Resident Scholar FAQs | ASA Resident Component FAQs

Do I need to register for the ASA Meeting and if so, what sessions do I have to pay for?

Yes, you must register for the meeting and for any ASA sessions you plan to attend. You may register online at http://www.asahq.org/. Registration will be available in June. It is our intent that you attend as many ASA sessions as possible. You will be responsible for the costs of panels or workshops that you attend; however, as a resident scholar, the ASA will include a card (pass) in your packet that you may use to get into refresher courses if space is available. Note that FAER does not reimburse the resident, but instead provides the department a grant to help cover the cost associated with sending a resident to the meeting. It is up to the department to determine what expenses are covered.

What FAER events are mandatory?

The schedule is posted on the FAER website and will be updated as events are confirmed. Resident Scholars are required to attend:

The Friday evening FAER/Abbott - Volwiler & Tabern Resident Scholar Program Welcome Reception
The Saturday FAER orientation session with the FAER Board, ASA President and others
The Sunday opening meeting of the ASA House of Delegates
Tuesday’s Celebration of Research
The Tuesday FAER Annual Honorary Research Lecture
The Tuesday evening FAER/Abbott - Volwiler & Tabern Resident Scholar Farewell Reception.

And attend two of the following sessions:

The FAER Panel session
The FAER Academy of Anesthesiology Research Mentors Workshop
The Anesthesiology/FAER Session

It is also mandatory that you complete and return the post-program evaluation form.

Do I register for refresher courses prior to attending the ASA meeting?

If you want to have a guaranteed seat at the courses you may register and pay for the course. However, the ASA provides a pass that will allow you access to the course.

What if I did not get a “pass” in my packet in order for the refresher courses?

You may pick up a pass onsite at the ASA Information Center.

When will the Preliminary Program be available?

Registration booklets will be mailed out in June to all ASA members. Program books will be mailed in August.

How do I book a hotel room?

Hotel reservations will be available online starting May 15th on the ASA Annual Meeting Website.

What are SEA and ASCCA?

SEA is the acronym for the Society for Education in Anesthesia {http://www.seahq.org/}. ASCCA is the acronym for American Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists {http://ascca.org/}. For more information on ASA related organizations go to http://www.asahq.org/relatedOrganizations.htm.

How do I become a FAER/SEA or FAER/ASCCA Scholar and attend their subspecialty meeting on Friday, October 17?

The department chair or program director must indicate on the FAER/Abbott application form that they wish the resident to be considered for the FAER/SEA or FAER/ASCCA Scholar program. These scholars are expected to attend either the SEA or ASCCA subspecialty annual meeting on Friday, October 17th.

I am a SEA/FAER Scholar and have not received information regarding the Friday meeting, what should I do?

You may check out the SEA Website at http://www.seahq.org/ or email Nicole Bradle at n.bradle@asahq.org.

I am an ASCCA/FAER Scholar and have not received information regarding the Friday meeting, what should I do?

You may check out the ASCCA website at http://ascca.org/ or email Chris Dionne at c.dionne@asahq.org.

Is there a list of 2008 Resident Scholars available?

A list will be available when all attendees are confirmed.

Can I email other 2008 FAER/Abbott Scholars prior to attending the meeting?

Yes. FAER will provide a list when all attendees are confirmed.

How do I learn more about the Resident Component Society prior to the ASA meeting?

See the Resident Component FAQs on the FAER website.

How do I learn more about the political and business sides of ASA at the annual meeting?

State caucuses meet on Saturday and Tuesday afternoons to discuss issues before the House of Delegates meetings. Contact your state’s ASA director for the locations and schedule of your state’s meetings. Reference Committees have their hearings on Sunday afternoons, and they are open to all ASA members at the Annual Meeting.

Is there some way I can check my email while attending the meeting?

As a service to Annual Meeting attendees, ASA will provide e-mail stations in the Exhibit Hall. See the ASA Program book for location.

What is the best way to travel from hotels to the conference center?

ASA provides complimentary shuttle service between the convention center and official hotels. Please check the sign in your hotel for pick-up points and frequency of service.

What is the dress code?

Typical daily dress code is business casual.

