The trainee will be exposed to lists at least two days per week of dedicated regional anaesthesia. Other days of the week will be spent in theatre with high-risk cases and various service-orientated lists which often still have good regional anaesthesia potential.
At Westmead Hospital, there are ample opportunities to be exposed to a variety of surgical specialties where regional anaesthesia is highly sought after. These include 1-2 orthopaedic lists per day (trauma and elective), regular vascular lists (including fistula formation where regional anaesthesia is used as the sole anaesthetic), breast surgery (for PECS blocks), ophthalmology lists (for eye blocks) and numerous complex upper GI, colorectal and thoracic surgical lists (for thoracic epidurals, TAP catheters, etc)
In addition, Westmead Hospital pain services cater for a large trauma and post-operative population, where regional anaesthesia is a crucial integrated component in care. Given the large exposure to trauma patients, especially those with rib and neck of femur fractures, the regional provisional fellow will be taught and then expected to assist and/or perform relevant blocks (thoracic epidurals, facia iliaca catheters, paravertebral catheters, serratus anterior catheters, etc) on the ward.
Opportunity to be part of ongoing regional anaesthesia research projects including audits/trials and teach on the regional anaesthesia teaching workshop run every 6-8 weeks.
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For more information http://www.westmeadanaesthesia.org/fellowships/regional-anaesthesia-provis.html