Anesthesiology Residency at Albany Medical Center
Our service provides the highest quality care across the perioperative continuum, including preoperative evaluation and testing, anesthetic care in our adult and pediatric operating rooms, procedural areas, and obstetric suites, acute and chronic pain management, and critical care. Clinical services are provided throughout Albany Medical Center, as well as in our ambulatory surgery locations, South Clinical Campus and the Center for Advanced Ambulatory Surgery.
Our providers are board certified or eligible, and many have obtained subspecialty training in cardiac, obstetric, and pediatric anesthesia, pain management, and critical care. They work alongside an outstanding group of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), many of whom trained right here in Albany Medical College’s graduate program, as well as our excellent anesthesiology residents.
In-Depth Experience
Our small residency class size (six per year) allows for an incredible breadth and depth of clinical and educational experience in ORs, ICUs, clinics, classrooms, and state-of-the-art simulation center. As the only anesthesiology residency program in Albany, and the sole Level 1 Trauma Center in the region, our graduates are more than ready for any clinical challenge upon graduation to fellowship, academic, or private practice. Albany Medical College medical students also benefit from the expertise of our diverse and dedicated faculty. Many students choose anesthesiology as their future specialty – 10 in the class of 2023!
Scroll down for more information about our program and our residents, including Wellness, Activities, and International Outreach!
Message from the Program Director
I was born in Bangladesh and immigrated to the United States at the age of 16 and since then I have been a New Yorker. After I graduated from St. John’s University in Jamaica, Queens, I attended medical school at Ross University School of Medicine at Dominica. I did my anesthesiology residency at Albany Medical Center and following that, went for a pediatric anesthesia fellowship at Children’s Hospital in Wisconsin. After completing my fellowship in 2012, it was an easy decision for me to come back to Albany Medical Center to join the faculty practice and have not thought once about leaving! Currently, I live in Guilderland (suburb of Albany) with my wonderful husband and two children (ages 10 and 8), who keep me busy at home.
I began serving as an associate program director in 2018 and it’s been a wonderful journey working alongside Dr. Ehlers (former PD) who has been my mentor and role model. Our current Chair, Dr. Stephanie Jones, is also a former PD, who is very supportive to the residency program and is an essential piece for our program. When the opportunity of being the PD was offered to me, I was humbled, thrilled, and nervous at the same time. I took the offer knowing that I will be working alongside Drs. Ehlers and Jones. I will also have the support from my wonderful colleague and assistant PD Dr. Reena Parikh, and together will make sure that our program runs smoothly, efficiently, and progressively.
We have a unique clinical base year, and we are proud of it, which we have carefully crafted based on yearly evaluations by our interns, to provide the best possible medical and surgical experience paired with the best possible teachers. Our especially treasured rotations are:
- 8 weeks on Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) service during which residents will typically place >100 blocks as well as provide outstanding post-operative care for many different surgical services.
- One month in PICU
- Research/QI weeks during which residents get to know the department and get started on projects with various faculty members.
- System Based Practice (SBP) week when our residents bond, learn educational concepts, practice team building skills, and start to create goals for their future professional development.
Currently we take six residents per year to our four–year categorial program (which includes the clinical base year) and we are in the process of extending our residency to eight per year, as we have the case volume and demand for it. Our department of anesthesiologists, residents, CRNAs and SRNAs perform greater than 46,000 anesthetics per year. As a quaternary referral center, we see a large variety of interesting and very complex cases. Our graduates required case numbers are at about the 70th percentile nationally, and we work hard to ensure that we provide an excellent balance of clinical service, study, and personal time. Most importantly, Albany Medical Center is a happy and pleasant atmosphere in which to train and work. The Capital Region is diverse with rich cultures and offers a variety of cultural, family, and outdoor opportunities, with a reasonable cost of living and housing.
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Sincerely,
Farzana Afroze, MD
Director, Anesthesiology Resident Education
Department of Anesthesiology
Albany Medical College
47 New Scotland Ave.
Albany, NY 12208
More About Us!
International Outreach
The department is part of a global consortium involving several US academic anesthesiology departments and a teaching hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. As part of this consortium our residents and faculty travel to Lusaka, Zambia, where they work alongside Zambian residents assisting them in managing anesthesia cases in the operating room, teaching different anesthesia techniques and giving lectures with the goal of strengthening health care in underprivileged countries such as Zambia. By participating in global medical missions, the department enriches the educational experience of our residents.
Wellness Program
Residents in our program enjoy a variety of experiences that enrich and supplement their training. The department has a Wellness Program for both our residents and staff that provides resources and tools to reduce burnout and stress. The Wellness program curriculum includes topics such as financial wellness, meditation and mindfulness, navigating career choices, and overall stress management.
Wellness Committee
The department's Wellness Committee includes anesthesia attendings and an anesthesia resident representative. The members participate in the monthly meetings of the Graduate Medical Education Wellness Committee which represents all residency programs.
Resident Wellness Lunch
Each quarter Anesthesiology residents are given 90 minutes on their didactic day to have lunch as a group. They may choose to go to the Choices Café at Albany Medical Center or the restaurants located near the hospital.
Departmental Events
We have events throughout the year that include all members of the department. This has included a summer BBQ on the lake, bowling outings, happy hours, and an annual departmental holiday party. Several residents and attendings participate in a departmental soccer league and we have ongoing health and fitness activities and competitions.
