MD IV medstudent considering anethesiology

[paragon]

Hi guys,
Just wanted to say that I think this forum is great and does help provide alot of good information especially for med students considering the various specialties.
I am currently considering anesthesiology but have been a little bit alarmed with regards to this whole CRNA deal. I'm not trying to start a war but am just voicing my concerns as a student thinking of my prospects when I get out of anesthesia residency 4 years from now.
I'm a bit worried that the whole specialty would be affected somewhat. I'm thinking reimbursements for procedures would go down, with more procedures shunted to a "cheaper" CRNA's doing the job? Would the specialty be compromised? Correct me if I'm wrong.. From what I've been reading on this forum there are strong lobbying groups on both sides but I'm contemplating the end result which cannot be foretold at this juncture. Would it be a contentious path to chose anesthesiology at this point ?
I can see the CRNA's point of view too.. they want to protect their job security as well and gain ground professionally, but it does seem to be infringing on the physician's territory in all honesty.
BTW, this is in no way an attack on the CRNA profession, more concern as a med student about his possible career choice. I really don't want to end up doing all those years of residency after med school to find myself in a compromised situation.
Thanks and no hate intended to CRNA's.

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[Dr Serenity]

I'm also an MS4 who's applying to anesthesia...this may sound trite, but when it comes to choosing a medical specialty, go with something that you (think you) know you'll love. For me, one of the reasons I chose anesthesia is that I think it fits well with my personality and I find the different aspects of the specialty interesting. I can see myself being very happy with my job as an anesthesiologist.

I say this knowing that there has been a big brouhaha between CNRAs and anesthesiologists and that there is a big uncertainty in terms of what pay, etc. will be like in the future. The truth is, no matter what specialty you go into, you should not let pay or issues such as midlevel providers sway you yay or nay...these issues could very well change in a flash, for better or for worse depending on what your perspective is. I'll also throw out that the prospect of socialized medicine (ie, Hillary/Obamacare) is something that EVERY physician, no matter what specialty they enter, should be concerned about.

That said, if you're really interested in pursuing anesthesia, don't let the CNRA debate or concerns about pay cuts stop you. Ultimately, if don't like your job, you're not going to be happy with your career choice, no matter how much it pays.

Perhaps something you should think about is why you're considering anesthesia, and if it is something that truly fascinates and interests you (and you feel as if you can work with nutcases such as me who enter the profession), GET ON THE BALL AND GET YOUR APPLICATIONS IN!!!!! (if you haven't done so already)

Good luck and Godspeed

 

[paragon]

I appreciate your candor Dr Serenity. I think I may be overanalyzing my career choices or maybe just looking for reassurance. I'll be applying for the 2009 match unfortunately, but it's good to see that some level headed people will be applying into the field! I still have a year to make a concrete decision.
Thanks!

 

[Dr Serenity]

No problem. Since you have another year to decide on things, just take your time and think about things such as your strengths, what you enjoy, etc. etc. and how well certain specialties fit for you. I'll also say that it is a good idea to know about the issues, etc. that are taking place within each medical specialty (e.g. CRNAs lobbying for more independence in the realm of anesthetic practice, optometrists lobbying to get to do procedures that only ophthalmologists currently do). I see that in you. Just keep in mind 2 things--1. there's going to be something about any career you choose that you don't like. 2. At the end of the day, ya gotta enjoy what you're doing. If anesthesia is what you see yourself enjoying, go for it.

OK, end of more unsolicited advice for now

 

[paragon]

Unsolicited advice that's helpful is always welcome. Congrats on matching at Mayo!
As of now, going to finish off some research. Write my Step 2, then do a few more electives to assess what I exactly want to be doing. Picking a specialty seems to be easier to some than others. It's something I've been wrestling with the last few months.
Thanks again!