The Wayne State University School of Medicine has established a new sole-sponsored anesthesiology residency program with St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital, part of the Trinity Health System.
The program provides for six residency positions per year, with the first residents starting July 1, 2015.
The new residency program recently received approval from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The ACGME is responsible for accrediting the majority of graduate medical training programs such as internships, residencies and fellowships in the United States.
“We are very proud this new sole-sponsored residency program was approved with our hospital partner,” said Tsveti Markova, M.D., associate dean of Graduate Medical Education for the WSU School of Medicine. “The timing on this is wonderful because the program was immediately enrolled in the National Resident Matching Program, where all interested applicants can apply for their selected residencies.”
The NRMP oversees what is called the annual national match, which determines where graduating medical students will serve their residencies.
“This is the culmination of more than two years of effort and we are very pleased to see an already strong relationship with the Wayne State University School of Medicine and the Wayne State University Physician Group continue to grow,” said Jack Weiner, president and chief executive officer of St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital.
The Wayne State University Physician Group provides anesthesia services for the 443-bed hospital, located in Pontiac, Mich.
Terry Ellis II, M.D., interim chair of the WSU Department of Anesthesiology, said the additional residency program comes at an important period for Michigan and the nation.
“We made this commitment because there is a shortage nationally of capped (residency) positions and a shortage of physicians,” Dr. Ellis said. “It’s important that we train more to meet the need.”
Dr. Ellis said the program will accept six residents per year. The educational anesthesiology experience includes exposure to pediatrics, pain medicine, critical care and a strong cardiothoracic program. Administrators plan to offer fellowships in the future, he said.
Instructors include 23 core faculty members already enrolled in the teaching program. More will be added as the program develops. H. Michael Marsh, M.B.B.S., residency program director and vice chair of Academic Affairs for the WSU Department of Anesthesiology, will oversee the program.
While anesthesiology residents may receive additional training at other WSU-affiliated hospital partners, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital will serve as the central location for the program.