Department of Anesthesiology

• Residency Application Procedures
• Frequently Asked Questions

Introduction

The New York Medical College Residency Training Program is organized to provide necessary education, training and experience in total patient care for the development of consultant anesthesiologists. The program is integrated and uses the facilities of Westchester Medical Center, a large tertiary care hospital in suburban Westchester, Danbury Hospital in Connecticut, Metropolitan Hospital Center, a municipal hospital on the upper east side of Manhattan, as well as Sound Shore Medical Center, located in New Rochelle.

There are over 70 staff members on the full time faculty at these hospitals. In addition, a number of clinical appointments are held by anesthesiology staff at hospitals affiliated with the New York Medical College, who contribute significant effort in undergraduate and graduate medical education.

The Department core faculty includes basic scientists dedicated to clinical research and the teaching of basic sciences. Approximately 90% of the faculty are certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology. Several of the faculty also hold Certificates of competence in Critical Care and Pain Management from the American Board of Anesthesiology.

The Department of Anesthesiology of New York Medical College serves in hospitals that meet the needs of a diverse ethnic and socioeconomic community.  We are an equal opportunity employer.

Clinical Base Year

The Department of Anesthesiology does not offer a Clinical Base (CB) year. However, some CB positions may be made available through N.Y.M.C. affiliates. Entry into the program is at the CA-1 level. For those who are applying while still in medical school, positions maybe secured through the National Resident Matching Program Advanced Anesthesia Match. Applications are considered from graduates of medical schools at any time.

Clinical Anesthesia (CA1-2)

The first 24 months of Clinical Anesthesia training (CA-1, CA-2) are divided into three major components. The first, Clinical Care, involves patient care in the operating room and obstetrical suite, including experience in general surgery, cardiac surgery, (both adult and pediatric), neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, major vascular surgery, ophthalmologic and ENT surgery, neonatal and pediatric surgery, and gynecological procedures. A staff anesthesiologist is assigned to every anesthetic administered by a resident. Maximum supervision ratio is one attending physician to two residents. Difficult cases mandate one-on-one supervision. At least one attending anesthesiologist is available in house, 24 hours a day at all hospitals.

The first year of clinical anesthesia (CA-1) is designed to teach new residents the basics of uncomplicated anesthetic management, to encourage and stimulate their reading, and to provide a didactic program. At the end of twelve months, the resident is expected to be able to participate in the full clinical and academic life of the department, and assume a major role in the care of more seriously ill patients or those requiring more complicated anesthetic management. By the completion of the CA-1 year, the resident should no longer require continuous one-on-one supervision for uncomplicated cases.

In the second year (CA-2), emphasis is placed on the subdivisions of anesthesia and the resident has more responsibility for the conduct of anesthesia. The resident's experience includes major cardiovascular, thoracic and neurosurgical anesthesia, diagnostic and therapeutic nerve blocks, geriatric anesthesia, intensive and respiratory care of surgical patients, radical cancer surgery, obstetrical anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia and anesthesia for emergency surgery, as well as outpatient surgery. By the end of the CA-2 year, it is expected that the resident can safely anesthetize most patients without continuous and immediate supervision.

The second major component of the Clinical Anesthesia Continuum is academic. New residents receive a core introductory lecture series upon entering the program. Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) and Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) certification are available and residents are encouraged to qualify. All residents must be ACLS certified. Conferences are held five days a week. These sessions include basic science topics and case reviews. In addition, every Monday, there is a formal Grand Rounds lecture, during which staff physicians in anesthesia focus on selected topics. Guest speakers also lecture, both from other departments within the New York Medical College family and from other institutions.

The resident is expected to participate by presenting at didactic conferences; research into current literature, as well as textbook sources, is expected. Resident presentations should reflect familiarity with the topics assigned. By the end of the training period, it is expected that the resident will have established a reading schedule enabling him or her to review previously learned material and to continuously expand his or her knowledge daily.

The third component of the Clinical Anesthesia Continuum is the postanesthetic care unit and intensive care. It includes the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory emergencies, respiratory support techniques, cardiovascular monitoring and resuscitation, as well as the treatment of patients with metabolic disease, cardiac or renal failure, and those in coma.

All residents must pass the third part of the National Board Exam or USMLE Step 3 by the 6th month of anesthesiology training. Continuance in the program is based in part on the resident's performance at conferences, staff evaluations, and performance on the In-Training examination given to all anesthesia residents every year. It is mandatory that this national exam be taken each year as it allows the resident to judge his or her performance individually and against the peer group nationally. It also allows the Program Director to reorient didactic and clinical teaching toward those areas where departmental deficiencies have been identified.

Specialized Year (CA-3)

This year of the residency will be spent in two of three tracks designed as the ADVANCED CLINICAL TRACK, SUBSPECIALTY CLINICAL TRACK, OR CLINICAL SCIENTIST TRACK. Regardless of the track(s) chosen, residents in the CA-3 Year should expect to be assigned to the more difficult or complex anesthetic procedures or to the most seriously ill patients. Areas of emphasis that may be chosen for subspecialty clinical track include:

1. Cardiac Anesthesia
2. Pediatric Anesthesia
3. Neurosurgical Anesthesia
4. Ambulatory Anesthesia
5. Regional Anesthesia

At the completion of the Specialized Year (CA-3), the resident should be skilled in all areas of anesthesia, including adult and pediatric cardiac anesthesia, high-risk obstetrics, and neonatal surgery. In summary, the candidate must be both clinically proficient and able to function as a consultant.

