The community behind your anesthesiology training in Boston

At Tufts Medical Center, anesthesiology is a true team effort. Our faculty, residents and pain management specialists work side by side to deliver safe, comfortable and personalized care to every person we serve.

Our department is deeply embedded in daily hospital life, collaborating with nearly every specialty. From pre-op assessments to post-op recovery, we’re present at every step of the surgical journey—offering clinical expertise, calm focus and a commitment to excellent outcomes.

Our residents play a central role in this care. As active members of the team, they bring fresh perspectives, curiosity and compassion to every case. With support from dedicated faculty, they grow into skilled anesthesiologists who are confident in the operating room and connected to the people they care for.

This close-knit, collaborative culture is one of the most defining features of anesthesiology at Tufts Medical Center, and it is one of the reasons our graduates are so well-prepared for their next steps.

Celebrating each other

At Tufts Medical Center, we believe in lifting each other up. One of the ways we do that is through the Golden Laryngoscope — a monthly shout-out for residents who go above and beyond. It’s our way of recognizing moments of professionalism, teamwork or leadership that make a real difference in our department.

Each month, one resident is honored with a golden laryngoscope pin and a spotlight for their contributions. It’s a small but meaningful tradition that reflects our culture of appreciation and respect.

Mentorship + career development in the anesthesiology residency at Tufts Medical Center

In our Anesthesiology Residency Program, we prioritize continuous professional development through structured assessment, personalized mentorship and a culture of open feedback.

Residents receive ongoing evaluations designed to support clinical competence and personal growth. Confidential attending evaluations are submitted via My Tip Report, with each resident completing at least 10 reports per rotation. These evaluations are required for full credit and help create a transparent, feedback-rich environment. Faculty also receive aggregated feedback during annual performance reviews presented by the department chair.

Beyond formal assessments, Tufts Medical Center encourages real-time, two-way feedback during daily clinical practice to foster a collaborative, growth-oriented atmosphere.

Each resident is paired with a dedicated faculty mentor who provides longitudinal support, tracks academic and clinical progress and offers career guidance throughout training.

Residents participate in a comprehensive assessment program, including:

• The anesthesia knowledge examination series
• The American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) in-training examination
• Mock oral exams and objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) to prepare for the ABA applied examination

This multifaceted approach ensures residents meet milestones while growing into reflective, confident and board-ready anesthesiologists.

Leadership through teaching

As residents progress in their training, they take on key teaching roles. Senior residents supervise and mentor junior residents and medical students in the operating room, on rounds and during simulations. They also serve as Junior ACICs, managing OR flow and supporting peers—an experience that sharpens both clinical judgment and communication. These teaching opportunities reinforce leadership skills and prepare residents for future roles as educators and mentors in academic or community practice.

Advancing anesthesiology research opportunities at Tufts Medical Center

Residents are required to complete at least one scholarly project during their training, with the scope and depth tailored to individual interests and goals. Faculty mentors provide ongoing editorial support and expert guidance to help residents successfully design, execute and present their research.

Our residents regularly share their work at regional, national and international conferences, showcasing the program’s commitment to advancing anesthesiology knowledge. They also have access to valuable resources through the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and Tufts University, supporting innovative research and collaboration.

The Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine at Tufts Medical Center fosters a strong research culture with numerous ongoing projects, funding opportunities and active faculty involvement.

Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine research

Clinical rotations at Boston medical centers with diverse patient populations

Residents will have the opportunity to rotate at the following institutions, each offering a unique patient population and specialized clinical experience:

• Boston Children’s Hospital: Gain comprehensive pediatric anesthesia training, caring for infants to adolescents with a wide range of medical and surgical conditions.
• Brigham & Women’s Hospital: Exposure to high-acuity adult cases, including cardiac surgery, transplant, trauma and complex multisystem diseases in a large academic setting.
• Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary: Specialized experience in anesthesia for otolaryngology, ophthalmology and head and neck surgery, with advanced airway and regional anesthesia techniques.
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: Diverse case mix across multiple surgical specialties, including trauma, general surgery and critical care, enhancing residents’ adaptability and procedural skills.
• West Roxbury VA Hospital: Care for an adult veteran population with complex medical histories, providing valuable experience managing chronic diseases and unique healthcare needs.

