The Wayne State University School of Medicine Anesthesiology Interest Group received the  2018-2019 Outstanding Anesthesia Interest Group Award in the Best New AIG category from the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

The awards are presented annually to AIGs that show an exceptional level of participation, enthusiasm, program quality, professionalism and involvement in their universities, communities and at the annual ANESTHESIOLOGY® meeting.

Criteria for the award include outstanding participation by members and faculty; the number of meetings and events; the variety of activities, including career guidance, community outreach, departmental activities and social events; and participation in local, regional and national anesthesiology programs.

A $500 award was presented to winning groups.

The WSU Anesthesia Interest Group’s 160 members are led by President Jessica Zhang and Vice President Brady Reeves.

“Your AIG deserves recognition as a model AIG that exemplifies the mission of the ASA Medical Student Component to encourage medical student participation in anesthesiology, provide resources for medical students pursuing careers in anesthesiology and providing leadership, research and education in the field of anesthesiology within your school,” Justin Yuan, president of the ASA Medical Student Component, wrote in the message alerting the group that it had won.

Activities arranged by the WSU Anesthesia Interest Group, and noted by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, included a dinner in which students  could speak with residents and faculty of an anesthesia program to help build relationships, gather knowledge about being a competitive applicant in anesthesia, and gain access to shadowing/research opportunities; an anesthesia simulation, during which residents led stations where students from all four years of medical school practiced lumbar punctures, placing ultrasound-guided central lines and intubating with state-of-the-art simulation equipment; a student organization fair at which group leaders addressed and recruited incoming first-year medical students to inform them of upcoming events, the benefits of joining the group and the reasons they should consider careers in anesthesiology; and connecting students with local anesthesiologists for shadowing opportunities.