David Zvara
Professor and Chair of Anesthesiology
Program Overview
Introduction
Welcome to the Anesthesiology Residency Training Program at the University of North Carolina!Our program meets all the requirements of the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) and is fully accredited by the American Medical Association’s Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
The mission of our residency is to train outstanding consultant anesthesiologists by providing a diverse, rigorous clinical experience combined with a carefully planned didactic curriculum. Our residents gain exposure to a wide array of patient populations and cases, including Level 1 trauma and solid organ transplants. Additionally, our program is unique in its focus on professional development, advocacy and wellness.
Thank you for your interest in UNC Anesthesiology!
Faculty
Our faculty represent a diverse group of anesthesiologists, many of whom are nationally recognized for their accomplishments in research, teaching, advocacy and professional service. Click here to learn more.|
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Susan MartinelliProfessor of Anesthesiology |
Robert IsaakProfessor of Anesthesiology |
Emily TeeterAssociate Professor of Anesthesiology |
Benjamin CobbAssociate Professor of Anesthesiology |
Unique Educational Experiences
An Abundance of Opportunity
Learn about what makes our residency program a unique place to train!
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Academic Medicine Rotation
The Academic Medicine Rotation is a month-long non-clinical rotation where the interns are exposed to aspects of medicine not easily taught in the OR. The focus is on professionalism, teaching, leadership, business of medicine, public speaking, and quality improvement. During the month each intern will design, implement, and present a quality improvement project.
A Focus on Wellness
A Wellness Committee was formed in 2015 composed of faculty members, residents, and CRNAs. The purpose of the Department of Anesthesiology Wellness Committee is to promote the physical and emotional health and well-being of all faculty and staff.
Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) Experience
Each resident spends a total of 2-4 weeks dedicated solely to learning TEE (an additional 4 weeks of elective time is possible during CA-3 year). During these 2-4 weeks, the resident performs all TEE exams for cardiac cases, in addition to all exams requested for non-cardiac cases. Residents are one-on-one with a Cardiac Anesthesiology attending for each exam.
Education
In addition to clinical experiences, residents have a wide variety of additional educational opportunities including:Weekly Conferences
We offer departmental educational sessions throughout the week. Our residents regularly participate in preparatory sessions for the ABA written and oral boards as well as the OSCE exam. Additionally, our residents play an active role in Morbidity and Mortality Conference, Chair’s Conference, and others. Regular subspecialty conferences help provide additional exposure to topics such as point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), pediatric anesthesiology and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). We utilize the expertise of our education specialist and renowned faculty to incorporate active learning techniques.
Journal Clubs
Our quarterly Journal Club program is geared toward exploring the critical aspects of research study design and manuscript preparation.
Introductory sessions are geared towards new residents and concentrate on research methodology and manuscript preparation. Advanced sessions are geared toward discussing landmark articles in anesthesiology as well as research studies conducted by members of our department.
Sample Rotation Schedule
Clinical-Based Year
Residents who match into the categorical positions will complete a clinical base year where they will rotate through various medicine, surgical, and pediatric specialties. Additionally, we include anesthesia-related rotations such as chronic pain, academic medicine rotation, and transition to anesthesia. At the end of the clinical base year, residents have the opportunity to be paired with more senior residents to smoothly transition into the anesthesia years of residency.
Diversity
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts are highly prioritized by the UNC anesthesiology department and residency program. We make efforts to ensure that recruitment occurs in cooperation with a diverse selection committee who undergo annual implicit bias training. Residents have the opportunity to take part in our departmental DEI committee and monthly race table-talks. Here is a link to our department DEI web-page.
Visiting students are encouraged to apply for the Larry D. Keith Scholarship for Visiting Student Electives. More information can be found here: https://www.med.unc.edu/inclusion/programs-initiatives/visiting-student-elective/
Resident Wellness
Our Departmental Wellness Committee was founded in 2015 and is composed of faculty, residents, CRNAs, and support staff. The purpose of the committee is to promote the physical and emotional health and well-being of all departmental members. Activities include:
- Anesthesia Family Day, where new CA-1 residents invite their support people to learn firsthand about life as an anesthesia resident through simulation and hands-on experience
- Annual class retreats
- Regular events such as “Thank You Grams”, CrossFit classes, UNC sporting events, and community service activities
- Wellness-related Grand Rounds
Resident Salary/Benefits
- Resident salaries and the costs of health/dental insurance at UNC are listed on the Graduate Medical Education site.
- For those residents who complete their PGY-1 (Clinical Base Year) at UNC, USMLE Step 3 exam fees are reimbursed by the department
- iPad for use during residency
- Resident training license renewal fee
- Education fund for purchasing books, educational resources, and attending approved meetings
- Travel Awards for residents who present original research at regional and national meetings
- The ABA Written Exam fees (Basic and Advanced) are covered by the department for residents scoring > 30th percentile on the In-Training Examination
- ASA Annual Membership dues
- Basic Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography board examination if passed during residency