Anesthesiology and intensive care are critical components of modern medicine, enabling pain-free surgeries and procedures. Anesthesiologists who focus on critical care medicine specialize in the administration of anesthesia for critically ill patients. Critical care anesthesiologists train with a multidisciplinary focus and monitor their patients’ well-being before, during, and after any surgical procedure. In other words, the specialists manage pain relief, monitor vital signs, and handle emergency situations, such as heart failure, kidney injury, or liver transplantation.
From July 14 to 20, 2024, course director Dr. Hugh C. Hemmings, Jr. from Weill Cornell Medicine and co-course director Dr. Oliver Kimberger from the Medical University of Vienna jointly led the 29th annual Salzburg Weill Cornell Seminar in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care. They were supported by the excellent faculty group of nine, including Dr. Shona Lee, Dr. Ankur Srivastava (both Weill Cornell Medicine), Dr. Lars I. Eriksson (Karolinska University Hospital), Dr. David Baron, Dr. Razvan Bologheanu, Dr. Johannes Gratz, Dr. Mathias Maleczek Dr. Bernhard Roessler, and Dr. Judith Schiefer (Medical University of Vienna).
We were honored to have Dr. Eriksson, the co-editor of Miller’s Textbook of Anesthesia, a well-known book among anesthesiologists, with us this week! From fundamental principles to advanced subspecialty procedures, the book covers the full scope of contemporary anesthesia practice.
Course director Dr. Hemmings, Jr., who served the program for the 21st time, explains that “the seminar was notable for the highly engaged faculty and fellows who immersed themselves in a broad program of lectures, workshops, and case presentations. Lectures included talks on basic physiology, pharmacology, and anatomy, as well as on clinical topics, such as critical care, trauma, emergency medicine, regional anesthesia, and pain management. The fellows participated in hands-on workshops on clinical simulation, UGRA (Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia), and eFAST (Extended Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma). Each fellow presented a focused case presentation from their practice that highlighted shared problems and different approaches from Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America.”
The course week was packed with exciting learning and networking opportunities, which the 38 fellows, who arrived from 33 countries, were excited to partake in. This extraordinary number of participants’ home countries also marks this course as the most international ever held at the OMI! The young doctors soaked up the knowledge provided to them by world-renowned experts during 20 didactic lectures.
Dr. Lee, who joined the faculty for the first time this week, had the following to say about her experience at the OMI: “I was thoroughly impressed and inspired by my first experience at the OMI. It was obvious from the very first communication with administrators that meticulous attention and effort is invested to make this program a florid success for fellows and faculty alike. This enthusiasm and effort continued throughout, and it was an honor to be surrounded by talented and ambitious physicians from around the world. With the new relationships and knowledge gained, I have no doubt we will all return to our respective communities better equipped to provide excellent care for our deserving patients. Of course, it was also incredible to experience the beautiful Salzburg landscape, culture, and social connection.”
The hands-on training workshops on Tuesday and Wednesday thrilled the participants because they were able to practice their teamwork and emergency response skills. The group was split into four smaller portions to ensure that each fellow got the most out of the sessions. There was a total of three different stations: Simulation, eFAST, and UGRA. During the simulation training, fellows responded to simulated emergencies, which mirrored real-life scenarios that they could encounter in operating rooms or intensive care units, such as heart attacks or obstructed airways. After successfully dealing with the emergencies, the participants reflected on what went well and points to improve on. At the eFAST station, fellows learned how to spot immediate medical problems using ultrasound, such as ruptured organs, in trauma patients. The UGRA station focussed on detecting useful anatomical indications using ultrasound techniques.
Michal Fedorczak, MD
OMI fellow from Poland
María Fernanda Figueroa Caballero, MD
OMI fellow from Mexico
“Sharing knowledge, techniques, and viewpoints on clinical cases with colleagues from all over the world has been truly inspiring. Additionally, getting to know them personally and discussing different cultures has been immensely enriching.”
Minh V. A. Phan, MD
OMI fellow from Vietnam
“Dr. Hemmings captivated our attention with his insightful lecture on molecular mechanisms of anesthesia and provided us with a comprehensive understanding of this complex topic.”
Jackson Kwizera Ndekezi, MD
OMI fellow from Rwanda
