Program Details

College/Institution:  AWHSC

Department/School/Center:  School of Medicine/ Department of Anesthesia

Program title: B.Sc. in Anesthesia

Program duration (in years):  Four and half year

Study Language: English

Credits and the equivalent ECTS:     ECTS – 330

Mode of delivery: Regular
About the department

The Department of Anesthesia was launched at DBU in 2015 G.C receiving 15 BSc anesthesia students for the first time. Currently, our department functions under the School of Medicine, offering teaching, and research and community service.

In its history it has graduated its first 13 students BSc in anesthesia degree in 2019GC

The first graduates were historical in the country who passed through Health professional national licensure examination (HPNLE) system initiated by Federal ministry of health with 100% pass rate. By 2025, the department graduated 80 students with Bsc Degree in Anesthesia.

Currently the department provides training for 65 undergraduate students 20 1^styear students, 18 2^ndyear, 12 3^rdyear, and 15 4^th year (graduating class) within the Asrat Woldyes Health Sciences Campus (AWHSC). Anesthesia in Ethiopia require a wide range of skills to cover the practice of anesthesia in differing clinical environments, ranging from Pain clinic, Office-based anesthesia, Health center, Primary hospital, General hospital, Comprehensive specialized hospital to Intensive care medicine.

The program has 4.5 years of training duration. Training is structured to maximize opportunities for learning and to provide a broad range of experience in different types of hospitals and in different sub-specialties in Anesthesia.

Vision

ü  Anesthesia department aims to be nationally preferred department in practice-oriented teaching and research by 2030.

Mission

ü  M1: To prepare knowledgeable, skilled, and attitudinally matured anesthesia graduates for the job market and entrepreneurship by providing practice-oriented education.

ü  M2: To enhance and promote applied research focusing on innovation and technology transfer to improve anesthesia education and clinical services.

ü  M3: To establish strategic partners to support practice-oriented education, research & anesthesia related community services.

Motto of Anesthesia Program

“Empowering Anesthetists for a Safer Tomorrow”

Program Objectives:

General Objective – to produce competent graduates who will provide the full scope of anesthesia practice (as defined by the profession) with good knowledge, clinical skills and critical thinking capabilities

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

 Program Learning Outcomes (PLO) is the outcomes that students are expected to know and be able to perform or attain by time of graduation. After a critical review of local and international benchmarks, the 11 program learning outcomes which are aligned with ENQF expected of the level VI qualifiers are the followings.

            PLO1. Assess, optimize and prepare patients for anesthesia and surgery.

            PLO2. Utilize Anesthesia machine, equipment and monitoring device

            PLO3. Mange patient airway using different modalities

            PLO4. Provide safe intraoperative anesthetic management of patients

            PLO5. Provide safe postoperative anesthetic care

            PLO6. Manage pain for different group of patients

            PLO7. Engage in emergency, critical care and prehospital patient care

            PLO8. Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) effectively

            PLO9. Apply ethical and legal principles in anesthesia practice

            PLO10. Engage in scientific evidence generation and utilization

            PLO11. Manage the anesthesia service in a health facility

 Admission requirements –

Applicants must meet both academic and general admission criteria to be eligible for admission into the Anesthesia program: 

Academic Criteria

 Ethiopian University Entrance Examination (EUEE): Applicants must possess a valid EUEE certificate. 

 First-Year Academic Performance: A minimum GPA in the 1st semester common courses is required. 

Natural Science Background: Preference is given to applicants with a strong foundation in natural sciences. 

General Criteria

 Physical and Mental Fitness: Applicants must be medically fit to perform the duties of an Anesthetist. 

 Professional Attitude:  Demonstrated interest in the Anesthesia profession and a commitment to patient care. 

Personal Statement: Genuine motivation to join the program, assessed through an entrance exam or interview. 

Additional Considerations

Affirmative Action: 

   - Female applicants: 5% bonus. 

   - Applicants from developing regions: 5% bonus. 

   - Applicants with disabilities (if not hindering practice): 5% bonus. 

Graduation requirement

Minimum criteria for competence require approved and signed log-book of a minimum 275 cases.

