Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship Program

Anita Akbar-Ali, M.D.

Welcome to the Pediatric Anesthesia Fellowship program of University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) located at Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH).

Our program provides unique opportunity with unparalleled educational experience to our fellows aiding them into future leaders of pediatric anesthesiology. As the only tertiary care pediatric facility of the state and small program size, our fellows enjoy a wide array of cases with enormous clinical volume, personable learning environment and academic advancement. With one of the most diverse and invigorating faculty and leadership, we aim to work collaboratively with our learners to enhance critical thinking and enrich their learning opportunities/experience.

We value your decision to pursue a fellowship and dedicate one more year of your precious life to formal training. Based on this philosophy, our program tailors and individualize the fellowship year towards achieving your goals and expectations.

On behalf of our faculty, we greatly appreciate your interest in our program. As you explore our website, we hope you are inspired by the exceptional opportunity at Arkansas Children’s Hospital that inspire us every day.

Sincerely,

Anita Akbar Ali, M.D.
Program Director, Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

Our program is dedicated to training the next generation of Pediatric Anesthesiologists to deliver exceptional perioperative clinical care to complex pediatric patients. We foster an environment of teaching, inquiry, and scientific discovery while prioritizing wellness and inclusion. This approach aligns with our institutional mission to enhance the health, healthcare, and well-being of Arkansans and individuals in the surrounding region.

The Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship program aims to:

1. To train proficient pediatric anesthesiologists by providing opportunities to advance their medical knowledge, clinical and interpersonal skills, professional attitude, system and practice based learning while offering a wide variety of cases and health learning environment.
2. To pass general anesthesia oral board exam and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) and pediatric anesthesia board exam, by using the provided mock oral board preparation course, ultimate board preparation course, mock OSCEs, and rotation-based exam modules.
3. To provide a curriculum including but not limited to lectures, problem based learning, peer instructions, journal clubs, cases conference, and grand rounds.
4. To provide Simulation Scenarios at our MOCA-approved Simulation Center for procedural based learning and case management training.
5. To provide supervisory/management skills by offering an “OR Supervision” rotation to help enrich trainee’s professional development in future care team leadership roles in the community.
6. To have our graduates join as faculty at Arkansas Children’s Hospital to help improve overall infrastructure of the department as well as, retention and recruitment of innovative faculty.
7. To train individuals to contribute to the profession of Pediatric Anesthesiology through leadership in advocacy for patients in Arkansas and others in the region.