Fellowship Programs

Fellowship in Regional Anesthesia & Acute Pain Medicine, Hartford Division

Become a specialist in regional anesthesia, acute pain medicine, and orthopedic anesthesia.

IAA Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Logo

IAA Hartford Division

Program Overview

Bone & Joint Institute at Hartford Hospital.

We currently accept 4 fellows per year. The training program is 12 months long equally divided into 4 rotations:

  1. Advanced Regional
  2. Orthopedic Regional
  3. Pediatric / Research / Intra-op / Outpatient (PRIO)
  4. Attending Anesthesiologist – Hartford Hospital & The Hospital of Central Connecticut

Apply Now for the IAA Fellowship in Regional Anesthesia & Acute Pain Medicine, Hartford Division.

Apply Now

Email CV and cover letter to:
Program Director: Kevin J. Finkel, MD, FASA

Office: (860) 972-2117
Email: kevin.finkel@iaapartners.com

Advanced Regional Rotation

While on the Advanced Regional rotation, the fellow will gain vast experience in complex regional anesthesia techniques by performing peripheral nerve blocks and thoracic epidurals. 

Fellows will become proficient in basic and advanced blocks of the upper extremity, lower extremity, thorax, abdomen, and head and neck. This rotation allows the fellows to hone their skills by providing high volumes of blocks and provides the opportunities to explore new and different procedures. 

Additionally, fellows develop their organizational and leadership skills as they oversee the daily operations of the acute pain service. 

These responsibilities include involvement in block selection, division of labor, performance and/or supervision of blocks, acute pain service rounds & consultations, orientation of new team members, and maintenance of the quality improvement research database. 

This database will be an instrument for quality improvement, chronicling the fellows’ experiences, and for clinical outcomes research.

Orthopedic Regional Rotation

This rotation is unique to our fellowship and provides our trainees superb training in regional and intraoperative anesthetics for orthopedic anesthesia, a crucial skill set for any regional anesthesiologist to master.  

Fellows start on the regional anesthesia + acute pain service in the morning focusing on regional anesthetics for orthopedic surgeries.  In the afternoon, they transition over to working in the orthopedic ORs as attendings half the week and protected research time the other half of the week.  

This specialized rotation trains the fellows to master a crucial, desirable skill set of orthopedic anesthesia preparing them to be experts in this subspecialty. 

Pediatric / Research / Intra-op / Outpatient (PRIO) Rotation

The PRIO rotation is a valuable experience for our fellows that expands the fellows’ education. This flexible rotation will provide the fellow with some of the less common experiences in regional anesthesia training that are crucial to an overall advanced level of education. Fellows participate in the following 4 sub-rotations:

Pediatric
Fellows gain experience in pediatric regional anesthetics at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and their affiliated outpatient surgery center. Under the training of our board-certified pediatric anesthesiologists, fellows will learn numerous types of blocks and learn the techniques unique to the pediatric population.

Research
Fellows will have dedicated, protected time to pursue new research projects and continue on the several ongoing studies and quality improvement initiatives already in progress. They will work closely with our Clinical Research Coordinator, Dr. Aseel Walker, along with our robust research team consisting of statisticians, residents, fellows, medical students, and volunteers. We have over 20 exciting ongoing research projects, mostly at our institution, as well as some multicenter trials. Learn more about some of our recent research projects by clicking into the Hartford Research section of this website. 

Intra-op
This rotation is a unique training opportunity in which the fellows perform a pre-op nerve block and then also provide the intraoperative anesthetic. Fellows get additional practice performing peripheral nerve blocks and get the added benefit of seeing how the blocks affect the intraoperative anesthetic. As the fellows are mostly in the orthopedic rooms for this sub-rotation, they will become proficient in performing spinals as well.

Outpatient 
Fellows work at different outpatient surgery centers gaining experience in ambulatory anesthesia. They become proficient in running a busy, fast-paced outpatient surgery center while learning peripheral nerve block techniques unique to these types of centers.

