Creating an Anesthesiology Residency Program
Residency programs serve as the cornerstone of physician training in the United States, providing new doctors with supervised, hands-on clinical experience. Anesthesiology, as a specialty with high technical and clinical demands, requires a rigorous residency structure. Creating a new anesthesiology residency program is both a strategic investment in medical education and a complex, multi-step process requiring coordination between hospitals, academic institutions, and accreditation bodies 1.
Before creating a residency program, a sponsoring institution, usually a teaching hospital or medical school, should conduct a formal assessment of resources and anesthesiology needs within the community. This includes evaluating the local demand for anesthesiologists, the availability of faculty and clinical sites, and the institutional commitment to education. Hospitals must also ensure they can provide a sufficient volume and variety of anesthetic cases to support robust training 2–4.
To operate legally and confer recognized training, a new residency program must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). This involves submitting a detailed application through the ACGME’s Accreditation Data System, outlining educational goals, curriculum structure, evaluation systems, and faculty qualifications. The program must also meet specific institutional requirements, including faculty-to-resident ratios and duty-hour compliance 5.
The anesthesiology curriculum must provide residents with comprehensive exposure to general anesthesia, regional techniques, critical care, pain management, and perioperative medicine. A balance of didactic instruction, simulation training, and clinical experience is required. The program must also incorporate competency-based milestones aligned with the ACGME’s core competencies, including but not limited to patient care, medical knowledge, professionalism, systems-based practice, interpersonal skills, and practice-based learning 6–8.
Faculty members are essential to a program’s success—they must not only be experienced clinicians but also dedicated teachers who participate in academic development and mentorship. Ongoing faculty development programs help ensure teaching quality and familiarity with competency-based evaluation methods, and a designated program director should oversee all aspects of resident education and serve as the main liaison with the ACGME 9.
When creating a new anesthesiology residency program, affiliated hospitals and outpatient surgical centers must be adequately equipped and staffed to support training. Clinical sites need structured rotation schedules, documented learning objectives, and evaluation tools. In addition, hospitals must ensure residents have access to critical care units, labor and delivery suites, and pediatric services for a well-rounded experience 6.
Once accredited, the program can recruit residents through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). The program must clearly define eligibility criteria, interview processes, and selection methods. Competitive recruitment helps ensure that only qualified and motivated candidates join the training environment, enhancing educational outcomes and future workforce quality 10.
Following its launch, the program must engage in ongoing evaluation and quality improvement. Annual reviews of curriculum effectiveness, faculty performance, and resident feedback are essential 11.
Creating an anesthesiology residency program is a multifaceted undertaking that merges educational vision with operational excellence. With thoughtful planning and sustained commitment, such a program can help meet growing demands for skilled anesthesiologists while advancing the quality of care and education in the healthcare system.
References
1. What is residency? | American Medical Association. https://www.ama-assn.org/medical-students/preparing-residency/what-residency.
2. Barsac, C. et al. Residency training programs in anesthesiology, intensive care and emergency medicine: from curriculum to practice. Front. Med. 11, (2024). DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1386681
3. Fernandes, C. R. et al. Implementation of a residency program in anesthesiology in the Northeast of Brazil: impact on work processes and professional motivation. Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology (English Edition) 65, 155–161 (2015). DOI: 10.1016/j.bjane.2013.08.006
4. Anesthesiology Residency Requirements | Anesthesiology | Medical College of Wisconsin. https://www.mcw.edu/departments/anesthesiology/residency/goals-and-objectives.
5. ACGME Home. https://www.acgme.org/.
6. Taha, W. S. A guide to developing a competency based curriculum for a residency training program – Orthopaedic prospective. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences 10, 109–115 (2015). DOI: 10.1016/j.jtumed.2015.02.004
7. Barajaz, M. & Turner, T. Starting a new residency program: a step-by-step guide for institutions, hospitals, and program directors. Med Educ Online 21, 10.3402/meo.v21.32271 (2016). DOI: 10.3402/meo.v21.32271
8. Anesthesiology Residency Curriculum – Wake Forest School of Medicine. Wake Forest University School of Medicine https://school.wakehealth.edu/education-and-training/residencies-and-fellowships/anesthesiology-residency/curriculum.
9. Weidner, A., Glass, J., Cronholm, P. & Pauwels, J. To What Extent Are Programs Recruiting Their Own Graduates as Faculty? A CERA Study. Family Medicine 55, 467–470 (2023). DOI: 10.22454/FamMed.2023.342968
10. NRMP. NRMP https://www.nrmp.org/ (2025).
11. Wiemers, M., Nadeau, M., Tysinger, J. & Fernandez Falcon, C. Annual program review process: an enhanced process with outcomes. Med Educ Online 23, 1527626 (2018). DOI: 10.1080/10872981.2018.1527626