Jerome O'Hara, Jr., MD

One of the reasons I accepted a Staff Anesthesiologist position in 1991 in the Department of General Anesthesiology at Cleveland Clinic was the diversity of the teaching environment. I initially began providing care for patients in the Section of Orthopedics. In 1994, I became Head of the Section of Urological Anesthesia, and in 1999 was given a joint appointment in the Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute. I enjoy being involved in academic and clinical teaching in the specialty of anesthesiology with anesthesiology residents, student nurse anesthetists, emergency room residents and allied health professionals who rotate through the operating room. As Head of the Section of Urological Anesthesia, I have taken part in establishing and updating the anesthesia urological teaching manual. I have established and conducted orthopedic and urological journal clubs since I joined the department. Residents consistently rate the Section of Urological Anesthesia in the top 10% among clinical staff teaching rotations. As Head of the Section of Urological Anesthesia, I have the responsibility of providing the final evaluation for each anesthesiology resident rotating through the urology section.

Teaching done outside of the operating room includes organizing and presenting urologic anesthesiology/surgical morbidity and mortality conferences (3-4/year), yearly lectures for the surgical urologic residents at the Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute (2-3/year) and multiple CME presentations within and outside Cleveland Clinic (3-6/year). I continue to participate in the Anesthesiology Institute Oral Practice Exams Program for our resident trainees and graduate residents who return in preparation for their oral boards. I have participated in this program since passing my Anesthesiology Boards in 1992. I actively participate in the anesthesiology resident lecture series curriculum and average two formal lectures per year. My average rating is 4.66/5.0 for the 18 lectures I gave over nine years. My average annual teaching score over the last 11 years as evaluated by the anesthesiology residents is 4.45/5.0.

I have guest edited Anesthesiology Clinics of North America, titled Anesthesia and Renal Considerations in 2000. I contributed book chapters to that project and have been involved in writing other anesthesiology and renal-related book chapters. I have edited as first author the chapter on “Renal Physiology and Urology” in the 5^th edition of Clinical Anesthesia, and an author for the 7^th edition of Miller’s Anesthesia. Currently, I review for the Journal of Clinical Anesthesia, Circulation, Journal of Urology, and Pediatric Anesthesia.

As Vice Chair for Professional Affairs in the Department of General Anesthesiology for five years, I oversaw staff mentoring, clinical teaching activities, advanced training/development and recognition of individual staff achievements. I began the grass roots effort in the department to build a mentorship program and in organizing several recognition awards for the Staff in the Department of Anesthesiology. These awards include a yearly peer-review process to identify faculty likely to succeed in professional development (advancement in national and subspecialty professional societies) and research opportunities. 2004 was the inaugural year for the “Colleague of the Year Award” as nominated by the Staff within the Department of General Anesthesiology. The award is intended to recognize outstanding collegiality, professionalism and career commitment.

I have co-directed several Cleveland Clinic CME sponsored courses, functioned as Assistant Program Coordinator for the Midwest Anesthesia Residents Conference, lectured and served on committees in my specialty both at the state and national levels. At the national level I have been asked to present and moderate scientific panels at the American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting.

Since being on Staff I have been the recipient of the Staff Anesthesiologist of the Year Award as selected by the entire anesthesiology house staff, and I also received the Outstanding Staff Anesthesiologist Award awarded annually by the school of nurse anesthesia. I continue an active involvement with the curriculum for the first-year medical students entering the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. I remain responsible for teaching seminar and PBLD sessions of the respiratory module of the curriculum with emphasis on alveolar ventilation, gas exchange and ventilation perfusion matching. 

Research

Current research interests include anesthesia for urologic surgery, regional anesthesia, acute pain, PONV, IV sedation, blood substitutes, staff development for education and staff development for a working mentorship program. Active research projects include the effect of fenoldopam for renal preservation of patients undergoing partial solitary nephrectomy surgery, the effect of the lateral flex position on EKG and hemodynamics, and the effect of establishing a mentorship program within our department.

Service

At Cleveland Clinic , I have participated in numerous committees. In the Anesthesiology Institute, I have chaired several committees for departmental and Institute retreats; meeting support; revision of vacation, call compliance, non-operating room time, and daily relief policies.