Senior Medical Students Year 4 Rotation

All undergraduate medical students do a mandatory two-week rotation (sometimes called clerkship) in anesthesia training in their 4th year. At Women's College Hospital we offer a unique educational setting with actual hands-on clinical experience usually available only at postgraduate levels.

Training involves clinical practice working alongside our staff anesthesiologists. Under close one-to-one supervision, students get operating room (OR) experience in basic anesthesia procedures, including airway management, ventilation, bag and mask, intubation and establishing an IV access. Ample time is also provided for students to discuss and process their experiences with senior staff.

Students develop a range of anesthesia skills through a different OR procedure or focus each day, including obstetrical anesthesia. Teaching revolves around discussions of the physiology and pharmacology pertinent to the practice of anesthesia. Seminars are taught by our staff anesthesiologists on local, regional and obstetric anesthesia.

The anesthesia rotation also includes one day at the Simulation Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Simulation is an exciting component of medical education that enables hands-on training without any risk of harm to a human patient. A sophisticated computerized mannequin is used, which imitates a number of life-like human responses to medical procedures performed on it.

Electives

A variety of anesthesia electives are available at Women's College Hospital to senior students who want to gain more skills, experience and knowledge, or to explore career possibilities. Topics include demonstrations or participation in obstetrics, neonatal resuscitation, clinical research and regional anesthesia.

Elective courses are scheduled through the University of Toronto's Electives Office in the faculty of medicine; however, courses are also open to students from outside the university. Please consult the University of Toronto electives website for more information.

Resources

All of our students have access to the:

• anesthesia department library at Women's College Hospital
• Women's College Hospital library
• computer room with Internet access at Women's College Hospital
• library at Sunnybrook Heath Sciences Centre
• University of Toronto library