Anesthesiology Residency Program

Welcome

Thank you for considering our residency program. I’m honored to serve as the program’s director. My colleague, Dr. Santiago Luis, serves as the program’s associate director. Our program has matured considerably in the past few years. From our initial 2 classes totaling 10 residents in 2017 we now have a total of twenty (five in each class). I’m pleased to share that our first class of graduating residents all went on to fellowships at some of the most prestigious institutions in the country.

The primary location of our residency program is on the main campus in Weston, Florida. The hospital was built in 2000 and our facilities have recently undergone a $300 million expansion. This expansion includes a 221,000 square foot tower adjacent to the existing hospital. This tower doubles our ICU capacity and increases our total beds to approximately 270. We have also recently opened a state of the art Harry T. Mangurian Jr. Simulation Center. We have a strong foundation and continue to grow!

I believe that we offer the best of both worlds in that we have a dynamic environment offering cutting edge procedures enriched by a diverse patient population, but our scale is not overwhelming. I often hear patients talking in Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Hebrew or a myriad of other languages. Many of our patients are, of course, year-round Florida residents, but a significant segment of our patient demographic travel from overseas to receive care. I believe that reflects the quality and reputation that our institution has built over the years.

In the nine years I have been here the range of advanced procedures being performed has markedly increased. Residents have the opportunity to work on exciting cases in the clinic ranging from minimally invasive structural heart disease procedures to robotic orthopedic operations. In fact, we have reached the point we have dedicated teams for select subspecialties. As a resident you will be mentored by attendings who excel in their specialized areas of practice.

Unlike large teaching hospitals, our residents and 25 attendings quickly get to know each other. You won’t get lost in the crowd here. Our culture is hard working, but very relaxed and informal. Our attendings have embraced our program enthusiastically both in terms of mentoring and providing academic lectures. If you interview with us I think you’ll understand that not only do we work hard, but we also have fun working together.

Of course we are looking for academically strong candidates. But just as importantly we really want residents who genuinely feel a call to medicine as their life’s work. This calling includes a dedication to learning, positive attitude, attention to detail and tireless service to patients. Our program offers multiple opportunities to fulfill that calling in both research and patient care.

We are fortunate to be part of Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF). CCF’s reach is truly global with facilities in three states, Canada and the UAE. As part of CCF we often draw upon the academic acumen of our sister institution in Cleveland, Ohio for lectures, workshops, research opportunities and optional rotations for residents to gain experience in various subspecialties.

I invite you to consider our program. If you desire more information please contact our residency coordinator Rocio Garcia-Lantigua at garciar9@ccf.org.

Tatiana Jamroz, MD
Program Director

Juan Ampuero, MD
Associate Program Director

Program Overview

The Anesthesiology Residency Training Program at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital is a four-year educational continuum approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the American Board of Anesthesiology. This includes one year of non-anesthesia clinical training (Clinical Base Year) and three years of clinical anesthesia training (CA-1, CA-2, and CA-3 years).

Why Choose Cleveland Clinic Florida

Cleveland Clinic Florida is comprised of more than 285 physicians with expertise in 55 specialties. The medical campus continues to evolve and includes diagnostic centers, outpatient surgery facilities, and a 24-hour emergency department located in a state-of-the-art hospital.

Our department strives to teach resident physicians the knowledge, skills, and professionalism required for clinical excellence; promote compassionate patient care; inspire a sense of inquiry and lifelong learning; and develop leaders in anesthesiology, pain medicine, and critical care for the 21st century.&

Our clinical training program offers:

• Over 21,000 anesthetics annually.
• Excellent case variety [general surgery, minimally invasive, bariatric, orthopedic, gynecologic, urologic, ENT, endocrine, hepatobiliary, colorectal, thoracic, neuro, pain, cardiac, transplant. (cardiac, liver and kidney), vascular, critical care, and extensive regional anesthesia experience].
• Residents are assigned based on educational rather than service needs.
• Great environment for resident training promoting consistently high resident satisfaction.

