Year 5D anaesthetics rotation

Anaesthetics

Rotations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Mildura Base Hospital
Clinical supervisor:
Dr Saana Ismail, Anaesthetist

There are three specialist anaesthetists, two GP anaesthetists and one GP anaesthesia trainee working in the Department.
There are three theatres and an endoscopy suite.

Anaesthesia is an extremely hands-on practical specialty and the majority of your time will be spent in theatres. You will be rostered to be with an anaesthetist and will get lots of experience in intubation, cannulation, anaesthetic techniques and protocols. You will also spend time in recovery with the nursing staff, get exposure to pre-anaesthetic clinics, ICU, and pain rounds.

As per one of our past students: “If you feel at all uncomfortable with cannulas, after this rotation you’ll be able to cannulate a rock with a straw.”

What our students say about the anaesthetics rotation

The Mildura anaesthetics rotation was amongst the best rotations I had undertaken during medical school, having provided me with the most hands-on experience amongst all rotations. Through Mildura anaesthetics, I quickly learnt practical skills including drawing of medications, and the insertion of laryngeal mask airways, endotracheal tubes, arterial lines, and ultrasound-guided cannulas. Needless to say, I was provided with countless opportunities to insert cannulas, and with repeated practice, my cannulation skills improved drastically. I was also able to observe many procedures including insertion of epidurals/spinal anaesthetics, insertion of central venous lines, and nerve blocks.

All the staff in the Mildura anaesthetics department, which consists of anaesthetists as well as GP anaesthetists, are extremely keen on teaching and providing students with hands-on experience. As such, I was able to grasp key concepts of anaesthetics, gain an understanding of key anaesthetic medications, and learn how to operate the ventilator within the first week of my rotation. I was also able to attend ICU and pain rounds during my anaesthetics rotation.

In terms of preparations for intern year, Mildura anaesthetics is an ideal choice – it trains you to perform cannulations and draw medications efficiently, which are critical skills in emergency situations, and provides great education about acute care and various types of analgesics.

Yin Yu Lim 2019

Here's what one of 2015 students said about his anaesthetics rotation.