anesthesiology-related stereotypes

[MedicinePowder]

when i answer non-medical people that i'm considering anesthesiology, unanimously people mention money or that it seems like a dangerous profession. those are the two i get 100% of the time. i didn't realize the general public had an idea about the good compensation for anesthesiologist. any other associations true or false you guys keep hearing?

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[brains]

I always hear that they have to pay a lot for malpractice insurance. However, an anesthesiologist told me to stick with a group, and it won't be so high. Whether or not this is true is beyond me, so I'll wait 'til i get there 🙂

 

[Private Pyle]

drug addicts. people that live lives they hate, search for meaning and adventure in drugs.

it takes all kinds really.....there are many reasons people get high..some people think they need it just to get through the day, and some people just like to party, and can quit whenever they want, like me...there are a lot of double standards about drugs in this country

kids, it's time to get real...sometimes life gets hard and i can't deal. I know it looks a certain way, but people get high eevveerryydddaaayyyyyyyy:

some people do it with cigarette smoking, other's treat their headache with Ibuprofen
your grandpa talks about self respect, and then he takes drugs to kep his cock erect,
but it's alllll drugs to meeeeeeeeee, it's alllllll drugs to meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
this junk's kicking in kids...bye bye (i'm fkin dyin man...)

~~chappelle

 

[MedicinePowder]

yes, i've heard the drug-abuse association but this has come from people within the field of medicine who say this. not sure if it's a general stereotype out in the public. what drugs do they abuse? benzos?

 

[VentdependenT]

yes, i've heard the drug-abuse association but this has come from people within the field of medicine who say this. not sure if it's a general stereotype out in the public. what drugs do they abuse? benzos?

Those and those little opioids which are 80-300x more potent than morphine. Would imagine you could get yourself into to quite a bit of trouble with something like that.

 

[lvspro]

Hey
I've heard the addict rumor. There is a feeling that MDA's are better at spotting addicted colleagues, and taking action DISCREETLY. There has never been a study on whether there is a greater incidence of abuse vs a higher rate of detection in MDA's. If I'm wrong, please quote the article.

I can't wait to get people stoned, and get paid for it.... legally!

 

[Gimlet]

The other day, my fiance's mother (a former surgical nurse) mentioned that she was surprised I want to go into anesthesia because I'm "so good with people." I guess she thinks that anesthesiology should be reserved for people who are unable to interact with a conscious patient. I was a little surprised at this, especially given her background in the operating room...you would think she would know better than that. Has anyone else run across this stereotype that anesthesiologists don't have good people skills?

 

[lexrageorge]

The other day, my fiance's mother (a former surgical nurse) mentioned that she was surprised I want to go into anesthesia because I'm "so good with people." I guess she thinks that anesthesiology should be reserved for people who are unable to interact with a conscious patient. I was a little surprised at this, especially given her background in the operating room...you would think she would know better than that. Has anyone else run across this stereotype that anesthesiologists don't have good people skills?

I remember that PBS ran a special a few years ago where several medical students from Harvard were followed from gross anatomy lab to their post-residency careers. Not sure if anyone else here recalls the same program. Anyway, the anesthesia guy was a complete turd who thought his presence on this planet was a gift to mankind. I was thinking to myself that it was a good thing he does not have to interact with patients extensively.

My real world experience with anesthesiologists, although limited, has been the exact opposite, I am happy to say.

 

[VentdependenT]

The other day, my fiance's mother (a former surgical nurse) mentioned that she was surprised I want to go into anesthesia because I'm "so good with people." I guess she thinks that anesthesiology should be reserved for people who are unable to interact with a conscious patient. I was a little surprised at this, especially given her background in the operating room...you would think she would know better than that. Has anyone else run across this stereotype that anesthesiologists don't have good people skills?

Yes. Pain nurse at my previous hospital and the folks in the ER said I was wasting my talent in an OR because of people skills. I've found them to be quite invaluable in this career however. Go figure.

I just wish we had dress up day once a month. I'd shoot for hillbilly day this month. Sort of have that cleetus feeling.

 

[SouthernGas]

I remember that PBS ran a special a few years ago where several medical students from Harvard were followed from gross anatomy lab to their post-residency careers. Not sure if anyone else here recalls the same program. Anyway, the anesthesia guy was a complete turd who thought his presence on this planet was a gift to mankind. I was thinking to myself that it was a good thing he does not have to interact with patients extensively.

My real world experience with anesthesiologists, although limited, has been the exact opposite, I am happy to say.