Regardless of rotation, fellows will be relieved to attend protected didactic time every Tuesday afternoon from 4-5 pm during which a variety of regional anesthesia topics will be discussed.

This lecture series also incorporates journal clubs, guest speakers, as well as practical topics for the developing anesthesiologist such as “Building a Successful Personal Financial Portfolio” and “Elements of Creating and Maintaining an Acute Pain Service.”

Attending Anesthesiologist Rotation - Hartford Hospital & Hospital of Central CT

Making the transition from resident to an attending can be daunting, and this rotation helps make that shift a little smoother. 

Fellows on the attending rotation will get guidance from our staff of board-certified, fellowship-trained anesthesiologists who are experienced in orienting new attending anesthesiologists. IAA physicians provide an immersive and appropriate orientation to familiarize fellows to the roles and responsibilities of a new junior attending. 

There are plenty of people available for guidance and help as questions arise on this new journey.  We look forward to aiding with that transition.

On this rotation, fellows function as an attending anesthesiologist, focusing on orthopedic and non-orthopedic surgeries in which a regional anesthetic plays a significant role at Hartford Hospital, The Hospital of Central CT, The Bone & Joint Institute, and the HH Eye Surgery Center. 

Fellows perform cases by themselves and also supervise residents and CRNAs. Working in the different locations as an attending physician provides the fellows with a unique opportunity to become familiar with various surgical procedures and management of patients with regional anesthetics in an intra-operative setting. 

By working in efficiently run private hospitals and surgery centers, our fellows gain experience that few fellows obtain, making them highly desired by any group with a high caseload.

Locations

IAA fellowship at the Bone and Joint Institute

The Bone & Joint Institute  
A state-of-the-art orthopedic hospital attached to Hartford Hospital that opened in 2017. This new facility is the primary location for all types of orthopedic surgeries, including total joint replacements, trauma, minimally invasive surgeries, spine, and ambulatory procedures. This facility increases our already high volume in orthopedic surgeries. It is the only free-standing orthopedic hospital in New England and it integrates advanced technologies, providing a unique learning experience for the fellows.

Fellowship at Hartford Hospital

Hartford Hospital 
An 868-bed regional referral center hospital with one of the highest surgical volumes in the country, performing over 36,000 surgeries a year. It is one of the largest teaching hospitals and tertiary care centers in New England with one of the region’s busiest surgery practices.

The Hospital of Central Connecticut
A 414 bed, acute care, tertiary, community hospital in New Britain, CT that serves Connecticut’s central region. Fellows get a unique education with a different pace than the trauma centers of Hartford Hospital and the Bone & Joint Institute as they learn blocks and work as an attending in this quaint community hospital.

Hartford Hospital Eye Surgery Center
A busy outpatient surgery center that performs 8,000 ophthalmic surgeries per year. This four operating room facility has between 50-70 surgeries per day, mostly before 3 pm. Many of the surgeries are performed under retrobulbar block, placed by the anesthesiologist. Fellows periodically rotate to this facility to become proficient in regional anesthetics for ophthalmic surgery and the management of a busy outpatient practice. Training of this skill is rarely found in regional fellowships.

Fellowship at Childrens Medical Center

Connecticut Children’s
A pediatric hospital and surgery center where fellows get experience in pediatric regional anesthesia.  Fellows get direct training by the team of pediatric fellowship-trained, board-certified anesthesiologists.

Benefits & Conditions

  • Fellows will take NO CALL or work weekends or holidays during the entire year of fellowship. This helps to ensure patient continuity on the regional anesthesia & acute pain service. Fellows are welcome to moonlight by doing additional shifts for compensation, provided they do not interfere with the usual daily schedule. However, these shifts are neither mandatory nor expected.
  • In addition to the competitive salary, fellows have 4 weeks of vacation, 1 week for academic activities that can be used to attend a conference or to take board exams. They also receive $3750 for CME, fully paid CT medical license, DEA, controlled substance license, and society dues.
  • Fellows can participate in oral board review sessions with our faculty members who are official ABA Oral Board examiners, including Dr. Finkel who is an ABA board examiner.
  • Fellows will have other academic opportunities such as presenting a department grand rounds lecture, performing a research project, or attending national anesthesia conferences.

