Letter from Chiefs
Welcome to the Tower Health Department of Anesthesiology at Reading Hospital!
Your interest in our program is greatly appreciated, and we are pleased to highlight all the benefits that you will receive as a future resident.
We are a new 4-year categorical anesthesiology program. For those joining the Tower Health family as a PGY-1, you will rotate with several different departments throughout the hospital and learn to diagnose and treat high-acuity patients with various complex medical conditions. You will have rotations in internal medicine, general surgery, surgical ICU, neurocritical care, pediatrics, ultrasound, and anesthesia. The goal of our multi-faceted internship year structure is to enhance your understanding of medical care through the lens of the various off-service teams, as you will inevitably learn to provide anesthesia for your patients in the following years.
As a CA-1, your first month is geared toward building a solid foundation for your career in anesthesiology. For your introductory month in July, the department prepares a thorough and structured didactic program with protected educational time for all residents. In addition, you will initially be paired with another CA-1 and an attending anesthesiologist to begin learning how to care for your patients intraoperatively. Here, you will encounter the same complex pathologies you managed as interns, but now you will learn how to handle these conditions from the perspective of an anesthesiologist. We aim to consistently push your limits while ensuring you are not put in dangerous positions or left without faculty support if needed. Over time, you will become more confident and independent in how you practice, which is a critical milestone on your journey to becoming a competent anesthesiologist. In addition, we have a one-on-one mentorship system that allows seniors and faculty to guide juniors through residency, research opportunities, and career planning.
With an average of 50-60 work hours per week, residents have more than enough time to study for exams and explore the city of Reading with all it has to offer. Across all our classes, we are a closely-knit group of residents who often visit the many amazing local restaurants on Penn Avenue. We frequently plan resident outings such as ski trips, holiday parties, and hiking excursions to Blue Marsh Lake and other local trails.
We offer our future residents a robust clinical experience set in an environment based on building supportive work relationships among the residents, our attendings, surgical teams, nursing, and ancillary staff. We all depend on one another in unique ways to provide the best possible care for our patients in the community.
We are excited that you are considering us in your search for training. Feel free to contact us if you have questions, and we wish you the best of luck in the upcoming application cycle.
Sincerely,
Anish Patel, MD
Stephen Lazar, DO
