Fellowship Details & Requirements

Our GME Office has preliminary eligibility requirements that all prospective trainees must meet before applying for a training program at our institution. In addition to these criteria, our program also the following requirements:  

• All candidates for the Advanced Airway Management (AAM) Fellowship Program must have completed a U.S. or Canada-accredited residency in Anesthesiology in good standing. They must be board-eligible or board-certified to practice.
• Consideration of trainees with other training backgrounds will be considered on a case-by-case basis.  
• Also eligible are graduates of medical schools and specialty training in Anesthesiology in good standing outside the United States and Canada who have received a currently valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) prior to appointment. 
• Must have an active license from the Texas Medical Board or be eligible to obtain a training permit from the Texas Medical Board.

Required application materials include:

• Curriculum vitae 
• Statement of Intent: Goals and reason for pursuing an Advanced Airway Management (AAM) Fellowship 
• Three Letters of Recommendation (LORs): If currently in a program, one letter must be from the Program Director. 
• Letter of Good Standing for current residents that indicates trainee standing and expected completion date from the program.

Post-acceptance materials include:

• USMLE, COMLEX, FLEX scores report 
• Original medical transcripts 
• Medical diploma: copy 
• Certificate of training completion – copy for each certification 

• Perform competently all procedures considered essential for the area of practice, including evaluation of airway imaging study, performing bedside airway assessment by flexible laryngoscopy and variety of advanced airway management skills
• Demonstrate an understanding of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of inhalational anesthetics, intravenous anesthetics, local anesthetics, and opioids, and their effects on airway management 
• Demonstrate understanding of the practice guidelines in airway management and its pathways in complex airway management scenarios 
• Demonstrate understanding of perioperative acute pain management and its effect on the airway, especially the effect of opioids 
• Perform transtracheal, superior laryngeal and glossopharyngeal nerve blocks 
• Demonstrate the ability to effectively supervise the clinical care of adult and pediatric patients by more junior trainees and other anesthesia providers
• Develop the ability to dictate concise, accurate, informative, and helpful consultation notes, clearly outlining the recommendations and explaining their rationale  
• Develop a proactive approach to managing patient and family expectations and needs 
• Actively participate in an information exchange about anesthetic care with patients, their families, and other health professionals, such as patient and family interview and case discussion with corresponding surgeons 

Fellows will demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, and cognate (e.g. epidemiological and social-behavioral) sciences and the application of this knowledge to the care of the cancer patient. Trainees will be able to describe comparative anatomy and physiology of the airway, in both adult and pediatrics. They will also be able to identify challenges and concerns of anesthesia management for complex airway procedures including but not limited to the following: 

• General Anesthesia 
• Cardiothoracic 
• Neuro-Anesthesia 
• Pediatrics 
• Head and Neck Surgery 
• Bronchoscopy Suite 
• Surgical ICU 
• Interventional Radiology Suite 
• Gastrointestinal Center 

As a graduate of the Advanced Airway Management Fellowship, you'll master advanced techniques in airway evaluation, fiberoptic intubation, and surgical airway procedures, becoming proficient in both routine and complex scenarios. You'll also gain experience working with innovative technologies and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to optimize patient safety and outcomes.   

Our trainees have the opportunity to work alongside leading  cancer experts at MD Anderson and institutions across the Texas Medical Center. Additionally, our trainees receive exceptional support from the fellowship leadership team: 

Monique Rodriguez 
Program Coordinator 
Division of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine 
1400 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 409 
Houston, TX 77030 
Phone: 713-563-7765  
MJValdez@MDAnderson.org 

Juana Villareal 
Administrative Director 
Division of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine 
JMVillar@MDAnderson.org 

In addition to gaining unparalleled education and training experience, MD Anderson trainees have access to exceptional resources and benefits to help them build meaningful careers and lead fulfilling lives.

Institutional benefits and support

GME trainees’ salary stipends are updated every year based on the ACGME’s recommendations, and because our trainees are considered workforce members, they also enjoy MD Anderson’s employee benefits, including health insurance, retirement planning, disability insurance and six weeks of parental leave.

Our GME House Staff Senate offers trainees the opportunity to experience a leadership role in a medical field career, and the institution’s Academic Mentoring Council provides avenues to secure tailored academic mentoring from faculty. Our GME trainees benefit from the extensive support offered to our research trainees, too; they are invited to participate in grant application workshops, apply for pilot grants to support their research ideas and receive monetary awards for securing extramural grant funding.

Trainee wellness is also of utmost importance at MD Anderson.

Our trainees have access to MD Anderson’s employee networks, fitness center and other wellness resources provided by the institution. Additionally, our Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC), which provides oversight of our accredited programs, regularly assess our trainees’ needs and implements various initiatives, such as providing free call meals and discounted parking to GME House Staff, to address those gaps. The committee even has a subcommittee entirely dedicated to supporting the wellness of our trainees.

Our efforts to ensure a welcoming and supportive education and training experience have been commended nationally. In 2023, the Office of Graduate Medical Education received the DeWitt C. Baldwin, Jr. Award, a prestigious national award that recognizes our institution for its respectful and supportive environment for delivering medical education and patient care.

Beyond MD Anderson

MD Anderson’s location has many benefits, too. Our main campus is nestled inside the Texas Medical Center, the world’s largest medical center which boasts about 10 million patient encounters each year. Many of our faculty are involved in interorganizational research collaborations, both within the TMC and across the nation, exposing trainees to groundbreaking advancements in medical care in real time.

Most importantly, the city of Houston is a great place to call home and raise a family. We are one of the most culturally diverse cities in the nation. More than 145 different languages are spoken across the city, placing us behind only New York and Los Angeles. In fact, about 30% of the city’s population speaks a language other than English at home. And, paychecks here stretch farther than most U.S. metro areas, thanks to our low cost of living.

Visit our Why Houston page to learn more about our city’s affordable housing, fine dining, entertainment scene, nationally renowned museums and other great attributes.