being in the OR and NOT being the surgeon?

[anatomyaddict]

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hey guys,
for those of you who were interested in surgery but decided against it in favor of having a life and chose anesthesia instead, is it wierd for you being in the OR and not being the surgeon?
I know that in both professions, you have to love the OR and you are serving the patient in completely different but equally important capacities. For those of you who had the surgical mindset before choosing anesthesia, how did you transition over? was it hard for you? what do you think the major holdup is for people who can't?

 

[countingdays]

hey guys,
for those of you who were interested in surgery but decided against it in favor of having a life and chose anesthesia instead, is it wierd for you being in the OR and not being the surgeon?
I know that in both professions, you have to love the OR and you are serving the patient in completely different but equally important capacities. For those of you who had the surgical mindset before choosing anesthesia, how did you transition over? was it hard for you? what do you think the major holdup is for people who can't?

The only problem with not being the surgeon is that circulators, scrubs, etc have the mindset that they are there to serve the surgeon, not the patient and certainly not the anesthesiologist. It can get annoying. They just don't get that you care about the patient more than the surgeon for some reason.

Watching surgeons cut and sew while I push drugs and monitor doesn't bother me at all. I wondered the same thing as you in med school, but realized that surgery, like everything else, gets boring after a while, and I'm not at all envious of their careers. I respect what they do, but I'm not envious.

I haven't ever met anyone in anesthesia who wanted to switch to surgery, so it's hard to answer your question about people who can't get over it.

 

[urge]

The only problem with not being the surgeon is that circulators, scrubs, etc have the mindset that they are there to serve the surgeon, not the patient and certainly not the anesthesiologist. It can get annoying. They just don't get that you care about the patient more than the surgeon for some reason.

Not everywhere. They are are helpful where I'm at.

OP,
I don't think you should go into anesthesia.

Stick to surgery, it's probably easier to get in.

 

[anatomyaddict]

thanks for the reply!

This is an honest question. I have been considering ophthalmology for a while now but recently did a critical care rotation and LOVED it and have started to wonder if anesthesia is more for me.
There are a lot of similarities in the field
-both offer great lifestyle
-both offer OR time- ophtho of course in the surgical capacity
-both have a nice scope for international work

I know there is a difference in the salary- ophtho's start off with way less than anesthesia but see a HUGE pay spike once they make partner.

But the questions is, all other factors put aside, the biggest thing I am concerned about is potentially not being ok with being treated like crap by surgeons or like a 2nd class citizen in the OR. the ophthalmologists I have shadowed had excellent relationships with there anesthesiologist but I have seen the other side of the spectrum too.

 

[Gern Blansten]

If you have the credentials to get an ophth spot, take it and never look back. I thought you were talking about general surgery at first.
In addition, I think you may be mistaken about the lifestyle of a critical care doctor.

 

[cchoukal]

If you have the credentials to get an ophth spot, take it and never look back. I thought you were talking about general surgery at first.
In addition, I think you may be mistaken about the lifestyle of a critical care doctor.

True. My critical care practice definitely puts me in the hospital more weekends than if I was doing solely OR anesthesia.