These rotations complement clinical training at Tufts Medical Center and help residents develop a well-rounded skill set through exposure to diverse patient populations and varied healthcare environments.

Advanced anesthesiology education + didactic curriculum at Tufts Medical Center

Alongside hands-on intraoperative and bedside teaching, we offer a comprehensive didactic program designed to equip residents with the knowledge and skills to become world-class anesthesiologists. Each lecture series is carefully organized by faculty leaders to provide up-to-date content that aligns with current clinical practices and exam requirements.

The curriculum is personalized, with resident feedback playing a central role in shaping foundational anesthesia concepts and preparation for written and oral exams. Trainees are encouraged to share their input to keep sessions relevant and aligned with their learning goals.

While hands-on experience is essential, the program also values quality learning over volume. Resident case mix and caseloads are tracked to ensure balanced education. Protected time is reserved for lectures, problem-based discussions and other educational activities, allowing residents to engage deeply with the material.

Our learner-focused curriculum follows the American Board of Anesthesiology Content Outlines for the BASIC, In-Training, ADVANCED and APPLIED exams. Key components include:

• CA-1 year: Daily lectures from July to mid-August, followed by the faculty-led BASIC Pathway every Thursday afternoon, focused on the ABA BASIC Exam content.
• CA-2 and CA-3 years: The ADVANCED Pathway, a two-year rotating curriculum covering advanced topics and subspecialties, held every Thursday morning after Grand Rounds. Specialty blocks, led by Division Chiefs, include respiratory, cardiac, pediatric, obstetric, pain management, physics, pharmacology and renal/endocrine topics.

Additional activities include journal club sessions, mock Standardized Oral Exams, high-fidelity simulations, Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) training and wellness sessions during protected didactic time.

Departmental Grand Rounds occur every Thursday morning, featuring visiting speakers, faculty lectures and monthly Quality Improvement (QI) and Mortality & Morbidity (M&M) sessions.

Sample schedules for anesthesiology residents at Tufts Medical Center

Our anesthesiology residency program at Tufts Medical Center provides a carefully structured curriculum that supports progressive growth and hands-on experience across all clinical years. Below are sample schedules for each residency year, designed to give you an overview of the rotations, clinical exposures and learning opportunities you can expect throughout your training. These schedules highlight the variety of settings and subspecialties residents engage with as they develop into skilled anesthesiologists.

Intern / PGY-1 sample schedule

June 2025 – June 2026

CA-1 sample schedule

Clinical Anesthesia Year 1

CA-2 sample schedule

Clinical Anesthesia Year 2

CA-3 sample schedule

Clinical Anesthesia Year 3

Comprehensive clinical training that builds skill + confidence

Each year of the Anesthesiology Residency Program at Tufts Medical Center is designed to support progressive growth in clinical care and professional development. Our curriculum is aligned with the ACGME anesthesiology milestones, including:

• Patient care
• Medical knowledge
• Systems-based practice
• Practice-based learning
• Professionalism
• Interpersonal and communication skills

Training follows a clear path of increasing responsibility and autonomy. Early on, residents receive close supervision through a combination of one-on-one faculty teaching and peer support. As they advance, they are gradually entrusted with more complex procedures and independent decision-making.

Clinical training includes diverse rotations across anesthesiology subspecialties, hands-on procedural experience, simulation-based learning, research opportunities and regular educational conferences. Every resident receives individualized mentorship and ongoing feedback, ensuring they grow into thoughtful, capable anesthesiologists ready to lead in any care setting.

Subspecialty exposure + areas of concentration

Each subspecialty rotation is led by an anesthesia faculty expert and is carefully structured, monitored, and evaluated to ensure educational value. Rotations are designed to meet clinical needs and individual learning goals, with elective time available during the CA-3 year to support focused career development.

Residents rotate through the following areas during their clinical anesthesia years:

• Acute and regional pain management
• Adult cardiac anesthesia
• Cardiac Surgical Intensive Care Unit (CSICU)
• Center for Preoperative Assessment
• Chronic pain
• Neuroanesthesia
• Obstetric anesthesia
• Pediatric anesthesia
• Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)
• Research
• Thoracic anesthesia (including cases at West Roxbury VA Hospital)
• Vascular anesthesia

These experiences give residents the opportunity to explore a wide range of cases and care settings while preparing them to pursue fellowship training or transition directly into independent practice.