Residency Program

​Welcome to the Vanderbilt Department of Anesthesiology Residency Program. Our residency provides comprehensive education, training and clinical experience in all facets of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine. Anesthesiology residents study and train under the mentorship of a highly-respected academic faculty comprised of subspecialty-trained clinicians, committed and experienced physician-educators, and successful physician-scientists. Extraordinary clinical and academic training enables graduates to secure competitive fellowships and to achieve success as clinicians, academicians and leaders of our profession.

  • Vanderbilt University Medical Center Department of Anesthesiology encourages applicants from a broad and diverse background to train here and support our educational, clinical, and research missions of cultivating leaders in the field of anesthesiology. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our residents and faculty, and strongly encourage applicants from underrepresented minorities to apply to our program. In keeping with the guidelines set by the Association of Anesthesiology Core Program Directors (AACPD), all interviews this year will again be conducted virtually. No in-person interviews or visits of any kind will be permitted until after our rank list is submitted and certified by the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). After this time, second look visits may be extended as room permits for those wishing to visit our program.

     

    To our 2023-2024 Applicants: 

    This year we will be using the Residency Central Application (https://centralapp.accessgme.com) as a supplement to ERAS (https://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/eras). The CentralApp was started as a free alternative to ERAS in plastic surgery 3 years ago and it is now used specialty wide. We are the first programs to trial this platform in anesthesiology, in the hope that in future years we can remove the financial barriers created by progressive application fee structures. As you will see from the questions, CentralApp also promotes holistic application review by focusing on quality application content rather than quantity.

    Upon accessing the platform (https://centralapp.accessgme.com), you will be instructed to create a secure account and will be able to request letters of recommendation, transcripts, and MSPE (dean's letters) directly through the portal. The Match will remain with the NRMP. Please direct any questions about the application to HELP@accessgme.com.

     

    We offer 21 positions in the Anesthesiology Categorical Match. Our application requirements include CV, personal statement, MSPE (dean’s letter), transcript, and a minimum of three letters of recommendation. A USMLE Step 1 or COMLEX 1 is required to apply, and either a USMLE Step 2 score or COMLEX 2 score is required prior to January 1, 2024. The application requirements are the same for International Medical Graduates. In addition, we do require a minimum of one year of US clinical experience. We accept J-1 visas only, and do not support H1-B sponsorship.

     

    Application deadline is September 27, 2023

    Selection Process

    Upon receipt of your applications, the Residency Selection Committee will review your credentials. Interviews are scheduled by invitation only. Interviews are conducted on select Monday and Friday mornings (Central Time) during October, November, and December. All interviews will be conducted virtually for the 2023-24 season. MSTP and research applicants should indicate their desire to participate in a research-specific interview date to meet with both clinical and research faculty in a tiered interview day. If you have additional questions regarding the application process, please contact:

    Robin Snyder, BA, C-TAGME
    Program Coordinator & Associate Program Manager
    Educational Affairsrobin.snyder@vumc.org 615-936-1830

  • The Inclusive Community Initiative is a resident-led movement to proactively honor the richness of experience and perspective of our Anesthesiology family. Our mission is to create an environment where residents from any-and-all backgrounds feel respected, supported, and valued. We believe this is how new ideas, new leaders and new connections flourish in an increasingly diverse global society. We are deeply committed to sustaining a diverse and rich learning environment where every resident benefits from the experiences of colleagues different from them by race, ethnicity, orientation, socioeconomic status, geographic site of origin, etc. We are spearheading efforts to transcend boundaries to embrace the interdependence of our world by intentionally recruiting and retaining residents/faculty of diverse backgrounds.

    Click here for more information.

  • As we again are entering a virtual interview season, we thought we would answer some of the questions most frequently asked of us. Many of these questions have come from our Virtual Open House sessions, and since there are more that would like to attend these than available spots, we thought this would serve as an easy way to share answers to these questions.

    1) Are all of your interviews going to be held virtually this year? 
    Yes, as we are keeping in line with guidance from our professional organizations (ASA, SAAPM, ACGME) and our institutional GME guidelines. This applies to all applicants, including home and visiting students.

    2) Will you permit in-person visits or second looks?
    Yes, we will offer a very limited number of second look opportunities to all interviewed applicants after our rank list has been certified. We have set aside Fridays in January for in person visits. Dates to be announced. Second look visits on dates other than what we have set aside for this purpose will not be permitted. Space will be limited, and these spots will be first come, first serve. Second look visits will have no bearing on an applicant's ranking, as our rank list will already be certified by this time. We encourage interviewed applicants to come only if it will be helpful for them personally. More information will be sent out to all applicants who interviewed with us at a later date. Airfare, hotel and any other travel expenses will be the applicant's responsibility.

    3) Now that USMLE Step 1 is being reported as pass/fail only, will you utilize Step 2 scores instead?
    We review all applications in their entirety, that is, not pre-screening based on single test scores. Although this type of review takes considerable time and energy, applications are read and scored on multiple criteria, including but not limited to basic and clinical grades, research participation and production, volunteer and social missions and contributions, curiosity, cultural awareness, creativity, maturity, professionalism, etc.  As such, time from application availability date (September 27 this year) to offer of interview may take several weeks as we do not simply “filter” through our applications.

