Welcome to the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the University of New Mexico! Choosing a residency is one of the most important decisions of your career. Beyond clinical training, you're choosing the people who will challenge you, support you, and shape the physician you become. We believe UNM is an exceptional place to do all three.
As the only Level I Trauma Center and academic medical center in New Mexico, UNM offers a clinical experience unlike any other. We rank in the 99th percentile nationally for trauma exposure, and as the state's safety-net hospital, we care for patients with an extraordinary breadth of pathology. From urban and rural trauma to complex medical disease and critically ill transfers from across the Southwest, you'll graduate with the confidence and adaptability to manage any anesthetic.
Our training is intentionally broad. In addition to our tertiary referral center, residents rotate at Sandoval Regional Medical Center, where high-volume ambulatory surgery in a community hospital promotes efficiency and autonomy, and Outpatient Surgery and Imaging Services (OSIS), where residents gain extensive experience in regional anesthesiology and peripheral nerve blocks. Our graduates consistently finish residency with >200 nerve blocks! Together, these rotations and the vast experience in regional anesthesia prepare graduates for both academic and community practice.
Critical care is central to our program. Our faculty have leadership roles within both the Trauma Surgical ICU and the Cardiothoracic and Vascular ICU, and categorical residents complete five dedicated months of ICU training throughout residency. These rotations build a strong foundation in perioperative physiology, mechanical circulatory support, and leadership within multidisciplinary care teams.
Just as important as our clinical experience is our culture. With 10 residents per class, we develop close relationships with both our co-residents and faculty. Teaching is a priority, questions are encouraged, and collaboration—not competition—defines our program. Whether during routine cases or overnight call, residents work together to provide outstanding patient care while helping one another become intuitive anesthesia providers.
UNM also supports residents beyond the operating room. Moonlighting opportunities begin in PGY-2 as a CA-1, providing additional clinical experience and supplemental income. For graduates who choose to remain in New Mexico, the state's Health Professional Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP) offers qualifying physicians up to $75,000 per year toward student loan repayment, making UNM an outstanding place to train and build a career.
Outside the hospital, New Mexico offers an exceptional quality of life. From hiking, skiing, mountain biking, climbing, and fly fishing to its remarkable food, history, and art, there's always something to explore. With over 300 days of sunshine and a mile-high elevation, our high desert climate offers plenty of outdoor opportunities when not working at the hospital. The state's deep Indigenous and Hispanic heritage also provides a unique opportunity to learn from and care for communities whose histories have shaped this region for centuries.
Residency is challenging wherever you train, but it should also be rewarding. At UNM, you'll become a skilled proceduralist, a thoughtful physician, and a supportive teammate. Most importantly, you'll join a community that values educational curiosity, humanism, and community-oriented medicine.
We hope you'll consider joining us. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions—we look forward to meeting you during the interview season.
Sincerely,
Arthur J. Armijo, DO
Administrative Chief Resident
Gregory Watson, MD
Academic Chief Resident
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Arthur J. Armijo, DO
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Gregory Watson, MD
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