the residents in this program live?

There are numerous areas where residents live. Some areas that are popular include Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Georgetown, Arlington (Virginia), Alexandria (Virginia), Silver Spring (Maryland), and Bethesda (Maryland). Some people even live as far north as Columbia, Maryland, which is half-way between Baltimore and Washington DC.
What about vacation time?

You have a total of 20 days of vacation (the maximum allowed by the ACGME): 15 days of vacation/sick and 5 days of meeting/conference time (which can be taken as vacation days as well). The chief residents and program leadership work hard to accommodate each residents’ calendar requests.
What is the status of the information technology systems at Georgetown?

Hospital financial successes have allowed for dramatic improvements in the computer and systems services at Georgetown. The medical floors, physician offices, common workspaces and ORs are all equipped with computers that are updated on a regular basis. All clinical sites have fully implemented the Cerner electronic medical record (EMR) system. We have Pyxis Medstations in all of our operating rooms as well. In all, MedStar Health System is at the cutting edge in terms of technology and IT.

Your recent searches

Your recent searches