Pardon my lack of knowledge but is there something about anesthesiology that makes it so popular?
I mean I could go on for hours and not sure if this is serious but generally, its pretty all encompassing. Turns out we won't get much exposure in medical school though, unless you do an elective its generally just one week during the surgery rotations.
Get to do a bunch of procedures - lines, tubes, blocks, epidurals, etc.
Gotta know medicine stuff - you are the medicine docs of the OR.
Gotta know some surgery and get to be a part of all different kinds of surgery
like kids? pediatrics is a fellowship option and all anesthesiologists are trained for kids (those without fellowship training are just not comfortable below a certain age)
Want to completely focus on life and family when your not at work? once you're home, you are truly home, no patients to worry about.
You do things that actually and acutely save lives: best in hospital at getting invasive access/intubating/running codes.
Want more patient interaction than in the OR? You can:
- do a critical care fellowship and take care of lung/heart transplant, etc patients in the ICU
- do a pain fellowship and have your own practice/patients you see longitudinally
- Do OB and get to positively impact the birth experience (if you are good with people)
I think the best part is that even if you do a fellowship you can still do a bit of everything.
ex) 2 days on OB, 2 days main OR, 1 day admin or non clinical per week ....or.... 1 week ICU per month, rest is main OR ... or... generalist OR person
I wouldn't say anesthesia is lax though, for the docs I know (academics) their days are usually 630a-4p 5 days a week and then call. Private practice makes more but you work alot more.