In summary, our fellowship offers an exciting opportunity to master regional and orthopedic anesthesia in a unique training environment.

We have a long history of training successful experts in regional anesthesia and acute pain medicine who move on to fruitful careers in both private practice and academia.

As the fellowship director, I look forward to the opportunity to work directly with the fellows to ensure a robust and enjoyable educational experience.

Fellowship Program Testimonials

Take the Next Step: Apply Now.

If you are interested in applying for the fellowship, please feel free to contact me, Kevin Finkel, MD, FASA, Program Director. I look forward to hearing from you!

Kevin Finkel, MD, FASA
Fellowship Program Director 

NOTE: IAA uses SF MATCH for applications, which can be found by clicking here.

“I would say to anybody looking for a regional anesthesiology fellowship that IAA offers an ideal opportunity. There are so many opportunities to improve your skills with both basic and advanced blocks. It allows the individual an opportunity to gain confidence in managing an acute pain service and appropriately managing postoperative acute pain."
Daniel P. Tighe, DO
Dr. Dan TigheClass of 2018
"I wanted a fellowship that would be a true transition to independent practice rather than merely an extension of residency, and this fellowship provides exactly that. It offers a great combination of rigorous regional anesthesia training and independent practice"
Dr. Olga Salianski
Dr. Olga Salianski Class of 2023
“I chose IAA’s regional anesthesia fellowship for 2 reasons: First, the program appeared really well supported by the group (super important) and the people got along and wanted to stay on to work together beyond fellowship.”
Dr. Navin Mani
Dr. Navin ManiClass of 2022
“I chose this fellowship because my wife wanted to take a job in the Hartford area, and I wanted to do a fellowship in regional anesthesia which basically limited my options to the 2 training programs in Hartford. Having trained with both groups during residency, I felt that the fellowship with IAA offered a more comprehensive exposure to regional anesthesia in a more diverse setting with highly trained faculty.”
Dr. Sam Gammerman
Dr. Sam GammermanClass of 2021
“I have really enjoyed my regional fellowship with Integrated Anesthesia Associates, Hartford Division. I have so much more energy now that I am not working any nights or weekends. It feels great to have dinner with my family every night.”
Dr. Mike Antonell
Dr. Mike AntonellClass of 2023
“I chose the IAA regional fellowship because I was fortunate enough to work on the acute pain team as a resident and loved it. The people (attendings, fellows, residents, SRNA, block nurses) are a great team that likes to work hard but also have fun."
Daniel P. Tighe, DO
Dr. Dan TigheClass of 2018
“The fellowship provided a well-rounded clinical experience. I personally performed over 2,500 blocks, but I also feel that I became a specialist in orthopedic anesthesia along the way. Spending a significant amount of time in our high-volume orthopedic hospital gave me the training and confidence to manage orthopedic cases of all sizes without having to use a volatile anesthetic.”
Dr. Nick Uva
Dr. Nick UvaClass of 2022
“I enjoyed many aspects of the fellowship, often for different reasons. The acute pain team was a great experience, and I gained my confidence in both basic and advanced blocks. It also gave me confidence managing patients on the acute pain service with thoracic epidural or peripheral nerve catheters."
Dr. Dan Tighe
Dr. Dan TigheClass of 2018
" The volume and variety of regional and neuraxial anesthesia procedures available to fellows here is really vast, and the specialists who teach regional anesthesia are excellent at what they do.”
Dr. Olga Salianski
Dr. Olga SalianskiClass of 2023
“I really liked the variety in attendings that exposed you to multiple techniques to approach the same goal of analgesia. It lets you solidify your own line of thinking once people are asking you for regional in any job.”
Dr. Navin Mani
Dr. Navin ManiClass of 2022
“What I really liked about the fellowship was the volume and diversity of blocks, that we carry a service, the hours, the attendings, and the pay.”
Dr. Sam Gammerman
Dr. Sam GammermanClass of 2021
“The training is very thorough, and I feel equipped to finish as a true expert in regional anesthesia. We are always on the cutting edge and performing novel blocks. I love the balance of attending work as well, which the pay reflects.””
Dr. Mike Antonell
Dr. Mike AntonellClass of 2023
"I think one of the main advantages of the program is the time as a junior attending. I can't speak highly enough of that aspect of the fellowship in gaining confidence as an attending. I believe the amount of time I had on the acute pain team, in addition to the large volume of blocks completed throughout the year, makes this an ideal fellowship.”
Daniel P. Tighe, DO
Dr. Dan TigheClass of 2018
"The lack of attending work in the OR at accredited programs was worrisome to me. I didn't want to take an entire year away from the OR. This is a big reason why I chose this program with IAA. We not only hit all the milestones of an accredited program, but we receive an increased salary as well!"
Dr. Mike Antonell
Dr. Mike AntonellClass of 2023
