Residents in a Room by American Society of Anesthesiologists

Resident host, Dr. Laura Santa Cruz Mercado, interviews critical care anesthesiologists, Drs. Megan Hicks and Ashish Kumar Khanna. Learn what practicing the subspecialty looks like, what to expect from training, how this mentor and mentee find life balance, and more. Recorded May 2025.

Dr. Tanisha Verneus leads a discussion about the costs of incivility in health care settings with resident guests, Dr. Mogen Frenkel and Dr. Zelle Ngundji. Tune in to learn more about what incivility looks like, what it costs patients and providers, thoughts on how to manage difficult situations, and more. Recorded April 2025.

Resident host, Dr. Courtney Borg, discusses physician led care with Dr. Katelyn Williams. Listen in as they consider the value of anesthesiologist led care, discuss what evidence reveals about the care model, share tips on how to best manage a team, and more. Recorded March 2025.

Resident host, Dr. Ryan McMahon, interviews Program Directors, Drs. Rachel Kacmar, Amanda Kleiman, and Tuan-Hsing Loh, about what it takes to become a Chief Resident, what makes a good Chief Resident, what residents should expect from their Chief Residents, and more. Recorded February 2025.

Drs. Benton Nanners, Audra Parrett, and Alexandra Rice discuss rural anesthesia in this heartfelt episode. Learn about their experiences, where their passion comes from, what they hope to achieve, and more. Recorded December 2024.

Dr. Jonathan Burns interviews fellowship directors, Drs. Stephanie Woodward, Roya Saffary, and Mariam Sarwary, about the pros and cons of fellowships, the application process, their best tips, and more. Recorded December 2024.

Guest host, Mr. Donald Keating, along with residents, Drs. Lindsay Murphy and Zachary Meade, interview Dr. Melissa Coleman about the history of anesthesiology. Find out how understanding the specialty's history benefits clinicians, the role residents have played in shaping anesthesiology, and more. Recorded October 2024.

Dr. Zachary Buccino discusses military medicine with Dr. Zachary Meade and guest host, Mr. Donald Keating. Learn where military anesthesiologists serve, who they treat, and how they balance priorities and approach unique circumstances. Recorded October 2024.

Dr. Tanisha Verneus speaks with Drs. Keya Locke and Luis Tollinche about microaggressions in the workplace. Learn what microaggressions look like, how they harm patients and health care workers, how to stand up for yourself or your colleagues, what institutions can and should do to protect workforce and patient populations, and more. Recorded August 2024.

Dr. Joshua Cadwell (CA1) interviews fellow residents, Dr. Clayton Sweeney (CA2), Dr. Katherine David (CA2), and Dr. Varina Clark (CA3), about year one pitfalls. Learn what to look out for, how to combat imposter syndrome and practice wellness, where to turn for help, and more. Recorded August 2024.

Join resident and host, Dr. Tilman Chambers, in conversation with Drs. Lisa Solomon and William Hauter as they consider the many ways advocacy shapes careers. Listen in as they discuss how anesthesiologists are working to advance the specialty and patient care, from stepping into elected office to taking small steps in clinical practice. Recorded July 2024.

Dr. Della Lin shares her experiences as a speaker and leader with episode host, Dr. Jon Cohen, and fellow resident, Dr. Jeremiah Fowler. Listen in as they explore what it means to be a leader, how leadership roles shape careers, the value of failure, and the impact of strong leadership on community health. Recorded June 2024.

Dr. Jennifer Root joins episode host, Dr. Sarah Edwards, and her fellow resident, Gideon Levinson, to share the expertise she's gained during decades of work as a locum tenens. She discuss the pros and the cons, touches on what is motivating the trend, and passes on warning signs for the interested. Recorded May 2024.

In this special take-over episode, Drs. Dane Saksa, Phillip Adams, and Marianne Chen discuss innovative, non-clinical residency tracks. From a leadership track to an innovation and technology track to a medical education track, three attending discuss their programs, what's driving the trend, and how residents benefit. Recorded April 2024.

