Anesthesiology Pathway (curriculum as of Class of 2026) Introduction Sites and Personnel Goals and Objectives Pathway Description Required Courses Recommended Electives Electives Learning Resources Evaluation

REVIEW FOR PATHWAY 2025-2026:

Introduction

The Anesthesiology Pathway is recommended for students who seek careers in the field of Anesthesiology. The educational focus is toward a firm understanding of physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology and anatomy to prepare the student for taking care of critically ill and surgical patients. The track is designed to provide the interested student with a broad base of knowledge and sufficient practical experience in multiple clinical areas to support both the generalist focus of the University and the focused needs of the student seeking a subspecialty career in Anesthesiology. The central core of this track will be rotations through Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Cardiology, Pulmonary Medicine and Anesthesiology. These will be supplemented with three electives of the student's choosing.

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Pathway Director:

Lorenzo Rafer, MD
Lorenzo.Rafer@towerhealth.org
E-mail is the preferred method of contact.

Drexel Administrative Support for Anesthesiology:

Linda Greco
215-991-8520
lag64@drexel.edu

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The goals of the Anesthesiology Pathway are as follows:
A. To provide the student with a broad educational foundation
B. To refine the student's understanding of physiology, pharmacology, anatomy and pathophysiology
C. To expand the student's experience in the care of critically ill patients in medical surgical settings
D. To broaden the student's scope of clinical experience to include an area of specialty care which present significant challenges to the anesthesia provider (e.g. Cardiology, Pulmonary Medicine, Obstetrics and Pediatrics
E. To introduce the student to the field of Anesthesiology in an organized and in-depth manner which will complement the Junior Clerkship experience
F. To allow the student to explore subspecialty areas of Anesthesiology
G. To encourage the student to identify areas for elective rotation where there is an interest or learning goal which needs to be met.

Students who complete the Anesthesiology Pathway will:

• Expand their understanding of basic science through conferences, rounds and clinical management discussions
• Employ and enhance their clinical diagnostic and management skills especially in critically ill patients
• Integrate their basic science and clinical knowledge toward an efficient and professional approach to patients, particularly those who are critically ill.
• Conduct preoperative preparation, intraoperative management and early postoperative management of healthy patients including acute pain management techniques
• Recognize that critically ill patients are not exclusively elderly and acknowledge that cardiac, pulmonary, obstetrical, pediatric and neonatal problems offer a significant challenge to medical providers
• Extrapolate from experiences outside the operating theater the important diagnostic, decision-making and management issues which might have particular relevance to patients who are critically ill, need operative care or have chronic pain
• Identify for electives, those areas which are of particular interest, those which will enhance their base of generalist knowledge, or those which will fill learning goals not addressed above.

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Below are specifics for the Anesthesiology pathway:

Required Courses

Emergency Medicine Subinternship
Emergency Medicine Subinternship is required by the University as a senior year course. During this course we would expect that the student will learn the principles of rapid assessment and stabilization of critically ill and injured patients; learn the initial evaluation and management of the wide range of undifferentiated patient complaints in the Emergency Department; gain skills, specialized examination technique and real-time interpretation of diagnostic studies; participate in common and more advanced procedures.

Required Subinternship Objectives: Anesthesiology Pathway students may select between a required Medicine Subinternship or Surgery Subinternship
By the end of the rotation learners will be able to:

1. Take ownership of their patients and be the primary point person regarding their care.
2. Demonstrate the ability to care for patients with increasing independence while seeking help when appropriate
3. Handle the daily tasks of an intern including preparing for rounds, presenting on rounds, interprofessional knowledge and communication skills, and patient interactions, histories and physicals, note writing of all varieties, and sign-out in a proficient and efficient manner.
4. Apply their knowledge towards diagnosis and management of common acute complaints and chronic conditions, creating care plans and communicating with consultants as necessary.
5. Perform general procedures through demonstration of the necessary preparation and key issues required for the performance of procedures, including understanding patient-specific factors, indications, contraindications, risks, benefits, and alternatives. 
6. Demonstrate reliable mechanical skills in performing procedures in most situations and knows when to seek help for procedures or situations beyond the learner’s abilities.
7. Perform safe transitions of care, coordination of care, and discharge planning.

Anesthesiology
Students seeking to increase their knowledge of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine will actively participate in the anesthetic care of surgical patients. Progressive and increased responsibility for pre-, intra-, and postoperative patient management will be assumed by the student under the direction of an anesthesiologist. The student will participate fully in the perioperative anesthetic care of a healthy patient during uncomplicated surgery. Students will participate in the Department's didactic conferences; reading is required to meet learning objectives.

Specific Goals and Objectives
A. Perform preanesthetic evaluation, present an organized summary of findings and develop a rational plan of anesthetic management
B. Discuss effects of surgery and anesthesia on common medical conditions and execute plans to manage these conditions perioperatively
C. Conduct the intraoperative administration of anesthesia demonstrating knowledge of anesthetic pharmacology
D. Perform peripheral venous cannulation, bag and mask airway management and endotracheal intubation
E. Interpret clinical signs and monitoring data to assess physiologic function and react to changes logically
F. Demonstrate a professional attitude in the clinical setting
G. Correctly interpret and evaluate monitored data
H. Explain concepts of acute pain management
I. Discuss a chronic pain syndrome and present a diagnostic and therapeutic management plan highlighting multidisciplinary pain evaluation and management options.

Recommended Electives
There are recommended electives (not required). They were chosen to assure that students bound for a career in Anesthesiology will have a strong scientific and clinical base of understanding with respect to critically ill patients. These courses, however chosen, will significantly enhance the student's appreciation for critically ill patients of all ages. This base of expertise will add to the student's ability to extrapolate information from basic science, ambulatory clinics and office settings toward the patient in the critical care setting. Recommended electives include: Critical Care Medicine (MICU, CCU), Cardiology, Pulmonary Medicine, Obstetrics, Pediatrics with inpatient emphasis.

Electives
The student will choose three free electives. These may be either at "home" or an "away" site. These electives may be chosen from any discipline, including Anesthesiology. These elective choices will allow the student to identify areas of interest or deficiency for additional focus.

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Basics of Anesthesia, Fifth Edition, by Stoelting and Miller (copy loaned to the student during the rotation); Case Conference, Resident Conference, ORs, OB Suites, Pain Clinic and Anesthesia Library. Computer simulation and educational media as available.

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Evaluation of the Student
The student's performance in each rotation will be evaluated by supervising physicians, and residents when appropriate, using the standard Drexel University College of Medicine clinical evaluation form. Students not receiving a grade of satisfactory or higher will be counseled and provided with remediation.

Evaluation of 4th year Courses
Upon completion of each rotation, students are encouraged to complete the end-of-rotation evaluation form in DOCSS. Students have the opportunity to provide feedback on the rotation as well as on specific faculty (and residents) with whom they worked in DOCSS. All feedback is de-identified.

Evaluation of the Pathway
Students are encouraged to complete an end-of-year Pathway evaluation for the Pathway. The feedback from this evaluation will help in advising future students more effectively.

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