Anesthesia Interest Groups and FAQs

Anesthesia Interest Groups (AIGs)

Anesthesiology Interest Groups (AIGs) are independent groups of students from different medical schools across the country whose members share a common interest in anesthesiology. The purpose of AIGs is to promote education, communication, advocacy, research, and networking among students and physicians. AIGs are led by student officers and overseen by faculty advisors. An officer particularly important to AIGs is the ASA Delegate, who acts as the liaison between an AIG and the ASA Medical Student Component.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn about ASA acronyms, how new AIGs get started and more!

AIG Toolkit

Curated from the most active anesthesia interest groups, the AIG Toolkit contains a robust list of ideas to plan activities, events and volunteers activities for your AIGs. 

Outstanding Anesthesia Interest Group (AIG) Award

Awards are presented annually to those AIGs that show an exceptional level of participation, enthusiasm, program quality, professionalism, and involvement in their university, community and at the ANESTHESIOLOGY^® annual meeting. There will be a $500 award for each school in these categories: Best New AIG, Most Innovative AIG, Best Overall AIG. Nominations may be made by any AIG leader or ASA student member. The nomination cycle is closed for 2024, and the 2025 nomination cycle will open in late June 2025.

Selection criteria include:

- AIG Membership 
- Outstanding participation by AIG members and faculty
- Number of meetings and events
- Variety of activities, including career guidance, community outreach, departmental activities, social events
- Participation in local, regional and national anesthesiology programs (National conference, FAER scholars, etc.)

Past Recipients:

2024: Best Overall AIG -  Duke University, Best New AIG - University of Michigan, Most Innovative AIG - University of Texas Southwestern

2023: Best Overall AIG - Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Best New AIG - Marian University, Most Innovative AIG - Vanderbilt University

2022: Best Overall AIG - Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Best New AIG - Tufts University School of Medicine, Most Innovative AIG - Vanderbilt University

2021: Best Overall AIG - Vanderbilt University, Best New AIG - University of Queensland Ochsner Clinical School, Most Innovative AIG - New York Medical College

2020: Best Overall AIG - Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Best New AIG - Texas Tech University of Health Sciences, Most Innovative AIG - McGill University

2019: Best Overall AIG - University of California San Francisco, Best New AIG - Wayne State University, Most Innovative AIG - Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

2018: Oakland University School of Medicine William Beaumont School of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine

Guide to Building an Active Anesthesia Interest Group

The guide offers tips for establishing a new AIG, and ideas for existing AIGs to improve promotion of the specialty in their medical schools.