Dr. Sascha Beutler, an examiner for the ABA, speaks with residents, Drs. Vincent Bargnes, Abigail Schirmer, and Iman Soliman, about what to expect from Orals and OSCEs. Listen in for study tips, information on what it's like to be an examiner, and thoughts on how exams have evolved. Recorded March 2024.

Drs. Matt Hatch and Asha Padmanabhan, from ASA's committee on communications, join resident host, Dr. Mauna Rao, and her fellow residents, Drs. Shreya Ranjan and Jao Ho Kim, for a discussion on best practices for improving communication with colleagues, legislators, the pubic and, most critically, patients and their families. Recorded January 2024.

Dr. Eric Gross joins resident host Meg Rolfzen along with fellow residents, Vanja Tolj and Zhaosheng Jin, to talk about his career as an anesthesia researcher. Learn more about the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER), the day-to-day life of a researcher, diverse options for working in the research field, how to get involved, and more. Recorded January 2024.

In this special crossover episode, Dr. Kyle Robinson joins Dr. Adam Striker, host of ASA's Central Line podcast, to discuss his first few years of practice and ASA's Early-Career Membership Program. From managing transitions to finding resources to how he has used ASA's new program, listen for insights into the challenges and opportunities facing anesthesiologists just starting out. Recorded November 2023.

Dr. Elizabeth Drum joins host Drs. Jake Gamboa, Kelsey Repine, Jordan Francke, Christy Henderson, and Jeffrey Cannon, to discuss the role of anesthesiologists within global health, opportunities for involvement, legal and ethical concerns, the value of relationships, and more. Recorded October 2023.

Hosted by Dr. Jake Gamboa, this episode features Dr. Alex Macario, Secretary of the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA), in conversation with residents, Kelsey Repine and Jordan Francke, and fellow, Dr. Jeffrey Cannon. Listen in as Dr. Macario shares his thoughts on lifelong learning, MOCA, ABA resources, and more. Recorded October 2023.

This sponsor-hosted episode features anesthesiologists from US Anesthesia Partners, Dr. Doug Morgan and Dr. Camellia Baldridge, discussing interview questions residents might ask to better understand the health and structure of potential employers. Use these tips to gain a clearer picture of a practice's relationships with hospitals, internal process, support for physicians, and more. Recorded September 2023.

Dr. Beth Hall and resident guests Drs. Nikhil Nadler, Sean Powers, and Shyam Desai return to discuss life as an attending in a private practice setting. Dr. Smitha Arekapudi, their guest, shares her experiences along with interview tips and thoughts on workplace culture, leadership paths, production pressures, and more. Recorded August, 2023.

Dr. Beth Hall and fellow residents—Drs. Nikhil Nadler, Sean Powers, and Shyam Desai—ask Dr. Jihye Ha about life as an attending in an academic practice setting. Listen in as they discuss changes to expect when transitioning out of residency into academic practice and how to best prepare. Recorded August, 2023.

Dr. Edward Mariano speaks with residents, Drs. Varina Clark, Hannah Rasmussen, Natalie Koons, and Justin Yuan, about creating and managing a strong CV. Hear his advice on what to include and what to leave off, the value of personal branding, tips for integrating multimedia content, and more. Recorded July 2023.

Resident guests Drs. Mohammed Hakim, Olivia Marie Sonderman, and Leilani Sampang continue their conversation with Nick Davies, ASA's medical student component president. Turning their attention to allyship, guests discuss the challenges, tactics, and responsibilities of standing up for patients and coworkers. Recorded March 2023.

Nick Davies, ASA's medical student component president, hosts resident guests Drs. Mohammed Hakim, Olivia Marie Sonderman, and Leilani Sampang for a fast-paced discussion about advocacy. Listen in as guests consider the many ways to advocate for the specialty of anesthesiology, the society, and patients. Recorded March 2023.

Dr. Akshay Shanker and fellow residents, Drs. Amal Javaid and Vanessa Hernandez, question Drs. Elizabeth Duggan and Coridalia Wald about the “wicked problem” of wellness. Join the conversation as they discuss what wellness is and isn't; how residents can advocate for themselves; steps residents, health care workers, and organizations can take to advance wellness; and where to turn for help when needed. Recorded February 2023.

