The Department of Anesthesiology hosted a day of learning at its first-ever Pediatric Anesthesia Symposium (PAS) on February 27th. Founders of the symposium, Franklin B. Chiao, MD and Aarti Sharma, MD, were also co-directors and led the full-day summit. The event gave advanced trainees in anesthesiology, pediatrics, emergency medicine and critical care from across the region an opportunity to develop new skills for managing pediatric patients in challenging situations. It was held in the Skills Acquisition and Innovation Laboratory (SAIL) at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.
Workshops ran throughout the day. Using ultrasound and infrared technology, participants learned the latest techniques for vascular access, while gaining hands-on practice in catheter placement on phantom models. Additional sessions focused on managing difficult airways and introduced a range of devices for airway management. Participants also gained experience in crisis management using SAIL's advanced simulation equipment and through problem-based learning discussion.
A fellow in pediatric anesthesia from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia commented, "It is really helpful to learn these advanced techniques with dedicated faculty."
Dr. Chiao says he hopes to offer the Symposium again next year. "To practice these techniques in a controlled setting with several experienced teachers is ideal," he noted.
Dr. Chiao is Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medical College.
Dr. Sharma is the Director of Pediatric Anesthesiology and Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medical College.
SAIL is a teaching and research laboratory that utilizes state-of-the-art simulation technology to train healthcare professionals. The lab is administered by the Departments of Surgery, Anesthesiology, and Radiology at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.