The Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, is accredited through the ACGME. In addition to the residency training program, an Accredited Fellowship in Obstetric Anesthesia is offered (PGY-5) to qualified candidates. The fellowship is a twelve-month program dedicated to further enhance the candidate’s training in the subspecialty of obstetrical anesthesia. The practice mix is a typical tertiary-care center population with high proportion patients with complex clinical management problems. Approximately 5,600 obstetric anesthesia cases are performed each year – 65% of which are high-risk parturients. The fellow will be collaborating with perinatology and neonatology during the MFM and NICU rotations .
Fellowship Rotations:
Labor and delivery (8 months): The fellows will managing both routine and high risk patients throughout the year. The fellow will participate in the anesthetic management of the extremely high risk and critically ill parturients. They also participate in patient management conferences, held in conjunction with the obstetricians, to help formulate patient management plans and actual anesthetic management of these patients. The Fellows are responsible for the co-management of critically ill parturients during peripartum period. The fellow will be initially closely supervised by staff anesthesiologist aiming to take full responsibilities as consultant anesthesiologist through the fellowship year.
Maternal Fetal Medicine (2 weeks): The fellow will participate with MFM fellows in managing the high risk parturients in clinic during the MFM rotation, the fellow will learn the basis of ultrasound examination during pregnancy. Fellow will learn how to interpret a fetal heart rate monitor by attending an FHR interpretation course provided by MFM faculty.
Neonatology (2 weeks):
The fellow will spend 2 weeks in NICU, will attend morning rounds, and will be present during procedures taking place in NICU . The fellow is expected to obtain NRP ( National resuscitation program ) certification n during the fellowship year.
Research (3 months):
The fellow is guaranteed 3 months of research throughout the fellowship year (1 week /month). The fellow can start a project or join an ongoing projects.
The fellow is expected to conduct a quality improvement project during the year and present it in the UTMB GME and Patient safety meeting in May of the following year.
Simulation:
Simulation training is an important component of our residency program. The fellow will have the chance of participating at least twice a year in an obstetric anesthesia simulation scenarios.The fellow will have the opportunity to participate on running simulation sessions and learn debriefing techniques.
Teaching: The Fellow will participate in clinical teaching of medical students and junior residents as to prepare the fellow to transition from being the learner to an educator.
Academic Expectations:
SOAP /ASA presentation
Quality improvement project
Research project ( started or join an ongoing one)
Monthly journal club moderation