In this special episode of Residents in a Room, we go behind the scenes to follow three medical students—Natalie Koons, Iman Soliman, and Savannah Whitfield—as they interview with residency programs, grapple with how to rank programs, and finally celebrate with family and friends as they learn where they'll spend their residencies. Recorded December 2022-March 2023.

Ms. Cindy Roehr, founder and CEO of Roehr Consulting, fields questions about practice management finances from residents Matthew Hidalgo, Anjan Saha, Christian Tilley, and Jack Bulat. Listen in as residents ask her about billing requirements, the differences between being an employee and a contractor, partner versus non-partner tracks, contracting gigs, assessing potential employees, and more. Recorded January 2023.

Residents Anna Eid, Kimberly Aut, and Christy Henderson interview Drs. Muhammad Farooq Anwar, who did a fellowship, and Brittany Reardon, who did not, about the pros and cons of fellowship. Listen in as they discuss their personal paths, reflect on what they've learned, and share their best advice. Recorded January 2023.

Dr. Eric Reilly returns with fellow residents Drs. Erica Bolz, Sheridan Markatos, and Jessica Zhang to discuss patient safety and quality improvement initiatives. The residents share patient safety and near miss experiences, consider what is and isn't working in hospitals and medical schools, and discuss how their clinical practices have been impacted by QI initiatives. Recorded July 2022.

Join Dr. Eric Reilly as he discusses clinical decision making with fellow residents, Drs. John Yousef, Sheridan Markatos, and Erica Bolz. From clinical and communications practices worth emulating to coping with bad days in the OR, residents share their discoveries, worries, and advice. Recorded July 2022.

Recorded as ASA's annual meeting, Dr. Adam Milam discusses journals and journal clubs with residents Drs. Aaron Brussels, Emily Griffin, Andrea Rivero, and Jennifer Lee along with fellow attending, Dr. John Patton. Guests share thoughts on how to make the most of journal clubs, the value of social media, various paths to publication, and more. Recorded October 2022.

Recorded in front of a live audience at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2022 in New Orleans, Dr. Jed Wolpaw, host of the popular ACCRAC podcast, interviews Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld, president elect of the American Medical Association. Listen in as this high-energy conversation explores Dr. Ehrenfeld's career path, challenges the specialty faces, the possibilities of AI, transgender care, and more. Recorded October 2022.

In this special sponsor-hosted episode, Dr. Mark Hylton—now in his second year as an attending—interviews his more senior NAPA colleagues, Drs. Caroline Columbres and Ronald S. Bank, about their personal journeys in anesthesiology. The conversation explores tips for transitioning from residency to practice, pitfalls to avoid in your early career, advice on how—and when—to ask for help, and more. This episode is sponsored by North American Partners in Anesthesia. Recorded September 2022.

Recorded at ASA's recent board meeting in Chicago, Dr. Justin Yuan, outgoing president of the ASA Resident Component, discusses the ins and outs of specialty society involvement with the component's incoming president, Dr. Eric Reilly, and Natalie Koons, president of the ASA Medical Student Component. The conversation touches on what they get out of the time they contribute; what they hope to achieve; and the advice they'd give to medical students and residents who want to get involved at the national, state, or local level. Recorded August 2022.

Dr. Randall Yale leads further discussion with fellow residents, Drs. Alex Dao, Allie Taylor, and Aakash Saxena, about how they plan to excel once they settle into their future careers. From how they'll spend and manage money, to how they'll handle the transition from supervisee to supervisor, to how they expect to grow their leadership skills. Recorded April 2022. 

Dr. Randall Yale speaks with Drs. Allie Taylor, Alex Dao, and Aakash Saxena about their future careers in anesthesiology. Hear what they worry about, what they look forward to, and what they've learned from peers and mentors about career paths in anesthesiology. Recorded April 2022.

Recorded at ASA's Legislative Conference, Dr. Katherine Mills leads a conversation with Drs. Lydiesther Martinez, Felipe Perez, Caroline Phillips, and Dev Vyas about the role of advocacy during residency and beyond. Listen in as they share the personal stories that animate their advocacy efforts, pass on tips for getting involved, consider the role of soft skills in advocacy and their careers, and more. Recorded May 2022.