Our comprehensive education program is designed to provide a framework to ensure academic achievement. Residents are relieved from clinical duties to attend weekly, four-hour formal didactic sessions. These sessions include lectures, journal club, case discussions, resident presentations and in-depth review of topics selected from the American Board of Anesthesiology content outline. All residents prepare and present a rigorously researched review of a self-selected topic during their third year of training in consultation with a faculty mentor. In addition, several of our physicians have ongoing research projects and encourage resident participation.

Curriculum

Educational conferences

The didactic component of the residency provides diverse opportunities each week for residents and faculty alike to interact and enhance learning. These include Clinical Outcomes Conference, Journal Club, Textbook Review and Clinical Case Conferences to achieve the essential education upon which clinical experiences are built.

Conferences and lectures are designed to be challenging to residents but specific for their level of training.

Clinical rotations

The Anesthesiology Department is proud to sponsor a comprehensive and unique Clinical Base Year (CBY), specifically designed to prepare first year residents for advanced training in our residency. In addition to broad clinical experience, this internship prepares the first year resident for a smooth entry into their CA-1 year. Regular participation in anesthesiology conferences and activities makes the CBY resident a full participant in the Anesthesiology Department. In the CA-1 year, residents build on the concepts and skills introduced in the CBY and continue to administer anesthesia using a wide variety of techniques for general, orthopedic, urological, gynecological, obstetric anesthesia, ambulatory, ENT, neurological, and bariatric surgery. Additional time is spent in the surgical intensive care unit, pre-anesthesia clinic, the postoperative anesthesia care unit, and with the Acute Pain Service.

After intense exposure to the fundamentals of Anesthesiology during the CBY and CA-1 years, the CA-2 year introduces residents to the more complex anesthesia subspecialties, including neuroanesthesia, cardiac and thoracic anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia, major vascular anesthesia, and liver transplantation. Residents will also gain additional experience in the management of the difficult airway during a special module dedicated to ENT anesthesia. There will be numerous opportunities to provide anesthesia in remote locations – including GI suites, bronchoscopy suites, EP and cardiac catheterization labs, MRI and interventional radiology. In addition, residents gain further exposure to obstetric anesthesia and regional anesthesia to provide a longitudinal learning experience and to solidify their knowledge in these sub-specialties.

The CA-3 year provides the senior resident with a wealth of opportunities to fine-tune their clinical and leadership skills while providing anesthesia and intensive care with significant autonomy to some of our sickest patients. Additional subspecialty exposure is gained in ambulatory and regional anesthesia, obstetric anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia, neuroanesthesia, anesthesia for vascular surgery, adult cardiothoracic anesthesia and surgical critical care. The large number and complexity of operative procedures performed at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital provide our residents with abundant experience in clinical anesthesia and the opportunity to develop sub-specialization skills.

Rotations include:

• Airway Management.
• Ambulatory Anesthesia.
• Cardiology.
• Cardiothoracic Anesthesia.
• Elective.
• ENT.
• Emergency Medicine.
• General Anesthesia.
• General Surgery.
• Internal Medicine.
• Interventional Radiology.
• Neurology.
• Neurosurgical Anesthesia.
• Non-Operating Room Anesthesia (NORA).
• Obstetric Anesthesia at West Boca Medical Center.
• Outpatient Surgery Center.
• Orthopedic Anesthesia.
• Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU).
• Pain Management.
• Pediatric Anesthesia at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
• Preoperative Clinic.
• Pulmonology.
• Research.
• Regional Anesthesia.
• Simulation Center at Nova Southeastern University.
• Surgical Intensive Care Unit.
• TEE/TTE (elective).
• Transplant Anesthesia.
• Vascular Anesthesia.

Simulation experiences

Simulation training is integrated throughout the residents' curriculum in conjunction with the Nova Southeastern University Simulation Center. High-fidelity simulation scenarios will stress emergency intraoperative events and the management of those events. The principles of crisis resource management and team training will be integrated into the learning experience. In addition, common anesthesia procedures and airway maneuvers will be taught and rehearsed as part of a comprehensive skills training curriculum including workshops on POCUS, lung isolation, regional anesthesia, and IV access.

