If asked to describe the term "anesthesiologist scholar", one may receive a variety of definitions depending on the individual's area of practice, location in the world, and the generation in which they trained. In this article, we review the roles of five core elements that make an anesthesiologist a "scholar": skills in critical appraisal, literature review, quality improvement, journal club participation, and presentation delivery. Although this list of scholarly components is not comprehensive, review of each element's role in the everyday practice and training of physicians will offer insight into their evolution and may offer a glimpse into the future of anesthesiologist scholars. Overall, through the dissemination, recognition, and support of scholarship through these practices, we will continue to achieve meaningful outcomes for our patients and promote a culture of collaboration worldwide. We should ensure that these topic areas become a bedrock of medical education globally, and we must foster opportunities for those who have already completed training to develop and master these skills as a part of their clinical and academic practice.
Much has been said in various anaesthetic journals about the need to teach medical undergraduates in areas such as basic life support skills and resuscitation. Anaesthesiology as a specialty can contribute significantly in this aspect of teaching. The question is how should it be incorporated into the existing curriculum, given the fact that anaesthesiology constitutes a minor role in the undergraduate medical curriculum? This article attempts to answer this question and proposes the possible integration of anaesthesiology with the other major clinical specialties. This curriculum forms the basis of anaesthesiology curriculum at the Kulliyah of Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) has more than 200 accredited training sites in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore, many of which participate in ANZCA Clinical Trials Network (CTN)-endorsed clinical trials. We undertook a survey of accredited sites to determine research capability, activity and potential. With ethics committee approval an electronic survey was distributed to accredited sites in July 2015. Of 207 accredited sites, 167 were sent the questionnaire (after eliminating ineligible sites) and 128 responded. Response rates for Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore were 100%, 100%, 35%, 25% and 75% respectively. Forty-four (34%) of 128 responding sites had a head of research; 101 (80%) of 126 responding sites were active in research; 42 (33%) of 126 responding sites had no publications since January 2011 and 15 (12%) had >50 publications; 95 (76%) of 125 responding sites had at least one specialist anaesthetist engaged in research (median = 4 [range 1-25]); and 45 (36%) of 125 responding sites had at least one research coordinator (median = 2 [range 1-15]). Fifty-eight (28%) of the 207 accredited sites were identified as participating in recent ANZCA CTN-endorsed clinical trials. Research capability and activity were higher in these sites. This survey has identified a strong base upon which to expand clinical trial activity, and regions, sectors, investigators and research coordinators who may benefit from additional support.
An innovative assembly to maintain isoflurane anaesthesia in rats is described. This assembly was used successfully in laboratory rats for dental procedures that may last as long as sixty minutes. Repeated exposures to isoflurane anaesthesia, of up to eight times within a 30-day study period in healthy laboratory rats did not result in any observable adverse-effects.
Singapore is a small Southeast Asian island city-state located at the tip of the Malay peninsula with a population of 5.61 million people. It was a former British colony that went on to become a part of Malaysia before gaining independence in 1965. Since then, Singapore has developed tremendously from a small fishing village into the region's medical hub. This article will explore the roots of cardiac anesthesia in Singapore and how it has developed into a subspecialty today.