Airway Fellowship

This sought-after fellowship focuses on advanced airway management skills. Fellows have regular allocations to lists with complex airway management including major ear, nose and throat and maxillofacial surgery, and bronchoscopy. Fellows are expected to become proficient in awake fibreoptic intubation, in addition to the use of other advanced airway techniques and equipment by the completion of their fellowship.

There is a strong focus on education within the Airway Fellowship. Fellows are expected to provide airway skills teaching to anaesthesia technicians and registrars, participate in simulation-based education sessions and assist in running Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) approved ‘Can’t Intubate, Can’t Oxygenate’ (CICO) training within the department. Fellows also have the unique opportunity to assist in the running of our ANZCA approved Airway Rescue Course run at Murdoch University Veterinary Hospital.

It is expected fellows will also complete or assist in the facilitation of the Awake Fibreoptic Intubation course, where participants are able to perform awake fibreoptic intubations on each other, and the Tracheostomy Management Course, which is the first of its kind in Australia.

Other responsibilities include:

• providing airway updates at the departmental meeting
• assisting consultants and registrars with emergency cases with complex airway management
• completion of MedAlerts for patients with difficult airway management.

Airway Fellows are involved in the Head and Neck Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathway, and are required to attend multidisciplinary meetings, participate in clinics and collect patient data. Attendance at airway related conferences and meetings is encouraged.

Regular airway list allocations are rotated after a six-month period to provide exposure to varied surgeries and airway practitioners. Subspecialty airway allocations are balanced by non-fellowship weeks which may include obstetric anaesthesia, after-hours cover and a variety of surgical lists. Fellows have in-hours clinical support time allocated to allow them to actively participate in research and quality assurance activities. 

At completion of the fellowship, it is hoped fellows will have a greater understanding and confidence in:

• their own management, and the teaching and supervising of junior registrars’ management of the difficult airway
• planning for success as they transition to a future consultant post.

Two fellowship positions are offered for a 12-month period, with one fellow commencing in February and another in August.

Airway Leads: Dr Claire McTernan and Dr James Anderson

Fellowship Supervisor: Dr Claire McTernan