Eligibility requirements for certifying board examinations:*

• To be eligible to register for the Traditional Part 1 Examination, candidates must have satisfactorily completed 36 months of clinical anesthesiology training.
• Without prior approval from the ABA, a candidate may be absent from training up to a total of 60 working days (12 weeks) during the CA 1-3 years of training.
• Attendance at scientific meetings, not to exceed five working days per year, shall be considered part of the training program and not count toward the absence calculation.
• The ABA will consider requests for up to 40 additional days (8 weeks) away from training (over and above the 60 working days). Such additional leave of absence time must be approved by the ABA as follows:
• Any request for such leave must be received by the ABA within four weeks of the resident’s resumption of the residency program.
• The request shall be in writing from the program director, countersigned by the department chair (if that person is different than the program director), and the resident.
• The request must include: (1) the reason for the absence training request (as an example, serious medical illness, parental or family leave that are covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act would be reasons acceptable to the ABA) and (2) documentation about how all clinical experiences and educational objectives will be met.

Absences in excess of those described above will require lengthening of the total training time to compensate for the additional absences from training. The additional training days required will be equal to the total number of working days missed beyond (1) the 60 working days (without need for ABA approval); and (2) the additional 40 working days (approved by the ABA).

HCA Florida Kendall Hospital

This facility is located 35 minutes from the Weston campus and includes a dedicated birthing pavilion, Level II and Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU). The anesthesia team is involved in 95% of the annual deliveries performed in 12 contemporary and private labor and delivery rooms, 23 private mother-baby rooms. HCA Florida Kendall Hospital provides anesthesia opportunities in the provision of anesthesia for labor and vaginal deliveries, cesarean sections, postpartum tubal ligations, and other surgical procedures performed in the Delivery Suite.

Miami Children’s Health System - Nicklaus Children’s Hospital

Located approximately 30 minutes from the Weston campus, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is ranked among “America’s Best” by U.S. News and World Report in 2011, 2012 & 2014. The Miami Children’s Hospital (MCH) will provide the required pediatric anesthesia experience for our residents. Working with a renowned staff of 14 pediatric anesthesiologists, anesthesia residents receive an outstanding clinical experience in all aspects of pediatric anesthesiology, including neonatal, cardiac, craniofacial, neurosurgical, ophthalmic, head and neck, and outpatient anesthesia plus pediatric pain management and critical care. MCH performs over 2,000 major and 1,500 minor surgical procedures each year, giving wide exposure to all aspects of pediatric anesthesia to our CA-2 and CA-3 residents.

The following items are available to residents within all three facilities: showers, sleeping rooms, secure areas (lockers or rooms that can be locked), cafeteria, vending machines, parking within 5 minutes of the facility, and WIFI.

Application

Our program participates in the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) and offers five categorical positions per year. Applicants may submit their completed applications via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).

Completed ERAS applications to be reviewed by the Selection Committee include:

• ERAS application with photo.
• Personal statement.
• Curriculum vitae.
• Copy of medical school transcripts.*
• Copy of USMLE transcripts, Steps 1 & 2* (we do not accept COMLEX).
• Three letters of recommendation.
• MSPE or Dean’s letter.
• ECFMG certification, if applicable [we support J1, H1b, and E3 visas].

*Official transcripts mailed directly from your medical school, and USMLE transcripts mailed directly from ECFMG, FSMB, or NBME (as applicable) are required prior to employment but not for the application process.

Application deadline is October 1.

Interviews will be conducted from October thru mid-January. Please allow time for a social event the evening before your interview and the opportunity to meet some of our Anesthesia residents.

For AY 2023-2024, program interviews will be conducted virtually October thru mid-January.

Benefits

2024 – 2025 Resident and Fellow Salaries

Level of Training	Annual Salary
PGY 1	$61,133
PGY 2	$63,713
PGY 3	$66,231
PGY 4	$69,647

Chief Resident and Chief Fellow salaries are not included in this final amount. Contact the GME Office for information on Chief Resident and Chief Fellow allocations for AY 2024 – 2025.

Insurance

• Healthcare: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital covers 50% of annual Healthcare Plans for Clinical Trainees and their families, effective the first day of training with no waiting period.
• Dental and Vision Care: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital covers 100% of annual Dental and Vision Care Plans for Clinical Trainees.
• Maternity Care: 100% coverage is provided through the health care plan that you select within the plan’s guidelines.
• Prescription Drug Coverage: As outlined by the Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital Health Plan.
• Malpractice: Paid by the Cleveland Clinic Educational Foundation/ Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital. Limited to activities within the training program.
• Life Insurance: $25,000 term group policy.
• Disability Insurance.

