Rotations/Clerkships- MS3 & MS4
UW offers a 2-week basic anesthesia clerkship and a 4-week advanced anesthesia clerkship (APC), both available in multiple locations. More information about the clerkships can be found on the UW Anesthesia Department Website. The most updated course numbers and descriptions can be found in the Clerkship Catalog. As of 2021, the Advanced Anesthesia rotation counts as an APC, but there is no anesthesia sub-i. It is recommended that you do your sub-i in another area such as ICU (SICU, MICU, or Neuro ICU), surgery, or cardiology.
Doing a rotation in Anesthesiology is a great way to decide if Anesthesiology is for you, learn a lot about the specialty, gain lots of hands-on experience, meet residents and faculty, and potentially obtain a letter of recommendation.
Information on MS3 and MS4 clerkships at UW is available here.
Information on away rotations can be found on the respective school’s website.
Thinking About an Anesthesia Rotation? Here’s How to Prepare
If you’re planning to do an anesthesia rotation, here are some helpful tips and resources to get you started on the right foot:
1. Start Reading Early
Building a strong foundation in anesthesia concepts is key. Here are some recommended readings:
- Barash’s Clinical Anesthesia Fundamentals
Focus on Chapters: 9,10,11,12,13,15,16,20; suggested reading list and topics - Basics of Anesthesia (7th Edition) – Commonly known as “Baby Miller”
Focus on Chapters: 5, 15, 16, 20 - Morgan & Mikhail’s Clinical Anesthesiology (6th Edition)
Suggested Chapters: 4, 5, 6, 19, 20, 23 - Stanford 2018 CA-1 Tutorial Textbook
(Search online for the free PDF)
2. Watch Skills Videos
Get familiar with hands-on techniques before you step into the OR. Watch high-yield anesthesia skills videos here:
👉 UW Anesthesia Skills Videos
3. Review the basics of an anesthetic plan
Read up on the cases you will join the night before and come up with an anesthetic plan. Attendings and residents will not expect it to be a “perfect” plan, but sharing and discussing your plan can show your initiative and interest in the field!