During obstetric anesthesia rotations in the CA-1 and CA-2 years, residents acquire skills in the anesthetic management of both routine and high-risk obstetric patients. Over 80% of our obstetric patients receive labor analgesia. Therefore, the opportunity for residents to develop and refine skills in epidural and combined spinal-epidural analgesia are plentiful. In addition, epidural, spinal, and general anesthesia is provided for various operative procedures, including cesarean section, tubal ligation, cerclage, and D & C. Residents gain significant experience caring for healthy, routine obstetric patients.

In addition, our obstetric service is a major referral center for high-risk pregnancies. Therefore, upon completion of the obstetric anesthesia rotations, residents weill have gained the knowledge and skills necessary to confidently manage the special anesthetic needs of parturients with obstetric complications such as preeclampsia, peripartum hemorrhage, and multiple gestations as well as patients with serious underlying medical diseases, including many with cardiac disease. Twenty-four hour faculty support is always available to ensure quality patient care and enhance the resident's learning environment.

A strong education program led by the division director, a fellowship-trained obstetric anesthesiologist, includes subspecialty conferences and an obstetric anesthesia lecture series.  The combination of strong didactics and varied and plentiful clinical experience provides an excellent obstetric anesthesia experience for the resident.