Frequently Asked Questions

Currently, there are a total of  60 residents. Each year we accept:

• 12 residents in the Anesthesiology Categorical match NRMP Code: 1552040C0
• 1 5-year Innovative Anesthesia Residency, Critical Care Fellowship, and Perioperative Leadership and Management Track NRMP Code: 1552040C1
• 3 Externally Funded Categorical Positions (resident receives funding from a source outside of UH, such as the U.S. military or other foreign government entity) NRMP Code 1552040C3

We look for applicants who demonstrate a strong academic ability, professionalism, and who value education. Our program evolution is resident-driven so we often look for “go-getters” that will engage in quality improvement.

We are lucky to have close, affordable, and quality housing near the hospital and often in walking distance. Often times our residents choose to live in downtown Cleveland which offers urban living at low cost with a 15 minute commute. You can also visit our Life in Cleveland section for more detailed information.

Numerous moonlighting opportunities are available to our residents within the hospital system including working in the ICU, the cardiac surgical floor, the internal medicine department, and within the anesthesia department as well. Residents must be in good academic standing to participate. The Cleveland Orchestra also offers our residents to serve as “House Doctor” throughout the year with free-attendance and tickets to see our world-class orchestra. There is ample opportunity for supplemental income within our system.

Each resident has 6-8 elective blocks throughout their CA years. These blocks can be pre-scheduled from a set of available electives (POCUS, research, Global Health, etc…) or can be defined by the resident. In the past we have had residents develop their own electives such as Medical Education, Anesthesia Simulation, and others. We try to be as adaptable as possible within the boundaries of the ACGME and ABA.

One of our strongest attributes of our program is the camaraderie of our residency. There are resident-initiated dinners and activities, department-initiated events, and lots of social gatherings. Our residents have fun in and out of the hospital.

Our OR/OB call is 16 hours on weekdays, 24 hours on weekends. Our ICU is covered by a night float system so there is no call associated with the ICU rotation. Not all rotations have a call component. When on a rotation that has call associated with it the approximate distribution is CA-1s = 3-4 calls/block, CA-2s = 4-6, CA-3s = 3-4.

It isn’t required to interview, but you will need to have passed prior to the Match.

All of your required education can be completed at main campus. Our community rotation block takes place at some of our nearby surgi-centers and community hospitals. Overall, about 97% of your time is at main campus. If you elect to, more time can be spent at our community hospitals and outpatient centers.

We follow the ABA requirements that allows for twenty days of paid vacation per CA year for a total of 60 days over the 3 years. Up to 5 unused vacation days, may be rolled over to the next year. In addition, residents can request a "10 for 5" vacation, when the resident would be on call the Thursday before a vacation week, and therefore be free from clinical duties beginning Friday morning and continuing through the end of the next weekend. If the resident is presenting at a conference, we consider that a working day, as well as the days before and after for travel. Thus, these days do not come out of your vacation time.

Residents receive an annual educational fund to use towards educational materials. This can include, but not limited to:

• Medical apps
• Medical books/pocket cards
• Board prep material
• Permanent license
• Medical subscriptions
• Professional Medical Membership dues $1,000/year (funds are not rolled over annually)

In addition to our education curriculum, residents are given exams throughout their training to monitor progress:

• Residents take the ABA In-training exam annually, held in February.
• The AKT-6 exam will be administered to all CA1 residents and the AKT-24 exam will be administered to all CA3 residents in order to help guide the residents study plans for the ABA Board Exams.
• In addition, practice sessions of the Oral Boards are administered by faculty at least two to three times per year.

Our PGY1 residents have a comprehensive 12-week anesthesia orientation curriculum during the last six months of their intern year. This time consists of a week-long "boot camp" which incorporates didactics, workshops and simulation-based learning to prepare residents to work in the operating rooms. The remainder of the orientation includes daily OR assignments (one-on-one with senior residents or faculty) and weekly sessions in the simulation lab.

We employ and train both AA's and CRNA's but our residents always receive priority in terms of case selection and procedures. We work side by side with these colleagues, as many of us will as attendings and have a very positive relationship. These anesthetists are also the players who allow us to be free for our educational experiences by providing coverage for breaks, lunches, and didactic activities.