2025 Pediatric Regional Anesthesia & POCUS Course

Friday, May 30, 2025, 7:30 AM - Sunday, June 1, 2025, 5:00 PM, Zuckerman Research Center, New York, NY

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Hospital for Special Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), and Baby Blocks proudly present the inaugural Pediatric Regional Anesthesia & POCUS Course—an innovative, hands-on program designed specifically for physicians dedicated to pediatric care. Over the course of three dynamic days, participants will immerse themselves in specialized sessions focused on ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA) and Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS). This course will provide essential skills, cutting-edge insights, and practical expertise to enhance your practice and improve patient outcomes.

Program Overview & Registration Options Participants can customize their registration based on their interests, opting for individual days or the full three-day course for a discounted rate. Each day offers flexible options, including hands-on cadaver training, which can be selected on one or both days. Cadaver labs are limited to 16 participants per day, so early registration is highly recommended to secure a spot. Friday, May 30: POCUS Essentials The course will open with the POCUS Essentials Workshop, providing participants with a core set of high-value POCUS applications that seamlessly integrate into daily clinical practice. Through hands-on experience, participants will learn to apply these techniques to enhance clinical decision-making, improving both accuracy and efficiency in patient care. Additionally, participants on the first day have the option to attend the ASA Diagnostic POCUS Part IV test (4:00–5:00 PM) to earn credit. This session is for those pursuing ASA Diagnostic POCUS certification and needing supervised exams by ASA-qualified observers. If access to observers is limited at your institution, this session provides an opportunity to complete those exams. Saturday, May 31: Basic Regional Anesthesia (With or Without Cadaver Lab) The Basic Regional Anesthesia Workshop focuses on essential pediatric nerve blocks, with participants rotating through interactive, small-group stations. Participants have the option to enhance their learning by registering for the Cadaver Lab, an immersive, hands-on workshop offering a controlled, risk-free environment for practicing and refining techniques. Guided by experts, attendees will gain confidence and develop essential skills before applying them in clinical practice. Sunday, June 1: Advanced Regional Anesthesia (With or Without Cadaver Lab) The Advanced Regional Anesthesia Workshop covers more complex pediatric nerve blocks and advanced ultrasound techniques. The Cadaver Lab is once again available, offering a valuable opportunity to safely experiment with advanced techniques in a controlled, immersive setting, allowing attendees to refine skills and enhance proficiency. Networking and Social Events This course will also include social events designed to bring our community together and foster meaningful connections. Curated by the course directors, these engaging gatherings will offer exclusive opportunities to network with colleagues and experience the vibrant energy of New York City. Registered attendees will receive a detailed email before the course with information on these exciting events. -- This course will be held at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's Zuckerman Research Center (417 East 68th Street). The Cadaver Labs will be held at the Simulation Learning & Training Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery (535 East 70th Street). Participants registered for the Cadaver Lab will be escorted to and from HSS for their sessions.

This course is designed for physicians interested in pediatric patient care, seeking to enhance their expertise in pediatric regional anesthesia and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). It is designed for a wide range of specialties, including anesthesiology, pediatrics, emergency medicine, pain medicine, internal medicine, and critical care. Whether you are a resident, fellow, or experienced physician aiming to refine your skills in ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia and POCUS, this course offers valuable, hands-on learning opportunities.

Currently, registration is open exclusively to physicians. Fellows and residents interested in attending may join the waitlist via the 'Register' tab above. If space becomes available, notifications will be sent on May 2, and a discounted registration rate will be offered. MSK employees must also register for the waitlist and will be notified on May 16 if space permits, with complimentary registration provided.

The course is being held in collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Hospital for Special Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), and Baby-Blocks, a complimentary resource and community website for pediatric anesthesiologists.

1. Identify neuroanatomy, fascial planes, and sonoanatomy essential for performing pediatric ultrasound-guided nerve block techniques, using live model and cadaver-based learning environments.
2. Demonstrate the appropriate clinical indications, contraindications, and perioperative considerations for pediatric regional anesthesia block techniques.
3. Perform ultrasound-guided nerve blocks with precision, utilizing proper probe positioning, needle visualization, and technique execution under faculty supervision in simulated environments.
4. Integrate pediatric regional anesthesia techniques into perioperative pain management plans, emphasizing patient safety and evidence-based best practices.
5. Evaluate ultrasound images and anatomy in real-time to adapt techniques to patient-specific needs and variations in anatomy or clinical context.
6. Improve overall competency, efficiency, and confidence in performing ultrasound-guided regional anesthetic techniques to independently apply them in pediatric clinical settings.
7. Identify anatomical structures and organ systems visible on ultrasound relevant to common pediatric perioperative and critical care scenarios.
8. Demonstrate the ability to perform key ultrasound examinations, including FAST (Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma) and lung ultrasound, under defined clinical conditions.
9. Interpret ultrasound findings accurately to guide decision-making in pediatric emergency and critical care settings.
10. Apply point-of-care ultrasound techniques to enhance clinical assessment and management in pediatric patients.
11. Improve overall competency and confidence in performing high-yield, non-invasive POCUS applications for perioperative and critical care settings.

Currently, registration is open exclusively to physicians. Fellows and residents interested in attending may join the waitlist via the 'Register' tab above. If space becomes available, notifications will be sent on May 2, and a discounted registration will be offered. MSK employees must also register for the waitlist and will be notified on May 16 if space permits, with complimentary registration provided.

