The Anesthesia & Perioperative Care course is designed to provide medical students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles, practice, and clinical application of anesthesia in surgical patients. As an independent course within the medical curriculum, it integrates basic sciences, including cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and central nervous system physiology, pharmacology of anesthetic agents, and pain mechanisms, with perioperative patient management and operative considerations.
Students gain exposure to all stages of anesthesia care, from preoperative assessment and risk stratification to intraoperative monitoring, anesthesia induction, maintenance, and emergence. Emphasis is placed on understanding airway management techniques, anesthetic equipment, and monitoring systems, as well as strategies for managing intraoperative hemodynamic changes, fluid and electrolyte balance, and perioperative complications.
Perioperative care is a central focus of the course. Students learn how to optimize patients prior to surgery, provide continuous intraoperative care, and ensure safe postoperative recovery. Special attention is given to pain management, including multimodal analgesia, regional and local anesthesia techniques, and patient-controlled analgesia. The course also covers care for special populations, including pediatric, geriatric, obstetric, and critically ill patients, emphasizing tailored approaches for each group.
Practical exposure is integrated through clinical rotations, operating theatre observations, and perioperative ward rounds, enabling students to apply theoretical knowledge to real patient care scenarios. The course also addresses perioperative emergencies and critical care principles, including resuscitation, shock management, ventilatory support, and multidisciplinary coordination in complex cases.
By the end of the course, students are expected to:
- Conduct preoperative assessments and identify patient-specific anesthetic risks.
- Understand the pharmacology and physiology underlying anesthetic agents and techniques.
- Apply airway management and monitoring skills in clinical settings.
- Manage perioperative complications and emergencies effectively.
- Demonstrate awareness of multidisciplinary teamwork in perioperative care.
This course equips future physicians with the essential knowledge, practical skills, and clinical judgment necessary to provide safe, effective, and patient-centered anesthesia and perioperative care across a wide range of surgical settings.
