Clinical Rotations Overview

The purpose of this first year of the program is to train the resident to become a proficient hospital physician in the broadest sense. This year may be fulfilled in many ways, such as a transitional program that includes various clinical rotations, a year of internal medicine or a year in any other clinical specialty program.

Northwestern's program offers medical students a unique clinical base year that is planned as an integral part of the four-year continuum. It emphasizes internal medicine and critical care experiences. Many residents find the opportunity to train continuously in a single program an attractive and convenient option.

The CA-1 resident year emphasizes the scientific and clinical principles necessary to function as an anesthesiologist. New CA-1 anesthesiology residents undergo a one-month orientation that includes a daily introductory lecture series and one-to-one attending supervision. The CA-1 year is organized into discrete block rotations to ensure that every resident is exposed to all major areas of expertise. These rotations include general surgery, urology, ENT, gynecology and orthopedic anesthesia in addition to preoperative assessment and recovery room. Residents will begin their subspecialty rotations after six to eight months of training.

The CA-2 year incorporates rotations in the subspecialties of anesthesiology, including pediatric, obstetric, cardiothoracic, regional and neurosurgical anesthesiology, as well as critical care and chronic pain medicine. Each clinical rotation is accompanied by an organized didactic program to ensure that the resident becomes both clinically proficient and knowledgeable about the fundamentals of each subspecialty. Because several subspecialty rotations are completed during the CA-1 year, CA-2 residents will complete some electives in advanced anesthesia rotations and/or CA-3 level rotations like trauma, vascular-transplantation, acute pain and cardiothoracic critical care medicine. Residents can also elect to do research time.

Please note: Some CA-2 rotation will be completed during the CA-1 year.

The CA-3 year is designed to give the resident all the exposure necessary to develop into a perioperative physician and anesthesiology consultant by providing advanced training in transplantation/vascular, cardiothoracic critical care, acute pain medicine, as well as OR Management and non-operating room anesthesia. Over half of the residents decide to do one to two months of research. Residents have the option of doing research during a single month or single days spread over several months. The weekly research option allows a research experience lasting for months rather than weeks.