Navigating the Clinical Component
Hands-On Excellence in a Community-Based Teaching Hospital
Whether you are stepping into a leadership role or focusing purely on clinical practice, the day-to-day experience at Kaweah Health is grounded in meaningful, hands-on patient care. The department of anesthesiology supports a high-volume, diverse surgical program and fosters strong interdisciplinary collaboration. With residents in-house 24/7 and CRNAs providing overnight and OB support, both Program Directors and General Anesthesiologists can focus on quality care without unnecessary burden.
Clinical Environment and Case Types
You will provide anesthesia for a wide variety of cases in a single, centralized community hospital that runs 10–12 ORs daily (up to 14 total) plus two endoscopy suites. The typical weekday volume is 30–40 cases, with common procedures in:
- General surgery, orthopedics, trauma, vascular, endoscopy, podiatry
- OB coverage is occasional and supported by 24-hour CRNA staffing
- Cardiac cases are handled exclusively by dedicated cardiac anesthesiologists
- Conscious sedation is not practiced—MAC is used instead
- This is a general anesthesiology position with no sub-specialization; providers are expected to be comfortable covering all areas of the OR including OBGYN, Endoscopy, Vascular, and Main OR
On call days, you’ll work on-site until approximately 5pm, then take call from home. Call volume after hours is moderate, with overnight return to hospital only about 50% of the time.
Schedule and Clinical Workload
- 54-hour workweek: 3×10-hour shifts + 1 weekday 24-hour call + post-call day off
- ORs begin at 7am; taper down from 10–12 during the day to 4–5 after 7pm
- Overnight coverage is streamlined thanks to residents taking first call and a CRNA assigned to the main OR after 11pm
- Call requirement: be within 30 minutes of the hospital
- Weekend call is not required for Program Directors
Academic and Teaching Responsibilities (Program Director Role)
If you’re serving as Program Director, your clinical time mirrors that of a generalist—two to three days per week in the OR—while your remaining hours are dedicated to academic oversight and resident education. You’ll:
- Oversee and teach residents in a growing program (4 to 6 per year)
- Lead didactic sessions each Monday (1pm–6pm)
- Conduct monthly program reviews and feedback sessions with trainees
- Facilitate use of simulation labs and structure outside rotations
- Collaborate with GME partners at USC, UC Irvine, and Valley Children’s
- Opportunities available to participate in research alongside the residency program
Collaborative and Supported Practice
The clinical environment is designed to promote efficiency and autonomy:
- Residents provide in-house coverage 24/7 and take first call
- Most cases are performed with at least one resident involved, enriching the educational environment
- CRNAs work independently or in collaborative teams depending on volume and case complexity
- EMR system not specified but described as efficient and modern
- Cases are block scheduled for predictability and balance
- There are no clinical quality incentives tied to performance
Patient Population and Service Area
- The county has a population of more than 440,000 residents
- Population grew by 20% between 2000 and 2010
- The patient population is diverse and reflects the cultural and socioeconomic variety of California’s Central Valley
Whether you are leading residents or managing your own caseload, you’ll benefit from a structured yet flexible environment that respects physician time, clinical autonomy, and teamwork.