May I bring my spouse to the Friday or the Tuesday night reception?

Unfortunately, to meet policies set in place in order to meet industry standards regarding social events, FAER is unable to include spouses in these events.

What do I do if I have a poster presentation at the same time as a FAER required activity?

When you have determined that there is a conflict between a required FAER activity and your poster presentation notify Carol Demulling at the FAER office.

Additional quick tips

Bring plenty of business cards. The ASA Meeting is a great resource to network.
Don’t miss stopping by the FAER and Abbott Laboratories Booths in the Exhibit Hall.

ASA Resident Component FAQ’s

What is the ASA Resident Component?

In 1988 the Resident Component of the American Society of Anesthesiologists was founded for three purposes:

To encourage resident participation in the ASA.
To develop experience in organized medicine among young physician leaders.
To improve resident awareness of the role of the ASA in the evolution of the specialty of Anesthesiology.

The ASA Resident Component (ASA RC) is a component society of the ASA whose purpose is to represent nearly 4,000 anesthesiology residents across the country. The ASA RC is led by the Resident Component Governing Council. The Council consists of a President, President-Elect, Delegate to the AMA, Alternate Delegate to the AMA and Secretary. In addition, there are two editor positions to the ASA NEWSLETTER. The Governing Council is elected each year at the Resident Component House of Delegates. The House of Delegates is the voice of the residents and passes resolutions, which help shape the priorities of the Governing Council for the coming year. The Resident Component House of Delegates is composed of Delegates elected or appointed by their state, as well as Delegates that represent the subspecialty societies’ resident components.

Can any resident attending the ASA Annual Meeting attend the ASA Resident Component events?

Definitely! Residents at all stages of training are encouraged to attend the Resident Component events. You can locate the ASA RC events by looking them up through the ASA Annual Meeting Program or by searching the online directory using the keyword “resident”. Some of the Resident Component events, such as the Regional Anesthesia and Ultrasound Workshop, do require that residents sign up prior to the event – this information is posted in the Annual Meeting Program. Sign up early; these events can easily fill.

What events will the ASA Resident Component have at the Annual Meeting in 2008?

The ASA Resident Component kicks off the annual meeting with a Grassroots Advocacy / Leadership Training Workshop designed to inform residents about current political issues facing our specialty. This workshop includes a panel discussion by residents, ASA members, and ASA staff. Afterward, there is a Welcome Reception at which residents can meet the panel members individually as well as other residents.

On Saturday, the ASA Resident Component House of Delegates meets. Everyone is invited to sit in and listen to the ASA RC’s old and new business as well as hear from the current candidates for office. In addition, any Resident member can participate in discussion on the House Floor. Attending the ASA RC House of Delegates is great way to learn about the how the ASA conducts business and how to submit future resolutions / issues that are important to residents nationwide. Following the House of Delegates, there is the Resident Research Forum at which residents can present their research to their peers and have the opportunity to interact with some of the leaders in both clinical and basic science Anesthesiology research. Also, on Saturday, there is a Resident Practice Management Seminar. The Resident Practice Management Seminar highlights how to evaluate a practice, contract negotiations, and compares and contrasts academic versus private practice anesthesiology. The Resident Practice Management Seminar is especially useful to attend since many residents do not receive formal lectures on practice management during residency.

On Sunday there is a Regional Anesthesia Workshop where residents can practice hands-on techniques in regional anesthesia using ultrasound-guidance and nerve stimulator techniques. Be sure to sign up for all resident events ahead of time, as space is limited. Another workshop offered for residents is the Communications Workshop, in which residents will learn the skills needed for improving interpersonal communication with patients, colleagues, and interviewers. The Resident Communications Workshop has received rave reviews in past years and is considered a “must attend.” To round out the ASARC events, several social functions give residents the opportunity to experience the city hosting the Annual Meeting and, more importantly, build contacts with residents and ASA leaders across the nation.

Are there other events at the Annual Meeting that residents should attend?