“I believe the fellowship did an excellent job preparing me as a regional anesthesiologist. It is set up well for people going into academics, large private practice, or smaller community hospitals. I feel extremely confident in being able to perform bread and butter blocks in an effective, safe, and time efficient manner. I am also relied upon for my advanced regional anesthesia skill set when called upon. This knowledge has been very useful in allowing the anesthesia department to grow with ERAS protocols and other uses of regional anesthesia to improve perioperative outcomes.”
Daniel P. Tighe, DO
Dr. Dan TigheClass of 2018
“I think attending a non-accredited fellowship is an advantage. It allows for training that is equal to an accredited one, plus it has more flexibility of practice and allows fellows to make a better income than just a PGY-5 salary.”
Dr. Olga Salianski
Dr. Olga SalianskiClass of 2023
“Personally, accreditation was less important for me than having the ability to function as a junior attending in the first year after residency.”
Dr. Navin Mani
Dr. Navin ManiClass of 2022
“Having seen the program firsthand as a resident, I knew that the fellowship has very strong clinical experience in both regional anesthesia and pain medicine. While splitting time between a high-volume orthopedic hospital and a level 1 trauma center, I knew that I would have the opportunity to perfect the technical skills and academic knowledge necessary to build a strong foundation so that I can become a leader in regional anesthesia in the future.”
Dr. Nick Uva
Dr. Nick UvaClass of 2022
“My training in regional anesthesia is going extremely well. Although we are currently only 2/3 of the way into the year, I feel quite confident in my ability to practice regional anesthesia independently. I believe this will further solidify by the time of graduation.”
Dr. Olga Salianski
Dr. Olga SalianskiClass of 2023
“You quickly get good at the techniques with the volume of blocks at HH and BJI. I soon realized how efficient I’d become when I started my job after fellowship.”
Dr. Navin Mani
Dr. Navin ManiClass of 2022
“The training I received during fellowship was excellent. I feel very confident doing the vast majority of nerve blocks, adapting a regional anesthetic plan to the needs of a patient and their surgery or circumstances, and running an inpatient acute pain service.”
Dr. Sam Gammerman
Dr. Sam GammermanClass of 2021
“Everyone has their own idea of what they are looking for in a fellowship, however at the top of most applicants' list is superior training that would make the fellowship worth their time and financial sacrifice. This fellowship maximizes training and minimizes the financial burden of a PGY-5 year.”
Dr. Olga Salianski
Dr. Olga SalianskiClass of 2023
“When choosing a regional fellowship program, the most important thing is to have a program with several fellowship-trained anesthesiologists in one place to support your learning time. IAA definitely provides that.”
Dr. Navin Mani
Dr. Navin ManiClass of 2022
"The volume of blocks can’t be beat with hundreds of blocks being performed at BJI and the main Hartford Hospital OR. In addition, the team is constantly trying new innovative blocks and expanding the role of the pain service.”
Daniel P. Tighe, DO
Dr. Dan TigheClass of 2018
“If you’ve come to IAA looking for a fellowship in Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Medicine, good choice! The field is booming with greater demand for our services and an ever-expanding understanding of different approaches to regional anesthesia.”
Dr. Sam Gammerman
Dr. Sam GammermanClass of 2021
"I had a highly positive experience with the fellowship program. I appreciated the dedication of the staff to this subspecialty and its future development. Upon completion of the fellowship, I felt much more comfortable and technically skilled at performing US-guided nerve blocks. Given the hybrid nature of the program, I also felt well prepared for solo attending life at my new job with a smooth transition. I have become one of the main reference points for advice and assistance with regional anesthesia at my clinical sites."
Dr._Vincenzo_Romano
Dr. Vincenzo RomanoClass of 2020
"One of the best learning experiences from the year was my time as a junior attending. Not only was I able to perform any regional anesthesia associated with the case, but it gave me confidence in managing as a solo attending. Furthermore, I always felt comfortable knowing I had great support from my senior attendings. It was also a great introduction to working in an anesthesia care team model with CRNA's.”
Daniel P. Tighe, DO
Dr. Dan TigheClass of 2018
“I think one of the main advantages of the program is the time as a junior attending. I can't speak highly enough of that aspect of the fellowship in gaining confidence as an attending. I believe the amount of time I had on the acute pain team, in addition to the large volume of blocks completed throughout the year, makes this an ideal fellowship."
Daniel P. Tighe, DO
Dr. Dan TigheClass of 2018
"The months spent as a junior attending anesthesiologist are invaluable in gaining confidence managing patients with many comorbidities but also realize the importance of incorporating regional anesthesia into these cases. There is ample opportunity to work collaboratively with the acute pain attending on clinical research projects that expand the role of the acute pain in the perioperative period. I highly recommend the fellowship and would be willing to speak with any potential candidates.”
Daniel P. Tighe, DO
Dr. Dan TigheClass of 2018
Previous
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Past, Present & Future Fellowship Classes

