Paul M. Osunwa, Jr., M.D.
Welcome to the UAMS Anesthesiology Residency Program. We are glad that you have seen it fit to choose UAMS as one of the places where you see yourself continuing your Medical Education. Choosing a program to conduct your residency can be difficult given that you may not have traveled to Little Rock before or seen our institution in person. I was part of the first cohort of 2020-2021, which was mandated due to COVID-19, to have online interviews. Little Rock is a quaint city and UAMS is a system whereby your exposure to complex cases will be at its highest. As the state’s tertiary referral center, we see a wide range of pathologies as we are the only Level 1 Trauma Center in the state and deal with high-risk Obstetric cases that other centers in this state lack the resources to address. In 2020, the Division of Obstetric Anesthesia was designated a Center of Excellence by the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP).
I am a second-generation Nigerian and grew up in Southern California, just 2000 miles west of Little Rock, Arkansas. Before Medical School, I graduated from Texas Christian University and competed in NCAA Division 1 Track and Field as a shot putter. After working as an ICU Registered Nurse for 3 years, I attended St George’s University Medical School in Grenada West Indies, graduating Magna Cum Laude and serving as the President of the Student Government Association. As my path to medicine is non-traditional, it has added a deeper understanding of the work I do and an appreciation for all those who are not medical staff. As you will see in Residency many of your co-residents will come from various walks of life. At our program, you will be greatly supported in whichever stage of life you may be in. We believe that life continues and does not stop just because you are in residency.
Our Residency program believes in creating strong bonds with your co-residents and those you work with daily. As a department, we host multiple social events organized by our Wellness Committee as well as a class float trip down the Buffalo River to kick off the academic year once you matriculate as a CA-1. As an International Medical Graduate, there is a sense of comfort in knowing that our program is diverse in recruiting IMGs which adds to the overall experience of our residents.
As someone who has lived in many cities in the US and overseas, Little Rock offers an incredible food and brewery scene that I can say adds to my dining experience. There are a multitude of festivals (such as Harvest Fest, the Main Street Food Truck Festival, the World Cheese Dip Championship, and more). Being the “Natural State”, Arkansas has endless outdoor activities including hiking Pinnacle Mountain, camping in the Petit Jean Mountain area, floating the Buffalo River, and exploring the scenic trails both in Little Rock and in Northwest Arkansas. Living here is extremely affordable on a resident salary, with about half of our residents becoming homeowners during their four years. Little Rock is also both family-oriented and pet-friendly, and there’s even a bar downtown dedicated to the pups called the “Bark Bar.” Little Rock has a bit of everything all within about a 20-minute driving distance, and there is no traffic compared to someone like me who is from Southern CA!
Our faculty come from many walks of life, many were former teachers, engineers, and military personnel and have also practiced Anesthesia in many different countries other than the US. This added skill set and uniqueness to the field enhances the education of our residents. Residents and attendings at our program develop a great working relationship and a rapport that allows trust in and outside of the operating room.
As I’ve interviewed for future positions upon graduation next year, prospective employers have been impressed with the breadth of the UAMS clinical experience and the quality of our training. We hope we can provide some insight into the experience you might have as a future Anesthesia Resident at UAMS and encourage you to use us as a resource to help guide your decision-making. We look forward to talking with you and hope you will choose UAMS for your Anesthesia training.
Bryce Woods, M.D.
Welcome to the UAMS Anesthesiology Residency Program! The process of applying to residency programs is not easy, so I want to thank you for taking the time and effort to find out more about our hidden gem of a program.
The clinical opportunities at UAMS are unparalleled. Being the only Level 1 trauma center in the state, we have almost 3,000 trauma admissions each year, approximately 19,000 surgical cases, and a multi-state catchment area. Additionally, UAMS is the main high-risk obstetrics center in Arkansas, and in 2020 the Division of Obstetric Anesthesia was designated a Center of Excellence by the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP). This status is awarded to institutions that demonstrate excellence in obstetric care, setting benchmarks for optimal care to improve standards nationally. Arkansas Children’s Hospital is our free-standing Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center offering 18,000 anesthetics per year, giving you a wide complement of cases within pediatrics. We additionally have high volumes of liver transplants and high acuity heart cases. All this to say you will be introduced to complex surgical patients with multiple comorbidities early in your CA-1 year and consequently far exceed ACGME case minimums in all areas. Whether you decide to do general anesthesiology or pursue a fellowship, our residents perform exceptionally and match nationally at competitive fellowship programs in virtually every subspecialty of anesthesia.
In addition to our clinical experience, UAMS is dedicated to residents’ education. Our didactics consist of 3-hour sessions every week, and we have 24/7 access to our state-of-the-art simulation center, which is also one of the nationwide MOCA (Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology) centers. There are plenty of leadership opportunities to join including partaking in resident council, teaching medical students or co-residents, and volunteering for events. We also have ongoing research opportunities within obstetrics, regional, chronic pain, and neuroanesthesia – just to name a few.
Most importantly, our residents are like a family, and our support staff and coordinators are always here for us at any time. Even better, we have many incredible faculty members that are dedicated to seeing the residents succeed. If you decide to make UAMS your home for the next 4 years, you can rest assured that you will receive top notch clinical training and supportive mentorship, all while developing relationships that can last a lifetime. Thank you again for considering our program, we look forward to meeting you!