Didactics

During lectures, basic science material is presented and then applied in selected case management discussions. Faculty members believe that problem solving is central to the practice of anesthesiology.

Throughout each of the three years of training, there are required weekly didactic lectures based primarily on the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) content outline. Residents join together by zoom and in-person for the lectures. In addition, each hospital's Department of Anesthesiology sponsors various weekly educational conferences designed to augment the resident’s knowledge.

Faculty members, community practitioners and anesthesiology residents gather for the Visiting Professor lecture series, which hosts up to six nationally recognized professors per year.

Additional monthly educational activities include University Professor Rounds, Core Master Sessions, Journal Club, and Mortality & Morbidity Conferences.

The Can-Am Anesthesia Conference, historically held in May and hosted alternately in Niagara Falls, Canada, and at the UB Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, has been a collaborative academic event co-sponsored by the University at Buffalo, Western Ontario University, McMaster University, Albany University, and Rochester University. While it is not currently held on a regular basis, the conference remains an important part of our department's academic legacy.

Introductory Seminars 77 Goodell St., 5th Fl, Suite 550 1 week between July-August
PGY 2-4 Seminars 6-7:30 a.m., Thursdays Every Week
September-June
Peer Led Review Zoom: 6-7:30 a.m., Fridays 1 per month
September-June
Journal Club Zoom: 6-7:30 a.m., Fridays
Alternates with Mock Orals
1 every other month
September-June
Key Word Topic Review with Dr. Nader Zoom: 6-7:30 a.m., Fridays 1 per month
September-June
Key Word Topic Review-Resident Led Zoom: 6-7:30 a.m., Fridays 1 per month
September-June
Mock Orals Zoom: 6-7:30 a.m., Friday
Alternates with Journal Club
1 every other month
September-June
Visiting Professor Series
Zoom and In-Person 4-6 times per year
Morbidity/Mortality Conference Zoom: 6-7:30 a.m., Thursdays  Every other month
Problem-Based Learning/QI Zoom: 6-730am Thursdays 4 times a year from
September-June
Grand Rounds Zoom and In-Person: TBA 5-6 times per year
POCUS & TEE Zoom and In-Person: TBA 4 times every year
Resident & Program Townhalls Zoom and In-Person: TBA 1st Friday of every quarter
In-Training Examination Computer Lab (Jacobs School) February: TBA
Regional Workshop Behling Simulation Lab (Jacobs School) TBA: 2026
*Alternates annually with Airway workshop
Airway Workshop Behling Simulation Lab March 22, 2025
*Alternates annually with Regional Workshop
Can-Am Conference Alternates from Jacobs School or Niagara Falls, Ontario TBA
Simulation Training
Behling Simulation Center 1/2 days every other Thursday on a rotating schedule

UB Anesthesiology is committed to fostering academic excellence through structured Protected Academic Time (PAT). PAT ensures residents have uninterrupted, scheduled time for key educational activities, including independent study, board preparation, research, simulation training, and departmental didactics.

Key components of PAT include:

  • CA-1 Summer Lecture Series (July–August): Tuesday & Thursday evenings
  • Weekly Didactics: Thursday mornings for all clinical anesthesia years
  • Simulation Lab & Academic Half-Days: Scheduled twice per year
  • Monthly Grand Rounds: Third Wednesday evenings
  • One Full PAT Day per Academic Module: Scheduled in collaboration with sites, with exceptions for cardiac and critical care rotations

Residents are released from clinical duties with sufficient transition time and PAT must not overlap with call schedules, holidays, or simulation days. Utilization of PAT is monitored, and residents are expected to use this time effectively to support academic development and board exam performance.