Drs. Tinevez, Desai, Petravick, Dhargalkar, Grigoryan and Aravagiri consider the various human changes the specialty has grappled with in recent decades. The growing diversity of patient and provider populations, the expanding role of anesthesiologists within health care systems, the evolving expectations of residents, and more are explored in this captivating episode. Recorded January 2022.

Dr. Dillon Tinevez discusses how technological changes have impacted the practice of anesthesiology with fellow residents Drs. Shyam Desai, Mike Petravick, Janhavi Dhargalkar, Artush Grigoryan and Kannan Aravagiri. From apps and wearable technology to learning curves and evolving skill sets, guests consider the many ways technology has shaped anesthesiologists' practices, skills, and experiences.

Recorded at ADVANCE 2022, the conversation on employment contracts, and what residents should know, continues. Listen in as Drs. Nupur Dua, Ryker Saunders, Nathaniel Sugiyama, Eric Reilly, and Andres De Lima ask questions of guest Judy Semo, an attorney specializing in health care law, and the episode host, Dr. Molly Kraus. From the value of legal representation to the ins and outs of tail insurance coverage, residents quiz the experts about pitfalls and opportunities. Recorded January 2022.

A podcast for residents by residents tackling real challenges of residency and beyond.

Residents turn the tables in this episode, asking questions of host Dr. Molly Kraus and guest Judy Semo, an attorney specializing in health care law, as well as physician and practice representation. Recorded At ADVANCE 2022: The Anesthesiology Business Event, Drs. Nupur Dua, Ryker Saunders, Nathaniel Sugiyama, Eric Reilly and Andres De Lima quiz the experts about contract negotiations, non-compete clauses, visa considerations and how to land a great job. Recorded January 2022.

Dr. Elizabeth Malinzak gets real about burnout with Drs. Ryan Barrera, Michael Martinez, and Harrison Plunkett. Guests share their fears, pandemic experiences, and institutional practices as well as pass along the unexpected resources they rely on for self-care. Recorded October 2021

Dr. Elizabeth Malinzak hosts Drs. Michael Martinez, Ryan Barrera, and Harrison Plunket for a deep dive into the topic of work-life balance. Find out how they blend career and family, tactics and resources that help them succeed, and why aiming for “harmony” over “balance” may be a more achievable goal. Recorded October 2021.

Dr. Christopher Malgieri welcomes residents Drs. Andrew Winegarner and Jon Lucaj for an in-depth conversation about personal finances. From tips on how to manage student loan debt and craft a good investment strategy to thoughts on what they wish medical school taught them about business and how they'll spend their first big check, this no holds barred episode packs an informative punch. Recorded October 2021.

In this special episode, Dr. Jed Wolpaw, host of the ACCRAC podcast, interviews Dr. Aditee Ambardekar, Chair of the Review Committee at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and Dr. Douglas Bacon, Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and historian of anesthesiology, live from ANESTHESIOLOGY 2021. Listen in to this wide-ranging conversation as Dr. Wolpaw and the live audience ask Drs. Ambardekar and Bacon about the role of an ACGME Chair, the work of ACGME's Review Committee, work-life balance through residency, imposter syndrome and more. Recorded October 2021.

Dr. Lisa Solomon returns for more conversation about career advancement. In this episode, she discusses leadership and publication opportunities with Drs. Christine Vo, Heena Ahmed, Danielle Levin and Drew Cornwell. From how to find and maximize leadership opportunities to the challenges and benefits of getting published, this lively conversation informs and entertains. Recorded July 2021.

Dr. Lisa Solomon from ASA's Committee on Young Physicians speaks with fellow committee member, Dr. Christine Vo, and residents--Drs. Drew Cornwell, Danielle Levin, and Heena Ahmed--about mentorship. Join the discussion as guests share what they hope to get from mentors, the value of just-in-time mentoring, how they've connected with mentors, and more. Recorded July 2021.

Join Dr. Mariam Sarwary in conversation with Drs. Cardona, Abozaid, and Anwar for a lively conversation about their personal immigration stories and how their backgrounds impact their work, advocacy efforts, and views on global health. Recorded July 2021.