Global Anesthesia Fellowship Syllabus

Welcome to the Vanderbilt Global Anesthesia Fellowship. This syllabus was designed to facilitate your orientation and to provide advanced information on the your one to two year experience. Within this document, you will find information on:

  • Vanderbilt Opportunities
  • Multidisciplinary Collaboration
  • Vanderbilt International Journal Club
  • Fellowship Expectations
  • Faculty Role
  • Half of your fellowship time will be spent at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) where you will work as junior faculty while you prepare your research proposal and your global site and relationships.
  • Call
  • Call is optional but available for additional compensation.
  • Research
  • A research project is required during your fellowship at your global focus site. Ongoing projects are available if interested or unique new proposals may be undertaken.
  • Teaching
  • Teaching at VUMC and the global site is required.
  • Global
  • A global site for half of your fellowship will be chosen by you and the fellowship director, taking your interests
  • Annual Fellow Calendar
  • Curriculum
  • Modules – provided on VSTAR; these should be completed prior to departing for the global experience, and will be discussed with your mentor on a bi-weekly basis
  • Required Reading – a list of required and optional advanced reading will be provided
  • Activities – related to preparing for your global experience these will be assigned specifically to help you engage with collaborators and networks. Related regularly occurring activities include the Vanderbilt International Journal Club (VIJC) and Grand Rounds at the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH.)
  • Work Schedule and Teaching Responsibilities
  • Clinical Work – will be assigned at least 4 days a week during the months that you are at Vanderbilt.
  • Teaching – related to global anesthesia will be assigned and include resident modules, MPH modules, VIGH and other grand rounds.
  • Simulation – related to working in austere environments is important to preparing for working in LMICs. You will participate in austere scenarios as well as write new scenarios appropriate for residents and medical students preparing to work overseas.
  • Presentations – will be assigned as related to teaching above; at least 2 major presentations are expected.
  • Research Project
  • CITI Training must be completed online in advance of your fellowship
  • Research Proposal is required for the research that you will complete overseas, except if already participating in an already IRB approved project. It is possible to join an IRB approved proposal already underway or to write a new proposal
  • IRB approval is required for all international research both at Vanderbilt and within the host country
  • Funding for your projects and global experience is provided by the department, but applications for external funding are also required for your education and to potentially extend the research
  • Data Analysis is required upon your return to Vanderbilt and will be supported through the department
  • Manuscript preparation is required upon your return to Vanderbilt and will hopefully result in a publication
  • Global Experience
  • Site selection will be based on your interests and on locations where Vanderbilt has a footprint; Current Sites:
  • Kenya
  • Mozambique
  • Ethiopia
  • Preparation for your international work will begin as soon as your site is selected and will include building relationships with local counterparts prior to your arrival as well as completing the required modules, reading, simulation and research preparation
  • Case Logs are expected for all clinical cases overseas
  • Journal is highly recommended for the months you are working overseas. Upon your return the journal will be used for your debriefing and conversations with your mentor
  • MPH
  • If you choose to stay for a 2 year fellowship, there is an opportunity to complete a Masters in Public Health (MPH.) This degree focuses on population health and will give you additional skills which are essential to a global career. If you are interested in pursing an MPH, please speak with the program director for further information.
  • Evaluations
  • Consistent with ACGME core principles, you will be evaluated on clinical and project and at least quarterly, and you will similarly evaluate the key fellowship faculty and the program.
  • Career Options
  • Very early in your fellowship, we will discuss options for a global career and provide guidance on achieving your individual goals.