The Third Year (CA-3)

The objectives of the CA-3 year are for the resident to become self-sufficient in the O.R., to develop confidence in anesthetizing the sickest of patients and to develop the academic and presentation skills important for a professional career.  Residents may opt for any of the three career "tracks" approved by the ABA as part of the continuum of education.

The Advanced Clinical Track requires a minimum of 6 months of complex anesthetic cases.  The remaining time can be spent in subspecialty rotations of 2-6 months in duration.

The Subspecialty Clinical Track involves 6-12 months of training in one subspecialty, with the remaining time spent in either a second specialty or in advanced and complex clinical assignments.  Alternatively, six months of experience in each of two subspecialty areas may be selected.

The Research Track requires the resident to complete six months of advanced or subspecialty clinical training and six months of clinical or basic science research.

Further subspecialty rotations are offered in this year of training at centers throughout New England.  Currently, residents may elect to gain additional experience in OB anesthesia at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, pediatric anesthesia at Children's Hospital in Boston or Hasbro Hospital in Providence, or anesthesia for ENT surgery at the Mass. Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston.  We work with the resident to develop his or her particular interests by being amenable to supporting rotations in other subspecialty areas and at other sites. Recent examples have included a rotation emphasizing anesthesia for organ transplantation at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA and a rotation in the pain clinic at St. Vincent's Hospital in Worcester.