The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Overview

Located in the heart of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the UNC Department of Anesthesiology holds a long-standing tradition of exceptional training in the optimal work environment. Our program is proud to foster such positivity within a department of over 200 providers, including residents, fellows, faculty, CRNAs, research faculty, and nurses. Our residents and staff care for patients of all degrees of severity in the full spectrum of practice settings including a level I designation trauma and burn center, ambulatory care center, pain clinic, procedure center, and community hospital. Our culture of learning is exemplified by faculty who collaborate alongside trainees daily rather than relying solely on lecturing to them. We engage through interactive didactics, simulation, diverse clinical practice, and a formalized oral board review course with results demonstrated by our performance above the national average for ABA board certification examinations. With a dedicated simulation division, we offer the latest in simulation technology including adult and pediatrics, interdisciplinary crisis management, regional anesthesia, and virtual transesophageal echocardiography. Residents uniquely acquire perioperative leadership skills by directing anesthesia care team personnel and resources during the richly dynamic environment of overnight call. Clinical innovation occurs during all years of training through formal quality improvement projects under a dedicated division. Our work has been showcased at all major anesthesia conferences, with trainees presenting their work at both national and international venues. With all of our unique offerings, it is no surprise our graduates secure fellowships in all major anesthetic subspecialties as well as ultimately obtain competitive positions within both private practice and academic anesthesiology.

Education Innovation at UNC

The residency program is the focal point of our department’s educational mission. We have a diverse group of residents from all across the country and our residents consistently achieve the highest levels of academic and clinical competence. There are several aspects of our program that stand out:

  1. MHA / MPH dual degree program is offered to our CA-3 residents through the UNC Gillings School of Public Health. This innovative program has approval both from the ABA and the ACGME.
  2. Team-based Quality Improvement program has led to a number of improvements and initiatives within and outside of the department. Several of these projects have been presented at regional or national conferences.
  3. Combined pediatrics-anesthesiology track: We are one of only six programs that offers the combined pediatrics-anesthesiology residency program
  4. Global Outreach opportunities: We send 2-3 CA-3 residents each year to spend a month at hospitals in Kenya, Malawi, and Ethiopia.
  5. Health Care Policy Elective: Each year we sponsor one resident for a month long Health Policy elective held by George Washington University in D.C. The resident learns about the changes in healthcare and its impact on the field of anesthesiology
  6. Faculty Oral Board Examiners: Nine of our faculty members currently serve as official Oral Board Examiners for the American Board of Anesthesiology. Our residents benefit heavily from the insight into the oral board exam through "mock orals" administered twice a year.
  7. Basic TEE Certification: Each resident far exceeds the 50 required TEE exams needed to attain Basic Certification in TEE by the National Board of Echocardiography.