Anesthesiology Residency

SSM Health/Saint Louis University School of Medicine anesthesiology residency begins with a clinical base year that complies with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)’s Residency Review Committee requirements. We also provide a comprehensive practice management rotation in the first year.

The clinical base includes at least six months of experience in caring for inpatients in specialties such as internal medicine, pediatrics, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, and family medicine. Rotations in critical care and emergency medicine are required. These experiences form the foundation upon which subsequent training in anesthesiology occurs.

Letter from the Program Director

Welcome to the Saint Louis University School of Medicine Department of Anesthesiology — where deep clinical rigor meets a culture of mentorship, innovation and humanism. As program director, I'm proud to oversee a residency that not only prepares physicians for excellence in perioperative care, but also nurtures leadership, intellectual curiosity and compassionate service. 

Our curriculum blends immersive clinical experience across diverse patient populations in a variety of patient settings. From the operating rooms at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital to our rotations at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital and regional facilities, residents develop the technical expertise and situational judgment that define outstanding anesthesiologists. 

But what truly sets us apart is our people. You'll find advisors who challenge and support, faculty who invest in your growth, and a community that values reflection just as much as precision. We take seriously the work of shaping physicians who can thrive in high-stakes environments while leading with humility and empathy. 

Whether your interests lie in critical care, pediatrics, cardiology or pain management, our program offers pathways to explore and excel. We welcome applicants who bring curiosity, resilience and a commitment to advancing health care equity.

Saint Louis University is a Jesuit institution committed to service and scholarship. That mission resonates deeply in our residency, where we train skilled physicians and thoughtful advocates for our patients and profession. 

Thank you for considering the SLU SOM Department of Anesthesiology. I hope you'll take the time to learn more and envision how your story might grow here. 

Warmly,

Liz Cohen, M.D.
Program director

Clinical Anesthesia Training

As residents progress through clinical anesthesia year one and clinical anesthesia year two, they are given increasing levels of responsibility appropriate to their knowledge, skills and emerging clinical judgment.

Clinical anesthesia year one residents concentrate on general anesthesia at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital. During the first half of the first year, residents are introduced to pediatric anesthesiology. During the second half of their first year, they are introduced to rotations in critical care service, cardiothoracic heart and neurology.

Clinical anesthesia year two residents are exposed to the many subspecialty areas of anesthesia, and complete rotations in obstetric, pediatric and cardiothoracic anesthesia, as well as pain management and regional anesthesia. Residents in their second year may also spend additional time in an intensive care unit staffed by board-certified critical care-trained anesthesiologists. Residents assume primary responsibility for patients who present with multiple organ failures, trauma-related injury, neurosurgical procedures and organ transplantation.

Residents are responsible for both individual and team projects. The rotation culminates in a capstone project, presented in teams of two residents each, identifying the opportunity to apply sound practice management and quality improvement principles to institutional challenges and issues.

June Orientation and Training for Clinical Anesthesia Year One

Special training to orient incoming residents to the fundamentals of anesthesia practice begins with a comprehensive, month-long orientation in June of the clinical base year. Lectures are combined with one-on-one clinical time in the operating room to encourage residents to read about cases, interact with faculty in the operating room and increase their knowledge base.

Residency Program Features