Our program offers two, one-year fellowship positions in obstetric anesthesiology under the direction of David J. Birnbach, M.D., and a staff of fellowship-trained obstetric anesthesiologists. The members of the division of obstetric anesthesia provide labor analgesia for approximately 90 percent of our nearly 8,000 deliveries each year. This active service provides ample opportunity for fellows to supervise and personally administer numerous neuraxial blocks.

A labor and delivery ICU at Jackson Memorial Hospital is used for management of very high risk parturients. This allows the anesthesiologists and obstetricians to work together as a team to provide optimum care for the highest-risk group of pregnant patients, including those whose diseases necessitate the use of invasive monitoring.

A close relationship with the obstetricians and neonatologists provides an excellent environment for patient care and joint research endeavors. Weekly interdepartmental conferences allow the obstetric anesthesiology fellow to better understand and communicate the problems of the high-risk parturient. While on the labor floor, obstetric anesthesia fellows have the opportunity to teach residents and medical students. There are presently 6 IRB-approved obstetric anesthesia research projects ongoing. These studies are funded by grant support from the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation, Society for Education in Anesthesia, Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology, B. Braun Inc., and GSK. Each fellow is expected to participate in ongoing research as well as to design, attain IRB approval for, and implement a research project. A monthly obstetric anesthesiology conference with a statistician exposes the fellows to the statistical analyses necessary to conduct clinical research.

For additional information, please contact Miriam Martinez at (305) 585-6973 or via e-mail.