    4) Do you offer more spots for interviews than available? No. If you are offered a spot to interview, you will have time (72 hours) to respond to that request before forfeiting your spot.

    5) Use of Central App along side of ERAS

    It appears now that most (154 out of 165) anesthesiology training programs in the Match are accepting the supplemental application, and we are one of these programs. We recommended medical students consider filling this out (there is no cost), and it does give us considerable additional information that otherwise could only previously have been added to the personal statement if an applicant chose to do so. With the elimination of scaled USMLE Step 1 scores after this past January 26th, and that many schools have eliminated tiered grading, class rankings, and participation in honor societies such as AOA, the amount of data available to help review candidates has decreased and this supplemental application allows for additional information to be provided by the applicant to allow for a more informed and holistic review of the entire application. In this way, it is hoped that programs can better identify applicants not only interested in their program but assist in determining if the applicant may possess attributes consistent with the type of resident that performs well in an individual program’s environment. However, as you may know, participation in the supplemental application is entirely voluntary and need not be completed in part or at all by applicants. We feel though that it is to the applicants advantage to provide as much information as possible, in what is anticipated to be a very competitive year.

  • General Information

    Clinical anesthesia training is conducted on the campus of Vanderbilt University Medical Center with key locations listed below. Additional training is also provided in satellite ambulatory surgery locations.

    PGY-1 (CA-0) Year

    The Clinical Base Year provides a strong foundation in medicine, surgery, critical care and perioperative care, facilitating a smooth transition into anesthesiology training at the end of the year. Eighteen (18) categorical positions are available for the Clinical Base Year (CBY) of residency training. Interns rotate through the following services at Vanderbilt University Hospital, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, and the VA Medical Center:

    • 2 months Internal Medicine
    • 2 months Perioperative Medicine
    • 2 months Critical Care (Surgical ICU, Medical ICU)
    • 1 ½ Months Surgery
    • 2 Weeks Blood Bank/Benign Heme Consult
    • 1 month Emergency Medicine
    • 1 month Neuroscience
    • 1 month Pain Medicine
    • 1 month Anesthesiology (June)
    • 1 month Professional Development

    CA-1 and CA-2 Years

    Residents gain experience in the fundamentals of clinical anesthesiology and perioperative medicine during clinical assignments in the inpatient and outpatient surgical suites, as well as the obstetric suite, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Residents complete approximately 450 cases annually, satisfying nearly all ACGME case requirements for residency by the end of the CA-2 year.

    Residents encounter a diverse patient population and a wide range of surgical cases of varying complexity. During their CA-1 and CA-2 years, residents develop competence in the following anesthesiology subspecialties:

    • Perioperative Medicine, including High Risk Surgical Encounter Clinic (HI-RiSE Clinic)
    • Anesthesia for General Surgery
    • Anesthesia for Orthopedic Surgery
    • Anesthesia for Urological Surgery
    • Anesthesia for Gynecological Surgery
    • Vascular and Thoracic Anesthesia
    • Anesthesia for Plastic and Burn Surgery
    • Anesthesia for Endocrine Surgery
    • Anesthesia for ENT and Ophthalmologic Surgery
    • Transplantation Anesthesia 
    • Obstetric Anesthesia
    • Cardiothoracic Anesthesia

    CA-3 Year

    The Advanced Clinical Track allows residents to gain experience in advanced and complex anesthesia and perioperative medicine during assignments on the various clinical anesthesia, critical care, and perioperative services of the Department of Anesthesiology, including but not limited to Vanderbilt International Anesthesia, elective rotations, perioperative anesthesia management, and research (1 month).  Participation in the BH Robbins Scholars Program enables residents to complete the Clinician Scientist Track during the CA-3 year. 

  • Stipend Amounts (Click link to learn more.)
     

    Vanderbilt provides individual and family benefits for all housestaff. These include medical and dental insurance; disability and life insurance; medical liability insurance; free covered parking; on-call meals; uniforms; and laundry services. Please see the detailed description of these benefits on the Graduate Medical Education website. (Click link to learn more.) Vanderbilt also has an on-site day care center and a housestaff lounge.

    The Department of Anesthesiology provides additional benefits to support our residents and families including:

    • Moving expenses (single and family)
    • Generous education fund (prorated to year of training)
    • iPad
    • iPhone
    • Dedicated Resident Library with computer workspace
    • ACLS
    • Internal moonlighting opportunities 

    Vacation

    • All residents: three weeks per year
    • 2 additional personal days per year

    Educational Meetings

    • CA-2 and CA-3: Allowed five educational meeting days annually to attend approved anesthesiology CME program.

  • The Vanderbilt Department of Anesthesiology’s commitment to global health is historically strong, with demonstrated participation and leadership in international teaching/medical service opportunities by our faculty and staff over the last several decades. The department also offers two significant educational opportunities: a one-month, ACGME-approved rotation for Vanderbilt residents in their CA-3 year, and a global health fellowship that includes the opportunity to also earn a master of public health degree as part of the fellowship. Listed below are our most significant global health endeavors.

    Click here to learn more about Vanderbilt International Anesthesia Program.