Research

A focused intramural clinical research program is supported within the Department. Members of the Department annually present papers at national and international meetings, as well as publish papers in peer reviewed journals. A Department research committee meets regularly under the direction of Charles Her, M.D., F.C.C.P. This committee reviews research proposals of both staff and residents, and promotes active participation of all staff and residents in research. Residents are encouraged to develop research projects and to publish or present their findings in national forums.

Funding is available for research. Intramural funds are available to residents to serve as seed money. Members of the Department presently receive extramural and national support. In addition, to specifically aid the resident and junior staff in developing research, the Department employs a senior pharmacologist whose duty is to help in designing and executing research protocols. Mario A. Inchiosa, Jr., Ph.D. is an extremely valuable research resource who is conducting important investigations in a range of areas, including reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndromes and coagulation complications associated with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Residency Application Procedures

This program participates in ERAS, the Electronic Residency Application Service. All application materials come through the ERAS system. Interested applicants should contact the Student Affairs office at their medical school for information on submitting application information. A complete description of this procedure may also be found on the ERAS web site.

Paper application forms will NOT be accepted. All applicants must use the ERAS. To be considered complete, an application must have the ERAS Common Application Form, medical school transcript, official USMLE transcript, Dean's letter, Step I and II Exam scores (with an average score of at least 85), letter of recommendation from Program Director of prior medical residency training (if applicable), and at least two letters of recommendation.

All correspondence should be directed to:

Residency Coordinator
Department of Anesthesiology
Macy Pavilion Room #2389
Westchester County Medical Center
Valhalla, New York 10595

Tel: 914-493-7692
Fax: 914-493-7927

Please be advised that the program verifies the ECFMG test-taking attempts of all foreign medical graduates being considered for employment as residents/fellows in the hospital's postgraduate training programs. This is done by written communication with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, located in Philadelphia, PA.

An interview is required. All attempts will be made to schedule the interview on a date that is convenient for the candidate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What qualities is New York Medical College looking for in residents?
The department looks for those candidates who show the greatest promise of developing into excellent clinicians and who can function at the consultant level. It is anticipated that every resident who starts the program will finish; it is a non-pyramidal residency program.

Who will interview me and what is involved?
Members of the Resident Admission Committee, which is comprised of faculty members and residents, conduct interviews. Every attempt is made to make the interview process stress free and informal. You will not be quizzed on medical information, nor will any test be administered. You will be taken on a tour of the hospital. Lunch is usually provided. Emphasis is placed on academic achievement as well as interpersonal communication skills. For those applying through the MATCH, interviews will take place after November 1st. Non-MATCH candidates are interviewed at any time.

What are the examination requirements for the program?

While in the program the resident must take the annual In-Training Exam. Co-sponsors of this exam are the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Society of Anesthesiologists. In addition, first year residents (CA-1) must take the Anesthesia Knowledge Test (AKT) in July and again in January. CA-2 residents also take the AKT in January.

How much night call is expected?
Night call varies between every third and fourth night, depending on the clinical service. Call in house does not exceed 24 hours and the resident is off the next day.

Is housing available?
Limited housing and single rooms are available on the Westchester campus and at the Metropolitan Hospital Center in Manhattan.

What fringe benefits are provided?
While the residency is a fully integrated program between four hospitals, residents are nominally assigned to one of the four hospitals for payroll purposes. Regardless of pay source, all contracts contain and reference:
Financial Support
Vacation policies
Professional Liability Insurance
Disability Insurance and other hospital and health insurance benefits
Professional, parental, and sick leave benefits
Conditions under which living quarters, meals and laundry services or their equivalents are to be provided
Counseling, medical, psychological and other support services
Institutional policies covering sexual and other forms of harassment.

How much vacation time is allowed?
The department policy must follow that of the American Board of Anesthesiology. Any and all absences from training, including vacation and sick leave, may not exceed a total of sixty (60) days during the entire residency program. Attendance at scientific meeting may not exceed five (5) working days per year and shall be considered part of the training program. Absences in excess of those specified will require lengthening of the resident's total training time to the extent of the additional absence.

Are there positions that begin other than in July?
Yes. In general, the program year begins on the first of July and concludes on the 30th of June. From time to time, however, positions do become available in January and other times of the year.

What are the rotations?
In the CA-1 year the resident will rotate between four teaching hospitals. In the CA-2 year, the resident will again rotate and gain exposure to the various subspecialties (cardiac, neurosurgery, and pain management). In the CA-3 year, electives follow the guidelines of the American Board of Anesthesiology. Electives are chosen by the resident with the guidance of the program director.

What conferences are held?
While the schedule varies slightly between hospitals the conferences are as follows:

Journal Club; Teaching Sessions (Tuesday-Friday), Weekly Grand Rounds (Monday), Monthly Morbidity & Mortality, and Weekly Faculty & Guest Lectures

How is a candidate's application evaluated?
Upon receipt of the completed application with all supporting documents and letters, the Resident Admission Committee reviews the materials and comes to a decision whether or not to interview the candidate.

Factors that may favor a candidate:

1. Completion of an anesthesia elective
2. Letters of recommendation from New York Medical College or other anesthesia faculty
3. Previous research experience and/or publications
4. New York Medical College graduate
5. Sincere interest in and understanding of anesthesiology

Whom should I contact if I have further questions about the program?
Ms. Karyn Monahan, Residency Coordinator, at (914) 493-7692 between the hours of 9am - 5 pm, Monday - Friday.

Do you take people who have already trained in other specialties?
Yes. Previous training does not count against acceptance and may to some degree enhance admission chances.