Anesthesiology Clerkship

The Department of Anesthesiology offers an advanced elective for fourth year medical students who wish to do a 4-week rotation in anesthesiology. This course is by permission only, and intended for students who wish to enter a career in anesthesiology or other fields where knowledge of airway management and perioperative medicine is essential. Students will be exposed to both basic and subspecialty anesthesia topics during there time with us. In addition to working in the operating rooms, students will have regularly scheduled lectures and procedural workshops in the Clinical Skills Education and Assessment center. Non-OSU students should apply for an away rotation through the AAMC VSAS system. Four-week rotations in Anesthesia Pain Management and Cardiothoracic ICU are also available.

Introducing anesthesiology to medical students

The Department of Anesthesiology offers an advanced elective for fourth year medical students who wish to do a 4-week rotation in anesthesiology. This course is by permission only, and intended for students who wish to enter a career in anesthesiology. Students will be exposed to both basic and subspecialty topics during there time with us. In addition to working in the operating rooms, students will have regularly scheduled lectures and procedural workshops in the Clinical Skills Education and Assessment center. A typical day is spent in the operating rooms at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, The James and Ross Heart Hospital, where students are given the opportunity to bag-mask ventilate and intubate patients. Students are also expected to go over to University Hospital East for two days to observe peripheral nerve blocks and learn about regional anesthesia. There are about 10 lectures and a department exam is given at the end of the rotation based on lectures and independent reading.

Course Objectives

  • Perform a basic anesthesia pre-operative evaluation 
  • Describe different types of anesthesia with consideration to indications, risks, benefits, and complications
  • Practice and Perform various methods of airway management
  • Review the components of basic perioperative monitoring
  • Demonstrate the basic operation of the anesthesia machine 
  • Describe the mechanism of action and purpose of drugs frequently used in anesthesia
  • Review physiology, anesthetic management, and monitoring for subspecialty anesthesia
  • Recognize and explain reactions and complications that are related to anesthesia and perioperative issues
  • Review physiology, anesthetic management, and monitoring for subspecialty anesthesia
  • Recognize and explain reactions and complications that are related to anesthesia and perioperative issues

Subspecialties

The goal of each rotation is to give the student a well-rounded, thorough introduction to basic anesthesiology and its subspecialties. Students are permitted and encouraged to customize their one-month rotation in order to gain exposure and experience in the subspecialties of their choice. The director of medical student education and the program manager will work with the student to identify areas of interest and then create a schedule for him or her to provide the best available experience to meet the goals of the student, as well as the rotational goals. The Department of Anesthesiology has a diverse faculty, with attendings representing each subspecialty. Students may have the option of choosing to work with attendings from the following areas:

  • Basic Anesthesiology
  • Obstetric Anesthesiology
  • Neuroanesthesia
  • Ambulatory Anesthesia
  • Cardiac Anesthesia
  • Regional Anesthesia

Other Electives Offered

  • Advanced Elective in Anesthesiology (six spots)
  • Acute Pain Management (two spots)
  • Cardiothoracic ICU (two spots)
  • Away elective in anesthesia (by permission only)