Paid time away*

• Vacation: 3 weeks (15 working days) provided at the beginning of each academic year. This time cannot be rolled over.
• Maternity: 8 weeks paid leave for natural childbirth or adoption; 8 weeks for cesarean section. Additional time off unpaid up to a maximum of 12 weeks under the Family Medical Leave Act.
• Paternity: 4 weeks paid leave. Additional time off unpaid up to a maximum of 12 weeks under the Family Medical Leave Act.

Travel privileges and other educational activities

Senior residents, chief residents in ACGME and non-ACGME programs that meet eligibility criteria, as outlined in the Graduate Physicians’ Manual, may be approved to attend academic meetings for the purpose of presenting or engaging in leadership roles within national societies and will be eligible for up to 5 days per academic year with a maximum reimbursement of $2,500 per academic year.

Additional benefits

• Book Allowance – A $1,000 educational allowance per year is available to all clinical residents. Primary use is for textbooks.
• On-call Meals – Breakfast, lunch and dinner: Paid by Cleveland Clinic Florida when on in house night call.
• Membership – ASA membership paid for by the program.
• Cell phones – Apple iPhone provided to all residents.
• Uniforms – Supplied by Cleveland Clinic Florida.
• Access to Medical Library Resources.
• Access to TrueLearn.

Our Team

Faculty

Ira Abels, MD Staff	Saman Ahmadi, MD Staff	Juan Ampuero, MD Associate Director
Juan Botero, MD Vice Chair	Russell Brockwell, MD Staff	Rafael Cabrales, MD Staff
Ribal Darwish, MD Staff	Amir Dawoud, MD Staff	George DeVelasco, MD Department Chair
Lilibeth Fermin, MD Staff	Cherie Fisher, MD Medical Director of OR	Sofia Fischer, MD Staff
Steven Gill, MD Associate Staff	Juan Giraldo, MD Staff	Enrique Huertas, MD Vice Chair
Jeffrey Jacobs, MD Regional Institute Chair	Tatiana Jamroz, MD Program Director	Izabela Jugovac, MD Staff
Helene Logginidou, MD Staff	Santiago Luis, MD Associate Program Director	Steven Minear, MD Staff
Bryan Nevil, MD Staff	Edward Noguera, MD Staff	Emmmanouil Palaios, MD Staff
Brandon Rein, DO Staff	Carlos Rodriguez, MD Staff	Jamal Sampson, MD Staff
Armin Shivazad, MD Staff	Amanda Spector, MD Staff	Rafik Tadros, MD Staff
Guillermo Velasquez, MD Staff

Administrative staff

• Iris Santos: Department Supervisor III
• Xiomara Santos Santiago: Division Office Coordinator

Residency coordinator

Rocio Garcia-Lantigua
954.659.5773
garciar9@ccf.org

Current Residents

Class of 2024

Eva Yi Fan Chen, MD
Saint Louis University School of Medicine

Bradley Alexander Hollmann, MD
University of Texas Medical School At San Antonio

Alexander Attia Khrestian, MD
University of Toledo College of Medicine

Simone Phang-Lyn, DO
Nova Southeastern College Of Osteo Medicine

Wai Lok Tsang, MD
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Class of 2025

Samuel Arroyo-Rivera, MD
Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine

Premal Bhupesh Desai, MD
Saint Louis University School of Medicine

Gabriel Garcia Barrera, MD
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

Rahul Gupta, MD
Saint Louis University School of Medicine

Alfredo Terrero Rodriguez III, MD
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

Class of 2026

Stanley Green, MD
Wake Forest School of Medicine

Claudia Joanna Hartman, MD
Wake Forest School of Medicine

Ashton Reed Huey, MD
University of Cincinnati College

Joshua McLean, MD
Georgetown University

Derek Miller, MD
Florida State University

Class of 2027

Justin Michael Burnett, MD
Drexel University College of Medicine

Jamshed Darius Desai, MD
Florida Atlantic University

Michael Patrick Guertin, MD
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Eugene Michanine, MD
Wayne State University