The ASA Annual Meeting has many workshops and lectures covering a wide range of topics, from practice management to basic science research – there is literally something for everyone. The best way to approach making your “itinerary” is simply to go through the Annual Meeting Program and find the topics you are most interested in. There are Refresher Courses covering every topic imaginable, and poster sessions that can be sought out depending on your interest. Residents are encouraged to attend the Rovenstine Lecture as this named lecturer generally speaks to a wide range of topics and to future directions within our specialty. Also, any resident may attend the ASA House of Delegates, “The Big House”, on Sunday. We encourage you to go, as it is enlightening to see how the ASA conducts business.

So how do I get involved with the ASA Resident Component?

There are many ways to get involved with the ASA Resident Component. Check out all of these opportunities below:

Help Edit the ASA Resident Component Website. The Resident Component is always looking for content pertinent to Anesthesiology Resident on the ASARC website. Please feel free to send suggestions to ASA Resident Component President. Contact information for all ASARC Governing Council can be found on the website http://www.asahq.org/asarc/governing.html.
Join the ASA-RC Listserv. If you haven't subscribed do so now! The listserv is a forum for resident discussion as well as your source for the latest about what’s going on in our component, the ASA, and anesthesia in general. It's easy to subscribe. Send an email to: residents-list-request@listserv.asahq.org and enter "subscribe" in the subject line. Updated information about joining the listserv is available at: http://www.asahq.org/asarc/maillist.html.
Organize and Host a Resident Regional Meeting. The ASA offers $1000 annually to groups of residents in each of the ASA’s 5 Regions who want to organize a regional meeting. Residents are encouraged to apply for and obtain matching grants from the state anesthesia societies. More details are available on the ASA RC website at: http://www.asahq.org/asarc/GrantDescription.pdf
Contact and Coordinate with your State Anesthesia Society. Your participation in the ASA is guided and sponsored by your state Anesthesiology society. You can often google your state name and “anesthesia society” to locate its contact information. The ASA Resident Component is always exploring ways to help residents become as active as possible at the state level. You can help us with the process by filling out our State Involvement Survey on-line at: http://www.surveyconsole.com/console/TakeSurvey?id=257497
Participate in the ASA-RC House of Delegates (HOD) meeting at the ASA Annual Meeting. This meeting takes place in October as noted above. There you will vote on resolutions, make policy decisions, and elect your representatives. Your state society appoints or elects resident delegates. Contact your state society for details.
Apply for an ASA Committee. Residents can serve on any of the ASA’s over 70 committees. There is certainly one to fit your interest. A complete listing of ASA committees is available on our Web site at: http://www.asahq.org/aboutAsa/asaCommitteeListing.htm. You may apply for up to three committees (but will only be assigned one). Your CV and statement of interest will be due to the Resident Component in early January.
Run for national office. At our annual meeting, The ASA Resident House of Delegates elects the President-Elect, Alternate Delegate, Secretary and “Residents’ Review” Editor for the ASA NEWSLETTER. Consider running for office! Visit the website for more information on the positions. For inclusion in the RC HOD Handbook, a CV and statement of interest will be due in September. Look for details over the listserv and the ASA NEWSLETTER.
Write a resolution! ASA policy is dictated by reports and resolutions voted on by our component. If you have an issue that you think the component should address, write a resolution to be voted on by the Resident Component HOD. Resolutions will be due in September. See our listserv and the ASA NEWSLETTER for the latest details. A guide to writing resolutions is also available at: http://www.asahq.org/asarc/Writing%20a%20Resolution.pdf
Write a Residents’ Review Article! The ASA Resident Component is responsible for one article each month in the ASA Newsletter. The ASA RC Residents’ Review Co-editors are always looking for qualified people with good ideas to write articles. Got an idea for a good article? Let the editors know. You can find their contact information on the RC website at: http://www.asahq.org/asarc/officers.html
Join the ASA Political Action Committee Resident dues are only $20, and it is one way to help ensure our specialty’s voice and opinions are expressed to the U.S. Government. As resident we have the most to gain and the most to lose by Federal Government decisions.
Contact your ASA Resident Component Governing Council leadership with questions or suggestions. Their contact information is available on the RC Website at: http://www.asahq.org/asarc/officers.html

Resident Scholar Program - Frequently Asked Questions