Drs. Ahmed and Swaran Singh
On behalf of our residents, Tejinder and Waseem would like to welcome you to The University of Iowa Department of Anesthesia Residency web site. We are glad that you are interested in our department. We’d like to take a few moments to share with you why The University of Iowa is a great choice for anesthesia training. An Iowa anesthesia resident is a member of a legacy that dates back to the beginning of our specialty. In 1923, the first American anesthesia resident, Mary A. Ross, M.D., completed her training at The University of Iowa. In addition to being part of an impressive lineage, our residents have an opportunity to train on the cutting edge of both clinical anesthesiology and anesthesia research at one of the nation’s top academic medical institutions.
The process of choosing a residency is not easy, and there are many programs that offer excellent clinical training. The focus behind residency is to obtain training in a wide variety of clinical situations and with a varied patient population that will allow you to make a smooth transition to fellowship training or independent practice. There is no question that this requirement is met at The University of Iowa. Iowa anesthesia graduates go on to earn spots in top fellowship programs across the country and become highly valued and sought-after members of academic departments and private practice groups throughout the nation. Our board certification rate far exceeds the national average year after year.
Clinical anesthesia training at The University of Iowa is excellent. Residents are exposed to an impressive array of unique and challenging cases beginning the first day of their CA-1 year; thus, they quickly develop extraordinary clinical skills. In addition to receiving solid experiences in every area of perioperative medicine, we receive extensive training in pain medicine, regional anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia, neuroanesthesia, obstetric anesthesia, and critical care. Our Ambulatory Surgery Center provides opportunities to practice alternative anesthetic techniques that may better reflect a private practice setting. Training is further augmented with the opportunity to learn anesthesia in more humble locales. In 2011, two separate, fully funded trips to Guatemala and Columbia provided four senior anesthesia residents the opportunity to practice abroad. The residents who participated universally found the experience to be educational and enjoyable. Given the current economic climate where, many programs are under pressure to sacrifice educational objectives in order to fulfill service obligations, it speaks volumes that our department promotes resident involvement in these trips each year. After graduation, our residents uniformly feel prepared to independently manage any anesthetic and any patient who enters their operating room.
In addition to clinical training, there is a strong focus on resident education. There are didactics (lectures, PBLDs, M/M conference) three times per week, in addition to quality intraoperative teaching. Our senior resident-led key word lectures emphasize board examination preparation, and these lectures are placed on our departmental intranet for review. In addition to these, the final lecture in each specialty lecture series is dedicated to written boards preparation. We have mock oral boards twice per year and are fortunate to have Dr. Niels Jensen provide his board preparation sessions privately for our residents throughout the academic calendar. We also have a number of faculty members who serve as oral board examiners and are always willing to help the residents with extra practice sessions. Each resident receives valuable training through our Patient Simulator Center program, where CA-1s, CA-2s and CA-3s are presented with anything from common to very rare intraoperative scenarios. The department promotes basic science and clinical research and fosters any resident involvement in independent or ongoing projects. Our many renowned faculty inspire an intellectually stimulating environment and help open doors to the most competitive fellowships via their connections.
There is no question that residency is very challenging. The journey is much easier and enjoyable if spent with people who you consider friends. If you were to ask our residents what the one thing is that makes this program truly unique and special, most would mention the family atmosphere and sense of camaraderie that surrounds the entire department. It would be difficult to find a more amiable, friendly, and welcoming group of residents. We genuinely care about each other and are always willing to help out. The epicenter of resident activity is our recently renovated resident lounge. The lounge has long been the envy of residents from other departments. There you will find a safe atmosphere for commiseration, socialization, and relaxation; and there is never a shortage of witty banter and inappropriateness to lighten your mood, even during the most stressful of times.
Our friendship extends outside the walls of the hospital. From department sponsored picnics, cookouts, and family outings, to gatherings of the Xenon Society (our anesthesia residents’ social club), there is no shortage of opportunities outside of work to get to know your fellow residents. Some of our residents have children who are in the same age group and they will often get together for play dates. A few of our more athletically inclined residents enjoy running together or playing basketball on Saturdays. The Iowa City/Coralville area is a wonderful place to live whether you are single or moving here with your family. Being situated amidst the beautiful wooded campus of a major public university affords the residents of Iowa City and the surrounding towns an abundance of leisure activities, from performance arts and humanities, to Big Ten athletics. After spending a few Saturdays in Iowa City during football season, you will no doubt feel the Hawkeye spirit! The University of Iowa’s very diverse population adds a cosmopolitan feel to Iowa City’s downtown area, where specialty shops, cafés, and gourmet restaurants abound. Iowa City is also a terrific place to raise a family. Local public schools are consistently ranked among the best in the nation. The cost of living is very low, and our communities are extraordinarily safe and secure. Finally, nearby Coralville Lake and Lake MacBride and their associated recreational areas offer more than 5,000 acres of freshwater lake for water sports, fishing, and boating. The area also offers ample camping sites, hiking and biking trails. For those who prefer weekend visits to bigger cities, Des Moines, Minneapolis, Kansas City, St. Louis, Milwaukee, and Chicago are easily within driving distance.
It is evident that we are very proud of our residency program, our department, our university, and our community. We believe that at The University of Iowa we have found a hidden gem of sorts, where unsurpassed clinical training is offered in an ideal setting, surrounded by warm and friendly people. We are extremely grateful to train in such an environment.
Sincerely,
Waseem Ahmed, M.D.
Tejinder Swaran Singh, M.B.B.S.
Chief Residents 2011-2012