PDs @ SEA

On application release day, Drs. Bryan Mahoney and David Stahl sit down for an unscripted conversation about what they are seeing in the first hours of the cycle. With residency applications now open and program signals in play, they compare how many signals their programs received, how application volume has shifted, and how they are planning to prioritize holistic review this year. They discuss whether non-signaled applicants wil...

In this conversation, Dr. Bryan Mahoney speaks with Dr. Stacy Fairbanks about her journey through anesthesiology training, medical education leadership, and her recent transition out of the residency program director role. Dr. Fairbanks reflects on what made the work meaningful, the challenges of balancing multiple stakeholders, the evolving pressures of training in a post-COVID clinical environment, and how residency culture shape...

In this episode of PDs @ SEA, newly appointed residency program director Dr. Erik Romanelli sits down with his mentor’s mentor, Dr. Adam Levine of Mount Sinai, who has led his residency program for nearly three decades. The conversation traces how a PD grows into the role, why the work matters beyond administration, and what sustains a career in residency leadership over time.

Dr. Levine reflects on the lessons that shaped him, the ...

In this episode of PDs @ SEA, we sit down at the end of the interview season to compare what program directors actually experienced under the expanded signaling system. With both programs having wrapped interviews and finalized rank lists before second looks, the conversation turns to how gold and silver signals shaped who was reviewed, who was invited, and how programs interpreted applicant interest.

We discuss how much signals nar...

In this episode of PDs @ SEA, we sit down with student doctor and ASA Medical Student Component Senior Advisor, Tiffy Kung, to review the most commonly asked questions from medical students preparing to apply into anesthesiology. Together, we unpack how students are thinking about away rotations, signaling strategies, letters of recommendation, research identity, and how to assess program culture.

For program directors, this convers...

In this conversation, Dr. Brian Mahoney sits down to speak directly to the concerns and confusion many applicants experience during the residency match process. The discussion focuses on how the signaling system is evolving, practical strategies for allocating gold and silver signals, and why signaling should be based on thoughtful alignment rather than a sense of safety or prestige.

The episode also addresses a topic that creates a...

In this episode of PDs at SEA, Dr. David Stahl reconnects with two former colleagues from The Ohio State University to reflect on what happens when leadership changes hands in a residency program. Dr. Amy Bauman, now the program director at OSU, and Dr. Jared Spear, outgoing chief resident, join the conversation to discuss the practical and emotional dimensions of program director transition from three different vantage points: the...

In this inaugural episode of the Program Directors at SEA podcast, hosts Dr. Brian Mahoney and Dr. David Stahl open a candid conversation about the current landscape of anesthesiology residency recruitment. They explore how program directors are adapting to application signaling, the transition to pass–fail Step 1 scoring, and the continued reliance on virtual interviews. Drawing from their own programs in New York City and Columbu...

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Reid Geisler, surgery intern and incoming anesthesiology resident, who served as moderator of the national anesthesiology applicant Discord server. Over two recent application cycles, the server grew to more than four thousand members, becoming the de facto community space where applicants shared information, anxieties, and unfiltered opinions about programs and the Match. Dr. Geisler discusses wh...

In this debrief conversation, Drs. Bryan Mahoney and David Stahl reflect on their interview with Dr. Reid Geisler, former moderator of the national anesthesiology applicant Discord server. They explore how online communities shape applicant perceptions, what applicants fear, and where misconceptions arise about program culture, workload, CRNA dynamics, case exposure, and prestige. The discussion turns toward transparency in selecti...