Pediatric Anesthesiology Milestones 2.0: An Update, Rationale, and Plan Forward

Jamey J. Snell, Justin L. Lockman, Santhanam Suresh, Debnath Chatterjee, Herodotos Ellinas, K. Karisa Walker, Adolfo Gonzalez, Laura Edgar, Aditee P. Ambardekar*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Formal training in the subspecialty of pediatric anesthesiology began >60 years ago. Over the years, the duration and clinical work has varied, but what has stayed constant is a mission to develop clinically competent and professionally responsible pediatric anesthesiologists. Since accreditation in 1997, there has been additional guidance by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and greater accountability to the public that we, indeed, are producing competent and professional pediatric anesthesiologists. This has been influenced by the slow evolution from time-based educational curriculum to a competency-based paradigm. As with all ACGME-accredited specialties, education leaders in pediatric anesthesiology first convened in 2014 to design specialty-specific developmental trajectories within the framework of the 6 core competencies, known as milestones, on which fellows were to be tracked during the 1-year fellowship. With 5 years of implementation, and substantial data and feedback, it has become clear that an iterative improvement was necessary to mirror the evolution of the profession. It was evident that the community required brevity and clarity in the next version of the milestones and required additional resources for assessment and faculty development. We describe here the methodology and considerations of our working group, guided by ACGME, in the rewriting of the milestones. We also provide suggestions for implementation and collaboration to support the education and assessment of pediatric anesthesiology fellows across the country.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)676-683
Number of pages8
JournalAnesthesia and analgesia
Volume138
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2024

Funding

Pediatric anesthesiology fellowship training is entering its 25th year of accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Despite the fact that one of the first documented anesthetics was administered to a child in 1842, the practice of providing anesthesia to pediatric patients was largely an experiential adaption of adult practice for decades, and few practiced it exclusively. The birth of formal training in pediatric anesthesia as a clinical fellowship is largely attributed to Robert M. Smith at the Children’s Hospital of Boston in 1962. However, it was not until 1997 that program accreditation was offered by ACGME at the behest of a committed cohort of advocates. Since then, the number of programs in the United States has grown to 60, graduating 216 physicians in 2020.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

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