Class of 2024

Dr. c2024 Fellow


Rebecca Christensen, MD
UMASS

Dr. Priyanka Shetty 2024 Fellow


Priyanka Shetty, MD
UCONN

Dr. Edan Bashkin 2024 Fellow


Edan Bashkin, MD
UCONN

Class of 2023

Kirsten Calica, MD
SUNY Downstate

Olga Salianski, MD
Yale University

Michael Antonell, MD
UCONN

Anja Hergrueter, MD
Yale University

Class of 2022

Nick Uva, MD
UCONN

Derek Poulin, DO
UCONN

Kevin Kasner, MD
UCONN

Navin Mani, DO
UMASS

2021

Lauren Clement, DO
Sam Gammerman, MD
Will Stuart, MD

2020

Peter Cardone, DO
Yury Rapoport, MD
Vincenzo Romano, DO

2019

Carla Maffeo-Mitchell, MD
Matthew Mitchell, MD
Andrew Raisbeck, MD

2018

Daniel Tighe, DO

2017

Kim Youngren, MD
Pranjali Kainkaryam, MD

2016

John DaSilva, MD
Joseph Tyler McCruiz, MD

Apply Now for the IAA Fellowship in Regional Anesthesia & Acute Pain Medicine, Hartford Division.

Apply Now

Email CV and cover letter to:
Program Director: Kevin J. Finkel, MD, FASA

Office: (860) 972-2117
Email: kevin.finkel@iaapartners.com

Contact us for more information about the IAA Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Fellowship, Hartford County Division

Kevin J. Finkel, MD, FASA

Kevin J. Finkel, MD, FASA
Program Director, Hartford Division

Tel: (860) 972-2117
Fax: (860) 545-1784
Email Dr. Finkel

IAA Anesthesia Fellowship, Hartford Division
Attn: Kevin J. Finkel, MD
100 Retreat Avenue, Suite 900
Hartford CT 06106

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Core Faculty


Kevin J. Finkel, MD, FASA
Sam Gammerman, MD
Pranjali Kainkaryam, MD
Benjamin Kong, MD
Matt Mitchell, MD
Andrew Raisbeck, MD
Jennifer Sposito, MD
Will Stuart, MD

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