Anaesthesia Perioperative Fellow

Our Perioperative Medicine fellowship is a year long cross-specialty fellowship designed to provide fellows with the core skills required by a perioperative physician in the care of high risk patients undergoing major surgery. The perioperative fellow regularly attends the Pre-Admission Clinic, with the opportunity to risk assess and optimise high risk patients. Fellows have the opportunity to follow these patients and provide anaesthesia for those on ERAS pathways such as oesophagectomy, major colorectal, joint replacement, hepatic and major vascular cases. The perioperative team undertake post-operative ward rounds of selected high risk patients with a medical registrar, providing the opportunity to implement ERAS principles while detecting and preventing early complications in medical patients having major surgery. There is also the opportunity to be involved in the development/evolution of a variety of perioperative initiatives while also playing a key role in Perioperative Medicine education to medical and nursing staff.

Aims

1. To understand the medical care of the surgical patient, with a focus on delivering optimal perioperative care to patients undergoing major surgery.
2. To be able to evaluate health risks and implement public health strategies
3. To refine and develop perioperative care pathways
4. To manage complex surgical patients in an extended recovery setting
5. Review and refine ERAS protocols for joint replacement, colorectal and Upper G.I surgery
6. To develop advanced interpretation of perioperative investigations
7. Understand the role of telehealth and other technologies
8. Actively participate in education, research and quality assurance activities

Structure

• Regular participation in Pre-admission Clinics, anaesthesia consultations and ward rounds
• Collaboration with perioperative co-ordinators, medical units and Head of Preadmission Clinic to identify high-risk surgical patients for extended perioperative care.
• General and subspecialty clinical Anaesthesia experience
• Management of patients in the extended recovery/postoperative phase in conjunction with medical/surgical units

Education

The perioperative medicine fellow will be involved in undergraduate and postgraduate education through Monash University’s Perioperative Medicine Short Course and Masters Courses. They will also be involved in journal club review of perioperative specific articles. All Fellows will be expected to occasionally supervise junior trainees in theatre and participate in perioperative medicine education for anaesthesia trainees, hospital residents, medical students and nursing staff.

Research and Audit

Fellows will have the opportunity to complete research and/or audit projects related to perioperative anaesthesia and present at departmental and local anaesthesia meetings. Topics would be flexible depending on the Fellow’s interest and the research/audit priorities of the department.

General Information

All Fellows participate in a 1/14 Fellow roster which includes allocation to Sandringham Hospital on average once/fortnight where they function as a junior consultant. Fellows average 86 rostered hrs/fortnight including on calls/ out of hours. All fellows will be expected to cover some service lists in addition to work in their areas of interest.

The on-going education and training of all our trainees is an integral part of our department’s activities.  As well as high levels of clinical supervision and focused exam preparation programs, we have a weekly afternoon teaching session for all trainees including Fellows comprised of workshops, topical presentations by trainees and consultants, and a quality improvement session during which interesting and challenging cases are discussed in an open, constructive forum.

The ANZCA ‘Roles in Practice’ form a framework for selection. Successful career progress and strong professional references are essential. We recruit highly motivated trainees who will work enthusiastically and respectfully as part of the Alfred Health team. Having clear goals for the fellowship experience and their future career stands applicants in good stead. International applicants should be at (or near the end of) their specialty training program, including successful completion of relevant post graduate exams at the time of application.