anesthesiology questions

[needadvice]

as you know i have been contemplating this switch from internal medicine to anesthesiology; after talking to some folks in the field, here's some of what i am hearing:

it can be lonely, sitting by yourself all day long, with occassional 15 minute breaks and no one to talk to.

its tough being in the hospital at 5:45 in the a.m.

the two folks i have talked to say there's little supervision and teaching.

i am still thinking about switching, just thought i'd share some of what i have heard.

best,

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[theD.O.C.]

Thanks for the summation. I've been following your quest and reading your posts with some interest as I too am in internal med and am contemplating a changeover to anesthesia. Internal Medicine can be all consuming; the patients demand so much, and everyone seems to be trying to get someone on your service somehow. At the end of the day I feel like there's very little of 'me' left.

To me the benefits of anesthesia are:
1. a 'cleaner' form of medicine ie less social issues,
2. ability to go home and leave the job behind (the work's never done in IM)

Good luck, and keep us posted on your quest. I'm rooting for you.

 

[brownman]

My rotation in anesthesia proved one thing to me. It truly is boredom punctuated with sheer panic. You are so exhausted that you love the breaks. Granted much of it can be rote...but ladies and gentleman that is medicine. It's funny....most people in anesthesia that I've talked to worry more about the panic than the boredom. In fact, their claim of attrition is based on the stress more than the down time. It's a horrible rotation to do as a medical student, and even if you go into it...you are going in blind. But most people I know are pretty satisified with the choice...so much so that early figures show that it has become one of the more competitive fields in medicine again. It'll be radiology next year (no FMG's, limited DO's, probably no transfers either). Best of luck to all of you...I hope you find in medicine what you are truly looking for...

 

[Amadeus]

I've noticed that a lot of people this year have boiled their choices between rads and anesth. Lifestyle most likely the motivating factor. The major issue with anesth is the early mornings and the in-house call. Rads main issue seems to be that more radiologist are pulling more hours and people not wanting to hang out in the dark room. Anyone else want to contribute their opinion on all of this?

 

[rad2b]

"Rads main issue seems to be that more radiologist are pulling more hours and people not wanting to hang out in the dark room"

I may be biased, but give me a peaceful, quiet dark room over 30 demanding, whining, patients in the clinic each day!

 

[theD.O.C.]

Regarding the comments from Amadeus. For me at least, its not so much what goes on in the hospital but how much time I will have away from the hospital.

 

[rad2b]

Thats what you say now.

 

[Amadeus]

Well where did you get 30 some whining patients??? Anesthesia deals with one pt at a time. They can't whine either...because they're intubated and sedated.

 

[rad2b]

I was talking about the office based specialties. I agree with your post.