Daily Rate (Select One or Multiple Days)

— Day 1: POCUS Essentials – $800
— Day 2: Basic Regional Anesthesia – $900
— Day 3: Advanced Regional Anesthesia – $900
— Full Course (All 3 Days, Discounted Rate) – $2,200

Optional Add-ons

— Day 1: ASA POCUS Part 4 Diagnostic Credits – $100
— Day 2: Basic Regional Cadaver Lab – $300
— Day 3: Advanced Regional Cadaver Lab – $300

Discounted registration is available for specific groups. If eligible, you will receive further instructions and a promotion code to use during registration. View our Policy on Registration Discounts for more information.

Course registration includes continental breakfast, lunch, and refreshment breaks. Please contact [email protected] at least one week prior to the course if you have any special dietary requests or require any specific accommodations.

For details on our cancellation terms, please review our Cancellation Policy.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center designates this live activity for a maximum of 22.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

MOC/CC Recognition Statements

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 22.00 credits/points in the following certification programs:

— Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification Assessment Recognition Program; and
— Lifelong Learning & Self-Assessment MOC points for the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) Maintenance of Certification program; and
— Accredited CME and Self-Assessment credits for the American Board of Surgery (ABS) Continuous Certification program.

MOC/CC points will be reported to your board within 45 days of course completion.

American Board of Anesthesiology® MOCA 2.0®

Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology™ program and MOCA® are registered trademarks of The American Board of Anesthesiology® MOCA 2.0® is a trademark of the American Board of Anesthesiology®.

This activity offers up to 22 CME credits, of which 1.25 credits contribute the patient safety CME component of the American Board of Anesthesiology’s redesigned Maintenance of Certification in AnesthesiologyTM (MOCA®) program, known as MOCA 2.0®. Please consult the ABA website, theABA.org, for a list of all MOCA 2.0® requirements.

ASA POCUS Part 4 Diagnostic Credits

The ASA POCUS Part 4 program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). This program is designed to enhance the skills of healthcare professionals in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) through structured training and assessment.

Hotel Accommodations

We look forward to welcoming you to Memorial Sloan Kettering for this program. If you’ll be traveling to New York City from out of town, we recommend that you plan your overnight stays as soon as possible. To make the planning a little easier, Memorial Sloan Kettering has negotiated special rates and amenities at select hotels in Manhattan. To view the list of select hotels and additional details on each, please visit: msk.org/accommodations

Parking Information

Street parking in Manhattan is extremely limited, so you may find it more convenient to park in Memorial Sloan Kettering’s garage or in a commercial garage. For a list of parking resources around MSK, click here. Please note that MSK CME does not offer parking validation for course attendees.

Course Directors 

John Hagen, MD, MBA, FAAP, FASA
Director of Pediatric Anesthesia
Director of Pediatric Regional Anesthesia
Associate Attending, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center 

Walid Alrayashi, MD
Director, Regional Anesthesiology
Associate in Perioperative Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, 
Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine
Boston Children’s Hospital 
Assistant Professor of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School

Michelle Carley, MD
Attending Anesthesiologist, Hospital for Special Surgery
Clinical Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medical College

Deepa Kattail, MD, MHS, FAAP
Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine
The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)

 

Course Planners

Rodrigo Daly Guris, MBBS, MSc, FAAP
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology
Children’s Hospital of Philadephia
Philadelphia, PA

Mariam Latif, MBChB
NHS England
England, United Kingdom

Sampaguita-Inez P. Tafoya, MD
Vice Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology
Shriners Hospitals for Children
Sacramento, CA

 

Course Faculty 

Can Aksu, MD, EDRA
Pediatric Anesthesiologist
University of Kocaeli Medical School
Kocaeli, Turkey

Teddy Barkulis, DO
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology
Cohen Children’s Medical Center
New Hyde Park, NY

Ignacio Cuevas, MD
Director of Satellite Anesthesia Services,
Department of Pediatric Anesthesia Pereira Rossell Hospital
Montevideo, Uruguay

Kathryn (Kate) DelPizzo, MD
Director of Pediatric Anesthesia
Hospital for Special Surgery
New York, NY

Carine Foz, MD
Pediatric Anesthesiologist
Boston Children’s Hospital
Boston, MA

Andrea Gomez Morad, MD
Pediatric Anesthesiologist
Hilo Medical Center
Hilo, Hawaii

Alejandra Hernandez, MD
Pediatric Anesthesiologist
Boston Children’s Hospital
Boston, MA

Cassandra Hoffman, MD
Pediatric Anesthesiologist
Akron Children's
Akron, OH

Angela Renee Ingram, MD
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY

Shona Lee, MD
Pediatric Anesthesiologist
Weill-Cornell Medical Center
New York, NY

Benita Liao, MD, MPH
Clinical Medical Director
Pediatric Spine Anesthesia
Cohen Children's Medical Center
New Hyde Park, NY

Mariusz Ligocki, MD
Regional Fellow
Hospital for Special Surgery
New York, NY

Saima Rashid, MD
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY 

Kevin Rivera Vazquez, MD
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology
Cook Children's
Fort Worth, TX

Jordan M. Ruby, MD
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology
Hospital for Special Surgery
New York, NY 

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others are required to disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies (commercial interests). All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.