Temple is an evolving program; the way it was my CA-1 year is very different from how it is now during my CA-3 year. The numbers of CRNAs has more than tripled, which allows for us to actually do what we are scheduled to do rather than be pulled to cover another OR. Also, that means we get out more predictably now, especially pre-call, because the ORs have coverage. That being said, the choice teaching cases still go to residents, while the CRNAs are on to cover all the "routine" stuff, unless "routine" stuff is requested by residents, usually CA-3s.
There is going to be the grand opening of our new Sim Center, and our department has booked space for various scenarios in there, to start this January.
Didactics are regular on Tuesdays. CA-1s have one hour every tuesday (after their Summer 2 month orientation where they have a lecture every day). CA-2/3s are split in 2 groups and have a lecture day every other tuesday, while excused from all clinical assignments. The morning consists of 3 hours of didactics. The afternoon will soon consist of Sim sessions, but right now also includes mock oral boards. Wednesday is our Grand Rounds Day, and preceding that at 6:15 am is another string of resident educational activities - written board prep, journal club, etc.
Cases are varied. We are definitely a cardiac heavy program - I have about triple the minimum of CT cases. We see a lot of high risk OB ranging from the usual pre-eclamptics, to abruptions, cord prolapses, to rarer stuff like severe pulm htn in pregnancy. No CRNAs go to OB, so it's entirely a resident rotation, and you will come out of this program very proficient in labor analgesia. We do Heart, Lung, Kidney, and Liver transplants, and also see a lot of VAD patients and a lot of ECMO patients. There are also a lot of robotic procedures - robotic urology, Colo-rectal, Gyn, and cardiac.
Call is frequent, about 6x in a month, with a CA-3 as leader who gets to come in at 11 am. On average, we get 2 weekends off per month. We see a lot of penetrating trauma overnight, being in North philadelphia, some of it minor, a lot of it major, where we have a Level 1 rapid transfuser in the room pumping in blood.
My class already has fellowships. 2 of us are doing Critical Care (UPMC and Miami/Jackson) and one is doing OB (UCSF). Another is considering pain, but after a year of PP, and the other 4 are going straight to PP. This program is very clinical, and not at all research-oriented. If you are the academic research type, this will be a difficult program for you to be able to do research on top of clinical obligations. We are very clinical, and you'll come out very well-trained.