Anjeli Alpesh Patel, MD
Augusta University

Alumni

2023

• Andres Giraldo, DO 
  Regional Anesthesia & Acute Pain Medicine Fellowship 
  University of California- Irvine, California 
• Monnica Morales, DO
  Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship 
  Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio 
• Laura Glicksman, DO 
  Regional Anesthesiology & Acute Pain Medicine Fellowship 
  University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 
• Andrew Sidhom, MD
  Chronic Pain Fellowship 
  University of Michigan, Michigan 
• Patrick Torres, DO
  Cardiothoracic Anesthesia Fellowship 
  Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio

2022

• Paola Aranda-Valderrama, MD
  Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship
  John Hopkins University - Baltimore, Maryland
• Sameep Baral, MD
  Pain Medicine
  Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC
• Vadzim Lapkouski, MD
  Practice: Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana
• Mario Pimentel, MD
  Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship
  Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio
• Snehal Raut, MD
  Regional Anesthesiology & Acute Pain Medicine Fellowship
  University Of California, Davis Sacramento, California

2021

• Ricardo Plata Aguilar, MD
  Pain Medicine
  University of Colorado
• Hannah Joy Tuckwell, MD
  Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship
  Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan
• Eduardo A. Irizarry Nieves, MD
  Interventional Pain Management
  John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County
• Gerges Azer, MD
  Acute Pain and Regional Anesthesia Fellowship
  University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
• Jeremy Armbruster, MD
  Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Management
  University of North Carolina

2020

• Andrea Farela, MD
  Cardiothoracic and Critical Care Fellowship
  Yale
• Tarrah Foley, MD
  Regional Anesthesia Fellowship
  Johns Hopkins
• Daniel Ramirez, MD
  Pediatric Anesthesia Fellowship
  Montefiore, Medical Center
• Gloria Rodriguez, MD
  Cardiothoracic Anesthesia Fellowship
  Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
• Rebecca Wong, MD
  Pediatric Anesthesia Fellowship
  UPMC

Research

The Anesthesia Research Group focuses heavily on perioperative outcomes and critical care medicine. Our inclusion and strong partnership with the Cleveland Clinic Anesthesia Outcomes Research Consortium provides strong opportunities for resident participation. Directed regionally by Dr. Steven Minear, our residents and our several research fellows are active in numerous prospective and retrospective studies, including:

• POISE-3: PeriOperative ISchemic Evaluation-3. We participate in this multicenter, international, randomized controlled trial of tranexamic acid (TXA) versus placebo and, using a partial factorial design, of a perioperative hypotension-avoidance versus hypertension-avoidance strategy. The primary objectives are related to bleeding and adverse events following noncardiac surgery.
• Cog-POISE: This sub-study RCT relates the POISE-3 interventions to perioperative delirium.
• COP-AF: Colchicine for the Prevention of Perioperative Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Undergoing Thoracic Surgery. This multicenter randomized controlled trial will assess whether the administration of oral colchicine will reduce the incidence of perioperative atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing major thoracic surgery.
• Perioperative lidocaine and ketamine in abdominal surgery: Our group runs this single-site, randomized-controlled clinical trial studying perioperative pain outcomes using both or either of these drugs versus placebo as infusions during major abdominal surgery.
• ACTIV-4: Accelerating COVID-10 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines: We are a investigating site for this large, multicenter RCT investigating anti-thrombotic strategies and outcomes related to COVID-19 infection.
• The Anesthesia Research Group participates in a number of COVID-19 related registries, including the VIRUS registry, an international registry coordinated by the Society of Critical Care Medicine regarding COVID-19 infection, and ECMOcard, an international registry coordinated by ELSO focusing on mechanical cardiopulmonary support.
• We have several industry-related studies related to ICU and intraoperative devices that are designed to investigate hemodynamic changes and their effects on kidney function, abdominal pressure, or arterial waveform analysis software.
• We have many retrospective analyses in progress regarding perioperative outcomes, vascular outcomes, and respiratory outcomes in liver transplant, mechanical circulatory support, and cardiac surgery.
• We have several more large-scale studies in development, and we are ALWAYS in need of participating residents and fellows!