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General Information Expand answer

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The anesthesiology electives are designed to build upon past anesthesiology clerkship/elective experience and provide students with a stronger foundation in anesthesiology.The program invites students to become a part of the department and looks forward to providing them with a Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center perspective.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting the clerkship coordinator:

Rachel Sant
rsant@pennstatehealth.psu.edu
1-800-206-7718

ANSTH 700 Expand answer

ANSTH 700 – Introduction to Clinical Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Credits: 2.5 credits

Program directors: Dr. Robert Kerris and Dr. Sadie Smith

Administrative coordinator: Rachel Sant

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Phase I

Maximum number of students: Four

When offered: All rotations

Length of course: Two weeks

Description: This two-week elective course provides learners with an overview of clinical anesthesiology and the perioperative care of the surgical patient. Students will observe and participate in the delivery of general anesthesia under direct supervision of the anesthesia team composed of anesthesiology faculty, residents, and nurse anesthetists. Foundational science principles learned in Phase I will be applied directly to patient care using anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathology, biochemistry, and monitoring physics to provide perioperative anesthesia care. Learning will occur primarily in the operating room environment, and students will be expected to follow assigned patient cases from the preoperative phase through the recovery room with the anesthesia team. Students may have the opportunity to perform simple procedural skills, when appropriate and at the discretion of the anesthesia team, including standard monitor placement, basic airway management skills, and peripheral intravenous line insertions. The simulation lab will be used to supplement the clinical experience in the operating room and provide teaching opportunities. Students will also spend a half day in the Chronic Pain Clinic and Preoperative Evaluation Clinic to experience the breadth of perioperative medicine.

ANSTH 701 Expand answer

ANSTH 701 – Advanced Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine

Credits: 2.5 credits

Program directors: Dr. Robert Kerris and Dr. Sadie Smith

Administrative coordinator: Rachel Sant

Contact information: 717-531-6489

Prerequisites: Successful completion of ANSTH 700

Maximum number of students: Four

When offered: All rotations

Length of course: Two weeks

Description: This two-week elective will build upon concepts learned during the prerequisite two-week “Introduction to Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine Elective,” and is designed for students interested in further knowledge and experience in clinical anesthesiology. It will be offered throughout Phases II-IV and is recommended for students interested in career exploration within the specialty of anesthesiology. Students will apply prior knowledge and newly-learned concepts in the delivery of anesthesia during patient care.  Upon completion of the elective, students will be expected to choose an appropriate anesthetic and pain management plan based upon patient conditions and surgical indications by applying advanced concepts of physiology, pharmacology and anatomy.

Perioperative patient care will occur largely within the operating room environment and perioperative setting.  Daily clinical assignments with the anesthesia team will provide continuous direct supervision by anesthesiology faculty, residents, and nurse anesthetists. Learning experiences will include observation, participation, and interactive discussions with the anesthesia team during clinical patient care.

ANSTH 740 Expand answer

ANSTH 740 – Anesthesia ICU Acting Internship

Credits: 5 credits

Program director: Dr. Conrad Myler

Administrative coordinator: Rachel Sant

Contact information: 717-531-6489

Prerequisites: ANSTH 700 (one month of anesthesia)

Maximum number of students: Two

When offered: All rotations

Length of course: Four weeks

Description: The Anesthesia Critical Care Internship will expand on the experiences obtained in Anesthesia 700, 701 and/or 770. The acting internship is designed to provide the student with an opportunity to participate in the peri-operative management of patients undergoing complex surgical procedures and critically ill neurologic patients requiring management in the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit. Emphasis is placed on areas of pulmonary, cardiovascular, neurological, nutritional, infections, and pain management. Acting Interns will be evaluated by the SICU Attending and fellow based on their active participation in daily rounds, knowledge of critical care medicine, procedural skills, and eagerness to learn. AIs will be expected to present one case during joint MICU/SICU conference and take call on average of two times per week in conjunction with a resident assigned to the SICU. There will also be opportunities for interested AIs to participate in the intra-operative anesthetic management of patients undergoing complex surgical procedures; however, this is not a primary component of this rotation.

Reports to: SICU fellow or attending

ANSTH 770 Expand answer

ANSTH 770 – Subspecialty and Complex Anesthesiology

Credits: 5 credits

Program directors: Dr. Robert Kerris and Dr. Sadie Smith

Administrative coordinator: Rachel Sant

Contact information: 717-531-6489

Prerequisites: Successful completion of the two-week electives ANSTH 700 “Introduction to Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine” and ANSTH 701 “Advanced Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine.”

Length of course: Four weeks

Description: This four-week selective will be offered during Phase III/IV for medical students interested in anesthesiology as a career and for residency preparation.  The purpose of this course will be for students to apply concepts from the prerequisite two-week electives to complicated anesthetic cases and experience perioperative anesthesia care focused on the anesthetic subspecialties including pediatrics, obstetrics, acute pain management, cardiothoracic, vascular, and neurosurgery.  Students will learn how fundamental physiology, pharmacology, and anatomy are applied to the subspecialties including complex anesthetic patient management. Learning will occur through direct observation and participation with the anesthesia team during the delivery of anesthesia in the hospital and operating room setting. Direct supervision will be provided by the anesthesia team consisting of anesthesiology faculty, residents and nurse anesthetists.

ANSTH 772 Expand answer

ANSTH 772 – Pain Management Elective

Credits: 5 credits

Program director: Dr. Bunty Shah

Administrative coordinator: Kelly Shuey

Contact information: 717-531-5680

Prerequisites: Third-year core clerkships

Maximum number of students: Two

Length of course: Four weeks

Description: The course involves the medical evaluation and treatment of patients with pain due to cancer and other chronic pain syndromes. The student is closely involved with the diagnosis and treatment of various painful conditions. Emphasis is placed on evaluation of the pain patient; the pharmacology of analgesic and adjuvant agents; and interventional techniques for the treatment of pain. Grading for this rotation will be based on faculty evaluation of the student’s knowledge base, participation, and interest. As this rotation does not require any of the traditional duties of internship other than evaluation and diagnosis, an acting internship is not available.