Anesthesia fellowships

[Argentus]

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From reading here for a little while it seems that there are a number of different fellowship options one has after completing an anesthesia residency: ICU, cards, neuro, pain, peds, etc... Without starting a CRNA vs. MDA debate, does anyone know if these fellowships provide MDs training to perform certain functions that CRNAs can not? Obviously the nurses can perform basic anesthesia care, but how far exactly do their functions extend?
Any input is welcome.

 

[GasPundit]

From reading here for a little while it seems that there are a number of different fellowship options one has after completing an anesthesia residency: ICU, cards, neuro, pain, peds, etc... Without starting a CRNA vs. MDA debate, does anyone know if these fellowships provide MDs training to perform certain functions that CRNAs can not? Obviously the nurses can perform basic anesthesia care, but how far exactly do their functions extend?
Any input is welcome.

Not much specifically, but TEE and critical care are two specific entities that jump to mind. Now, many CRNA's do a minimum of regional during training, but it is minimal.

It's more of a gradient. Do CRNA's do hearts? Well, yeah, simple CABG's with lots of MDA oversight. Do they do pedi-hearts? Not a chance (of course, there are exceptions to every rule). DO they do neuro? Sure. Complicated crani's? More likely, the answer is no.

Major vascular? Major thoracic? Neonates or young kids? CRITICAL CARE?? Yeah, general MDA's CAN do these cases, as COULD a CRNA. But the idea is not to go looking for suboptimal care. And this is what drives me nuts about CRNA's; some purport to be able to do anything, a fact MDA's universally realize is false about even their own training. It's why we subspecialize. I wouldn't feel comfy having an ambulatory MDA take my kid through a Norwood, nor would feel comfortable having a peds cardiac anesthesiologist put in my psoas block. It's not that they couldn't if pressed into it, it's that in medicine we don't go looking for suboptimal care.

This issue doesn't only pertain to CRNA's, it applies to midlevels in all aspects of medicine. And a very big disclaimer here; I've worked with lots of midlevels, and have been very impressed with most of them. They're mostly fantastic people who bring a lot to the table.

 

[@JackShephard]

bump.

 

[IlDestriero]

The previous decade old answer still stands.

 

[cognitus]

The previous decade old answer still stands.

What answer is that?

 

[IlDestriero]

The one above the bump.
It was an impressive bump.

 

[@JackShephard]

The one above the bump.
It was an impressive bump.

Thanks.

It seemed like a good question.