April 2000
Volume 64 |
Number 4
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| No Better Time
Than the Present to Be a Resident |
Basem B. Abdelmalak, M.D.
Committee on Residents and Medical Students
The ASA Committee on Residents and Medical Students, chaired
by Thomas B. Bralliar, M.D., Cleveland, Ohio, focuses on issues
important to anesthesiology residents and medical students who
are interested in anesthesiology. The committee meets annually
in conjunction with the ASA Annual Meeting in October and corresponds
electronically throughout the year. The committee has many resident
participants in the capacity of adjunct members. I have been privileged
to serve on this committee for the last two years. In this edition
of the ASA NEWSLETTER, I would like to report our activities.
ASA Medical Student Membership: The committee initiated
a proposal for a new ASA medical student membership category that
was approved by the ASA House of Delegates in October 1998. Now,
for a nominal fee of $10, medical students can enjoy membership
in ASA, including free registration to the ASA Annual Meeting
and subscriptions to the ASA NEWSLETTER and the journal
Anesthesiology.
Medical Student Education: The committee has been active
in helping to educate prospective anesthesiology residents about
the profession of anesthesiology. In addition to responding to
inquiries from medical students about issues such as training,
the job market and the impact of nurse anesthetists, the committee
has composed a sample letter that outlines anesthesiology as a
career. It has supported the chair of the ASA Resident Component
Governing Council to attend the American Medical Student Association
(AMSA) national convention to interact with medical students and
to answer their questions about our specialty. Also, through the
Governing Council, the committee supports a basic airway workshop
that is held at the AMSA national convention to introduce the
specialty to medical students, with the primary aim of recruiting
talented students into the specialty (see article by Tripti C.
Kataria, M.D., on page 6 of this issue).
For Residents: The committee is helping to develop a
statement of residents' rights and responsibilities and serves
as a conduit between the ASA leadership and the Resident Component
Governing Council. Dr. Bralliar has played a major role in facilitating
the function of the Resident Component and its communications
with ASA.
This body has significant impact in initiating actions by other
ASA committees. It forwards any concerns or issues relevant to
anesthesiology residents to the appropriate ASA committee. It
suggests resolutions and follows up on their decisions, actions
and results. The committee also acts as a liaison with other organizations
such as the Society of Academic Anesthesiology Chairs and the
Association of Anesthesiology Program Directors about resident
and medical student issues.
FAER Resident Scholar Program
In 1999, I was honored to be one of 36 Foundation for Anesthesia
Education and Research (FAER) Resident Scholars. I enjoyed my
FAER-sponsored experience at the ASA Annual Meeting so much that
I thought I should share it with my resident colleagues.
FAER provides grants to send residents from accredited anesthesiology
programs to the ASA Annual Meeting. The goal is to involve the
residents in educational, scientific and political activities
that affect the specialty.
Founded in 1986, the foundation is run by a group of dedicated,
academic-oriented volunteers who care about the future of education
and research in anesthesiology. Alan D. Sessler, M.D., Rochester,
Minnesota, is the current executive director of the foundation.
ASA, anesthesiology subspecialty organizations, component societies,
corporations and individuals all support FAER.
Each year, several department chairs are invited to nominate
outstanding residents for participation in this program. To ensure
that all residency programs have an equal opportunity, the invited
institutions rotate annually. A $1,000 grant is given to the department
to defray the cost of attendance.
The Resident Scholar program began with an introductory session
about FAER and its role in raising the standards of the specialty
by fostering education, research and scientific progress in anesthesiology,
as well as developing future physicians and scientists. FAER's
ultimate goal is to generate new knowledge that advances the health
and care of patients. We had an opportunity to meet with anesthesiologists
who, as previous FAER research grant winners, had their careers
and lives changed.
Our group also attended the FAER panel on Education in Anesthesiology.
We discussed residents' education, starting with recruitment,
progressing to the credentialing process and ending with continuing
medical education for the practicing anesthesiologist. The recommendations
that came from this panel are expected to effect major changes
upon implementation in the educational process.
One of our activities was to attend the ASA House of Delegates
meeting. It was very interesting to see how the "Big House" functions
and to see the political process and democracy in action in our
Society. We also had a chance to personally meet with the officers
of ASA at a dinner reception. We were inspired by their enthusiasm
and energy. In between these activities, we had the opportunity
to attend refresher courses and scientific exhibits and to meet
colleagues from across the country who share common interests,
concerns, hopes and fears.
FAER, besides organizing and supporting the Resident Scholar
program, offers six research awards to anesthesiologists in varying
stages of their careers. You can obtain more information about
these programs.
Basem B. Abdelmalak, M.D., is a CA-3 resident
in anesthesiology at Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio,
and Chair of the Ohio Society of Anesthesiologists Resident Component.
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