Anesthesia Chief Residents' Welcome

Welcome to the Stanford University Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine! We are so excited that you are interested in learning about our residency program, and want to highlight why we believe Stanford offers one of the top residency experiences in the country.

The breadth and depth of our clinical training prepares us to care for any patient, from the most complex to the most straightforward. Our training takes place at our four main locations: our recently expanded Stanford University Hospital (Level 1 Trauma Center, opened November 2019); the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Palo Alto; the county safety net hospital, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (Level 1 Trauma Center); and the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH).

At Stanford, we care for the most complex surgical patients including those undergoing heart, lung, and liver transplants as well as the critically ill patients in our medical, surgical, and cardiovascular ICUs. At LPCH our residents care for the entire spectrum of the pediatric population from healthy elective surgery to pediatric congenital cardiac repairs as well as rotate through our busy obstetric anesthesia service. Our perioperative experiences provide residents training and expertise in regional anesthesia, pain management, and overall perioperative care. Our beloved teachers are dedicated and inspiring faculty consisting of master clinicians, world-renowned researchers, and international thought leaders – many of whom helped to shape the current practice of anesthesia. It is not uncommon to find that your OR faculty actually “wrote the book” on what you are learning that day.

The educational experience at Stanford features a wide variety of opportunities and the ability to cater to any individual academic interest. All of our residents enjoy a robust didactic program which includes formal weekly lectures for each class, daily Libero lectures for exam keyword review, as well as cutting-edge simulation sessions overseen by the anesthesiologists who, quite literally, invented the field of medical simulation. Residents interested in research, quality improvement, or global health may dedicate one or more months during their residency toward these pursuits with the department’s full support, or they may join a more formal research track through the Fellowship in Anesthesia Research and Medicine (FARM) program. We are also proud to offer combined residency training programs in Internal Medicine/Anesthesiology and Pediatrics/Anesthesiology. Staying true to the ethos of innovation at Stanford, the Stanford Anesthesia Innovation Lab (SAIL) offers itself as a resource to residents as a medical device incubator and accelerator and as a fellowship pathway for those interested in hybrid careers as innovators and anesthesiologists. Additionally, the Stanford Anesthesia and Informatics Lab (AIM Lab) works on innovative projects spanning education, clinical informatics, and mobile computing, with the international Medicine X conference serving as Stanford's premier program on emerging technology and medicine with a focus on patient-centered innovation. Beyond these opportunities, our department welcomes residents who are interested in forging their own pathways. We have supported residents pursuing careers in healthcare policy and even aerospace medicine in recent years.

Alongside our clinical experience and education, our program strongly values inclusiveness and diversity, which we feel is a key component to our success in all other areas. Stanford’s Anesthesia Diversity Council (ADC) is robust, thrives on its resident leadership, and serves to recruit, support, retain, and promote diversity within the department. The goal of the ADC is to identify and cultivate the skills necessary to foster diversity, provide mentorship, create scholarly opportunities, and prepare Stanford’s anesthesiologists to address the health needs of a diverse population. 

Finally, resident well-being is a true priority here at Stanford. The Peer Support and Resiliency in Medicine Program (PRIME) was one of the first anesthesia wellness programs in the nation and has only grown in its impact as we navigate the current pandemic. COVID-19 changed our daily lives and uprooted many of our traditional wellness activities, which we have been working to recreate. This past year, we were able to bring back the July whitewater rafting trip on the American river for our CA-1s and our annual residency-wide weekend winter retreat in Lake Tahoe to unwind and enjoy the snow. We are always looking for ways to build support systems that will endure when the world returns to normal and our residency continues to grow.

In the Gas Lounge, the dedicated anesthesia resident break area, you’ll find laughter, engaging conversation, and a space to bond with colleagues. Outside of the hospital, Stanford and Palo Alto are culturally rich, and the greater Bay Area is world-renowned for its perfect weather, great sports teams (go Warriors!), scenic views, delicious food, rich culture, cutting-edge technologies, and easy access to nature and outdoor activities. Residents here enjoy hiking, mountain biking, surfing, and skiing all within a few hours’ drive. It is an attractive environment for families and single folks alike. See for yourself on Instagram by following @StanfordAnesthesia!

Anesthesiology training at Stanford will prepare you to manage any case you encounter, no matter how complex or challenging. Whether your future plans include private practice, academia, subspecialization, research, or global health, we have the resources and mentorship to help you achieve your goals in a warm, nurturing, and collegial environment. We feel so fortunate for our postgraduate training and education here in this supportive, vibrant community at Stanford in sunny Palo Alto. We hope you’ll consider bringing your talents here!

Sincerely,
DH²

Derek Smith, Samantha Hodapp, Joseph Hodapp
Stanford Anesthesia Chief Residents 2022-2023