Preparing for Practice: A Comparative Analysis of Anesthesiology Residency Competencies in Brazil, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of equipping medical specialists from various fields with anesthesiology skills that are essential for medical practice, such as managing acute and chronic pain, preventing substance dependence, caring for critically ill patients, and ensuring airway security. This study analyzes the presence of these anesthesiology competencies in the curricular frameworks of medical residency programs in Brazil, Spain, and the United Kingdom, all of which have universal healthcare systems, to assess how effectively these programs prepare future specialists with these crucial skills.

Methods: We analyzed curriculum frameworks for medical residency programs and specializations in all 3 countries, focusing on anesthesiology competencies. All relevant documents, available on official government websites, were reviewed between July 1, 2023 and December 28, 2024, using Kripka's methodology.

Results: Significant differences were found in competencies related to stratifying anesthetic-surgical risk (P = .027), recognizing and analyzing palliative care (P = .023), mastering the basics of conscious sedation (P = .009), multidisciplinary teamwork (P < .001), and mastering the technique of local anesthesia (P < .001). Despite these differences, the number of anesthesiology competencies was similar across all 3 countries.

Conclusions: This study identified a potential gap in resident training for crucial skills such as pain management, sedation, airway management, and hemodynamic monitoring. These are essential for high-complexity procedures. The findings suggest a need for curriculum revisions and potentially an increase in specialty program slots focused on caring for critically ill patients.