– Successful completion of a four year and half year training program with:

A minimum CGPA and MGPA of 2.00;

Complete a total of 330 ECTS course work;

Academic Programs

Currently, the department offers Bachelor of Science in Anesthesia (B.Sc)

Have the following future Plans

Launch postgraduate programs in anesthesia and critical 

Expansion Under graduate program in Somali land at Burao central university

Research and Innovation

The Department of Anesthesia promotes a culture of scientific inquiry among staff and students.

Research activities focus on:

Anesthesia safety and patient outcomes

Critical care medicine

Pain management

Health systems improvement

Community Engagement

The department actively participates in outreach programs to support rural healthcare centers, provide training for healthcare workers, and deliver public education on safe anesthesia and perioperative care.

Facilities and Resources

Well-furnished smart class rooms

Well organized skill development lab

Access to teaching hospitals for clinical attachment

Resource-rich e-learning platform and medical library

Staff Profile

The department is staffed with a dedicated team of qualified professionals, working as instructor, clinical and researcher including:

More than 20 lecturers

Two assistant professors

Two PHD candidates on study

Two skill lab assistant

 Researchers and clinical preceptors at different attachment sites

Professional carry path way

Clinician: Anesthetist as a clinician provides high quality, individualized, evidence-based preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative clinical services in a compassionate, respectful, and caring manner

Educator: Anesthetist involve in academic teaching-learning activities including program design, curriculum development and implementation, and committed to teaching, supervising and assessing students

Leader/Manager: Develop a vision of a high-quality perioperative and critical care service delivery system and, in collaboration with other health care leaders.

Researcher: Identifies research priority areas and conduct ethically acceptable surveys, clinical studies, clinical audit in perioperative and critical care medicine to solve community problems.

Health Advocate: As health advocates, anesthetists contribute their expertise and experience in order to create awareness and improve the health of communities or patient populations.

Further study option

Grounds for Appeal

Grounds for Appeal: Students may appeal their assessment results based on the following conditions but not limited only to these.

Ø  Errors in Scoring or Grading – Mathematical, clerical, or recording errors

Ø  Unfair Assessment Conditions – Bias, inconsistency, or procedural errors during the exam.

Ø  Failure to Follow Established Policies – Deviation from assessment guidelines

Ø  Extenuating Circumstances – Medical or personal issues affecting performance (must be documented).

Assessment Appeals system

Step 1: Informal Resolution (Optional but Recommended)

The student should first discuss concerns with the instructor or examiner within 5 working days of receiving the assessment result.

If the issue is resolved at this stage, no formal appeal is needed.

Step 2: Formal Appeal Submission

If unresolved, the student must submit a formal written appeal to the Appeal committee within 10 working days of receiving the result.

Ø  The appeal must include:

ü  Student’s name and ID

ü  Course and assessment details

ü  Specific reason(s) for the appeal

ü Supporting evidence (e.g., graded scripts, OSCE feedback, medical reports)

Step 3: Review by the Appeal committee (EC)

The Appeal committee will review the appeal within 5 working days of submission.

Ø  The committee may:

ü  Re-evaluate the assessment.

ü  Interview the student and relevant faculty.

ü  Request additional evidence if needed.

Step 4: Decision and Notification

The Appeal committee will issue a written decision within 5 working days after review.

Possible outcomes:

ü  Appeal granted – The assessment score is adjusted.

ü  Appeal denied – The original score remains unchanged.

ü  Further review required – Additional investigation is needed.

Step 5: Final Appeal (if necessary)

If dissatisfied with the Appeal committee’s decision, the student may escalate the appeal to the department head within 5 working days of receiving the decision.

The department head’s decision is final.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The Department of Anesthesia works closely with:

Local hospitals and regional health bureaus

Federal ministry of health

National academic and regulatory bodies like ETA

National professional Associations like EAA, EMA

Burao central university in Somali land

International institutions for knowledge exchange and capacity building like Jhpiego

Contact Us

Department of Anesthesia
Asrat Woldyes Health Sciences Campus
Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
Email: Anesthesia.dpt@dbu.edu.et
Phone: +251118902771
Website: www.dbu.edu.et