The CA-1 year begins with Categorical residents being joined by the incoming Advanced residents. Together, the new CA-1 residents begin an intensive didactic program which continues throughout the month of July. Each day is divided between classroom education and practical education in the operating room. The operating room experience begins part-time in July and transitions to a full-time experience in August. Throughout the remainder of the year, the CA-1 resident gains experience delivering anesthesia care in progressively more challenging and complicated cases. The intensive instructive program in July covering the essentials of Anesthesiology transitions into a comprehensive didactic program which continues throughout the academic year. Conferences are held four times to five times each week. The lecture format includes formal lectures, grand rounds, morbidity and mortality conferences, case conferences, resident journal club, problem-based learning discussion groups, question and answer sessions, resident presentations, mock oral examination sessions, workshops and simulation covering relevant basic science and clinical topics. Separate subspecialty lectures are also presented by the critical care, cardiac anesthesia, obstetric anesthesia and chronic pain services. Guest lecturers and specialty conferences are also interspersed throughout the year.