I’m reviewing my case logs partway through my first fellowship year at a fairly busy academic community program. I was surprised to see I’ve only performed 35 intubations so far. I’m comfortable with the workflow of the pre- and post-intubation, and I only use VL. I’ve needed attendings to rescue me like 3-4 times, mostly due to massive aspiration or difficult anatomy.
I guess going into fellowship, I had no expectations of what numbers to hit my first year, but I suppose I just thought I'd get 50 or so intubations. Our ICU time isn’t front-loaded—it’s distributed across all three years. We manage most ICU airways, and for code blues, it’s whoever arrives first between us and anesthesia, though we usually end up taking the airway.
We don’t currently have an anesthesia elective (it’s reportedly in development). I do feel I need more reps, particularly with difficult airways, though I recognize ICU experience offers a different kind of training compared to the controlled OR setting.
I’m trying to gauge whether this volume is typical, if I’m on track, or if I should be more proactive with program leadership about increasing intubation opportunities. I only have one more ICU week, my first year, and that is night float; the rest are pulmonary consults, sleep medicine, and clinics.
Thanks!