LOL. I remember that guy. He was a Dukie, I believe (hmm, they didn't mention him on my interview). His best manuever was calling up a cutie he treated in the E.R. --- eventually he married her, though she left him for some strange reason.

 

[ThinkFast007]

..... His best manuever was calling up a cutie he treated in the E.R. --- eventually he married her, though she left him for some strange reason.

lol...

I recall from my days of Kaplan Step 1 qbank that the above is 'highly unethical' 😀

 

[f_w]

The other day, my fiance's mother (a former surgical nurse) mentioned that she was surprised I want to go into anesthesia because I'm "so good with people." I guess she thinks that anesthesiology should be reserved for people who are unable to interact with a conscious patient.

During an anesthesia elective in medschool, an older Gyn looked at me over the blood-brain barrier and said: 'Young man, go into anesthesia. It is so nice if your patients just want to sleep, rather than talk'. (he was an exceptional surgeon, unfortunately he had a personality that made it advisable to only have him interact with patients who were already snowed.)

 

[UTSouthwestern]

The other day, my fiance's mother (a former surgical nurse) mentioned that she was surprised I want to go into anesthesia because I'm "so good with people." I guess she thinks that anesthesiology should be reserved for people who are unable to interact with a conscious patient.

During an anesthesia elective in medschool, an older Gyn looked at me over the blood-brain barrier and said: 'Young man, go into anesthesia. It is so nice if your patients just want to sleep, rather than talk'. (he was an exceptional surgeon, unfortunately he had a personality that made it advisable to only have him interact with patients who were already snowed.)

My fond memories of my OBGYN rotation are with an Egyptian attending who
#1: Told us about the first recorded prophylactic technique (camel dung in a woman's vagina)
#2: Told patients separately, "You! You smell! Smell like camel dung! Next time, clean down there!", "Your legs are like elephant legs! Lose weight!", and of course during a bimanual exam "Relax! Relax! RELAX!!!"
#3: Was arrested at the airport for disorderly conduct

 

[MAC10]

drug addicts. people that live lives they hate, search for meaning and adventure in drugs.

it takes all kinds really.....there are many reasons people get high..some people think they need it just to get through the day, and some people just like to party, and can quit whenever they want, like me...there are a lot of double standards about drugs in this country

kids, it's time to get real...sometimes life gets hard and i can't deal. I know it looks a certain way, but people get high eevveerryydddaaayyyyyyyy:

some people do it with cigarette smoking, other's treat their headache with Ibuprofen
your grandpa talks about self respect, and then he takes drugs to kep his cock erect,
but it's alllll drugs to meeeeeeeeee, it's alllllll drugs to meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
this junk's kicking in kids...bye bye (i'm fkin dyin man...)

~~chappelle

LMAO.

 

[MAC10]

My fond memories of my OBGYN rotation are with an Egyptian attending who
#1: Told us about the first recorded prophylactic technique (camel dung in a woman's vagina)
#2: Told patients separately, "You! You smell! Smell like camel dung! Next time, clean down there!", "Your legs are like elephant legs! Lose weight!", and of course during a bimanual exam "Relax! Relax! RELAX!!!"
#3: Was arrested at the airport for disorderly conduct

LMAO.

 

[TofuBalls]

The other day, my fiance's mother (a former surgical nurse) mentioned that she was surprised I want to go into anesthesia because I'm "so good with people." I guess she thinks that anesthesiology should be reserved for people who are unable to interact with a conscious patient. I was a little surprised at this, especially given her background in the operating room...you would think she would know better than that. Has anyone else run across this stereotype that anesthesiologists don't have good people skills?

This is a very common misconception. The truth is anesthesiologists have some of the most intense doctor-patient interactions. By that, I mean how many other specialties meet their patients and within minutes obtain consent to basically take control of every physiologic function and or stick a needle in their spine, etc. An internist will at least have 15 to 30 minutes to gain the patient's trust before starting them on a statin... 😛

Sure, there are people hiding in anesthesia who are total turds, but I would argue that our specialty is a "people person" specialty due to our dealings with our patients as well as our surgeons.

Then again, during a MAC case, I would rather use my free hand to do a jaw tilt than listen to a disinhibited patient talk about some bull****... thank you propofol! 😀

 

[Orchard]

Then again, during a MAC case, I would rather use my free hand to do a jaw tilt than listen to a disinhibited patient talk about some bull****... thank you propofol! 😀

Amen to that, brother! 🙂