During the late 1970s and early 1980s, the anesthesiology profession made significant changes to its residency training requirements. The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation was founded and closed claims and national database reporting was developed to study our specialty's process problems, linking them to patient death and disability. We recognized that changes to the educational curriculum and program requirements for anesthesiology and our institutional focus would significantly improve patient outcomes. Forty years later, we again need to re-evaluate and update our anesthesiology residents' educational requirements to continue to impact and improve patient care and outcomes.
The skills required for our future physician leaders are continually evolving. The 21st century resident's professional development will transcend the medical science and the clinical expertise necessary to provide high-quality, safe, and effective care. Physicians will be called upon to continue to fulfill their societal contract and impact health policy. Academic institutions need to understand the...
