SEA Supersizes

rowing membership, growing attendance at meetings and growing recognition provide the Society for Education in Anesthesia (SEA) with growing opportunities.

Over the past year, SEA membership expanded by an unprecedented 17 percent. Two-thirds of our new members came from programs where one or more of the faculty were already members of SEA. One-third of our new members are coming from programs that historically have had no members of SEA.

SEA had record attendance at our Annual Meeting in June. The first hotel filled so quickly that another hotel had to be secured. The second hotel was then filled to capacity. Despite this, the meeting still had 22 anesthesiologists arrive to attend the meeting via walk-in registration.

This year a “Leadership Development Program for Chief and Senior Residents” was to be a piloted for 18 trainees. The program was never publicized because response to just one e-mail sent to our SEA members informing them of this endeavor was so overwhelming. We immediately expanded the pilot program to accommodate 38 residents. Even more wanted to attend.

Once every two years, SEA would provide a “Workshop on Teaching” to anesthesiologists interested in improving their teaching skills. It filled so quickly, however, that extensive waiting lists had to be generated. Efforts were made to meet the high demand by conducting the four-day workshop every year and increasing the number who could attend. Surprisingly, it snowballed. Instead of fulfilling the need, demand grew. Now, despite the expansion of this program, waiting lists are still produced every year. Currently SEA offers first-enrollment opportunity to anyone who was placed on the waiting list the previous year. Many anesthesiologists return to repeat the workshop course two or three times. Therefore we are looking into developing a “sequel,” or a more advanced workshop to supplement the skills learned in our current workshop.

Why is SEA achieving record membership, record attendance at all our meetings and increased recognition? I believe the answer lies in simplicity. Rather than succumbing to the lure of expanding our horizons to become a jack of all trades, SEA has remained true to its original mission and has focused on dedicating itself to filling the needs of its members. Whether our membership is interested in getting promoted for their educational activities, improving their teaching ability, designing better medical student rotations or complying with Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education competencies, SEA is their resource across all levels of anesthesia education.

It is with pleasure that I can state confidently that every anesthesiologist attending any program sponsored by SEA becomes enthusiastic about being involved in anesthesia education. They are updated on new developments in the field. They are reassured when they discover the problems they face are not unique. They are intrigued by how other programs are dealing with similar problems. They are relieved when they realize they do not have to create a wheel alone because the tools already exist. They are glad to find out how many resources are available to them on the SEA Web site www.SEAhq.org. They appreciate meeting someone who is willing to help them with research or a project they wanted to pursue but did not because it was too difficult or overwhelming for one person to accomplish alone. They become excited to meet other anesthesiologists who share their passion for education. And they return to their institutions rejuvenated, eager to teach and implement ideas that they think will improve the educational program offered by their department.

Yes, SEA will continue to grow. But be assured, the Society will remain steadfast in its commitment to its mission to serve as a forum for anesthesiologists interested in education (at all levels) to network with each other. Now, however, SEA has the capacity to also provide members with timely updates on information that is relevant to them, supply them with products that are useful to them and serve as a resource to turn to when issues arise. Most importantly I think SEA has “supersized” because the anesthesiologists who become members bring their own set of diverse talents, experience and enthusiasm for education, which supplies our Society with renewed energy and creativity. Together we are continually striving to enhance the quality of anesthesiology education offered, which ultimately improves the health care provided to patients.

Kathy D. Schlecht, D.O., is an attending staff anesthesiologist, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan.