PDs @ SEA
PDs @ SEA is a conversation series created for anesthesiology residency leaders, faculty, and trainees who want an honest look into the evolving world of anesthesia education. The show features Residency Program Directors from across the country discussing the decisions, challenges, and real-world considerations behind recruiting, training, and supporting residents.
Hosts Bryan and Marianne draw from their own experiences while inviting colleagues to reflect on practical issues such as changes to the interview and application process, transitions in leadership, and shifting expectations in graduate medical education. Each episode offers candid dialogue, shared lessons, and the sense of community that many program directors look for but often find difficult to access in day-to-day work.
The series includes in-depth conversations with current and former residency leaders, members of the American Society of Anesthesiologists Medical Student Component, and educators who are shaping how residents learn. Together, these discussions provide insight into how program directors think, how residency decisions are made, and how the field continues to adapt to the needs of students, residents, and institutions.
Produced by the Stanford AIM Lab on behalf of the Society for Education in Anesthesiology.
For questions, topic suggestions, or to join the conversation, email: pdsatsea@seahq.org
PDs @ SEA
The Interview Dark Web: What Program Directors Learned from Discord
In this debrief conversation, Drs. Bryan Mahoney and David Stahl reflect on their interview with Dr. Reid Geisler, former moderator of the national anesthesiology applicant Discord server. They explore how online communities shape applicant perceptions, what applicants fear, and where misconceptions arise about program culture, workload, CRNA dynamics, case exposure, and prestige. The discussion turns toward transparency in selection, program values, and why residency fit often comes down to culture more than metrics. The hosts also consider how virtual interviews have changed the landscape and discuss how programs may use second-look opportunities to help applicants understand whether a program aligns with their goals and identity. The result is a candid, thoughtful conversation on how applicants and program directors can better understand each other in a high-stakes, often opaque process.
Originally Published September 19, 2023 on YouTube
