December 2000
Volume 64 |
Number 12
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FAER REPORT
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| Resident
Scholar Program Promotes Education, Political Involvement |
The Foundation for Anesthesia Education
and Research (FAER), together with Abbott Laboratories, again
sponsored a very well-received and successful Resident Scholar
Program at the 2000 ASA Annual Meeting. For the past two years,
Abbott Laboratories has generously sponsored the program by which
grants through FAER are given to selected residents to partially
cover the cost of their attendance at the meeting. This year,
55 residents from across the country double the number who attended
in previous years joined thousands of anesthesiologists
in San Francisco, California. The program has been sponsored for
the past 10 years, first by Glaxo Wellcome and then by Abbott,
with a total of 400 residents benefiting from the experience and
grant.
The goal of the program is for residents to learn the educational,
scientific and political activities affecting the specialty. ASA
officers, FAER directors, department chairs and resident scholars
appreciate and applaud the program, as we hope the anesthesia
community in general would.
Often, the Resident Scholar Program affords residents their first
exposure to a national scientific meeting with access to multiple
scientific and educational sessions and an extensive display of
technical exhibits. In addition, the residents have direct interaction
with leaders of the specialty and meet other young anesthesiologists
from different practices. The work of ASA becomes more tangible
and understandable to the resident scholars, and all involved
in this program benefit.
Once funding has been secured and the Foundation identifies how
many residents can be supported, the corresponding number of department
chairs are asked to nominate a resident participant. The departments
contacted each year vary as we try to ensure that all departments
are represented at least once every few years. The resident named
is then sent information regarding the program. The residents
are asked to attend four specific FAER events at the meeting,
but the rest of the time is free so they can attend the refresher
courses, clinical forums and panels and view the scientific and
technical exhibits.
The first FAER function is an orientation session. The session
varies from year to year, but generally the FAER President and
an Abbott representative welcome the residents. The ASA President
gives an overview of the mission and activities of ASA. A FAER
award recipient usually describes his or her experiences with
the grant-writing process or how the FAER award has affected his/her
career. The Chair of the ASA Resident Component Governing Council
details resident activity through ASA.
The residents are asked to attend the opening session of the
House of Delegates. They sit together and are recognized by the
House as a group. Many are honored by this, as it is the first
time they have seen the political machinery of ASA in action.
They also attend the FAER panel, and the week ends with a reception
and dinner sponsored by Abbott Laboratories. Attendees include
the ASA Administrative Council, FAER Board members, orientation
speakers, Abbott representatives and the resident scholars. This
function provides an opportunity for the residents to meet and
speak with notable anesthesiologists in a casual atmosphere.
As was heard throughout the week, senior anesthesiologists as
well as residents think this program is extremely important and
beneficial. Abbott's investment affords an opportunity for the
next generation of anesthesiologists to see the "big picture"
of anesthesiology and become involved. At the dinner, Ronald A.
MacKenzie, D.O., Immediate Past President of ASA, used a ripple
effect analogy to describe how ripples formed from a small pebble
thrown into the water spread wide, similar to this program's investment
in these residents.
Evaluations of the program by the residents thus far are positive,
encouraging and constructive. Comments included:
- "I feel privileged to be a resident scholar";
- "[It] gave me great motivation to get involved actively
with [my] regional society; raise/solve problems arising on
a daily basis and keep close contact with ASA board members";
- "...This interaction with others serves as a stimulus
to continue to grow professionally";
- "A tremendous experience which encouraged me to be an
active ASA member"; and,
- "[It] gave me a new-found enthusiasm which I had when
I first started in anesthesiology."
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