smoothsailing888
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- Feb 4, 2026
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- Attending Physician
I am a current anesthesiologist considering sleep fellowship. I have reached near complete burn out a few years into attending-hood. In residency, I was strongly considering sleep. I did a rotation and I very much enjoyed it. A combination of serious financial strain and dissuasion from family and mentors led me to go directly into private practice.
I am not sure if I have ever truly enjoyed anesthesiology. I am good at it, but every day I dread going to work. I get home and am absolutely drained only to spend my evenings prepping for the next day. I am stressed by the pressure, the potential for disaster in each case, the unpredictable hours, and the call shifts. I think even an ambulatory job would be stressful for me as I don't really find joy or meaning in the OR. I wouldn't say that I am depressed. I am happy outside of work - I just find it hard to enjoy life when I dislike my job to this extent.
I have developed a deeper interest in sleep medicine and recent advances in the field during my time practicing anesthesia. My patient's are often quite sick. Many of them has OSA - often uncontrolled and contributing to poor general health/heart disease. In the OR, I see the results of a patient's comorbidities, but am unable to help turn their health around. I miss being able to have a lasting impact on my patients. I miss talking to patients and I miss the clinic setting. I wish I had followed my gut and chosen sleep.
Needless to say, I am strongly considering going back to the drawing board and pursuing a sleep fellowship.
Has anyone else transitioned to sleep later in their careers?
Would the job market / fellowship chances be more difficult for people with an anesthesiology background?
If you are a current sleep doctor - Do you enjoy it? What do you like most?
Thank you in advance for any input!
I am not sure if I have ever truly enjoyed anesthesiology. I am good at it, but every day I dread going to work. I get home and am absolutely drained only to spend my evenings prepping for the next day. I am stressed by the pressure, the potential for disaster in each case, the unpredictable hours, and the call shifts. I think even an ambulatory job would be stressful for me as I don't really find joy or meaning in the OR. I wouldn't say that I am depressed. I am happy outside of work - I just find it hard to enjoy life when I dislike my job to this extent.
I have developed a deeper interest in sleep medicine and recent advances in the field during my time practicing anesthesia. My patient's are often quite sick. Many of them has OSA - often uncontrolled and contributing to poor general health/heart disease. In the OR, I see the results of a patient's comorbidities, but am unable to help turn their health around. I miss being able to have a lasting impact on my patients. I miss talking to patients and I miss the clinic setting. I wish I had followed my gut and chosen sleep.
Needless to say, I am strongly considering going back to the drawing board and pursuing a sleep fellowship.
Has anyone else transitioned to sleep later in their careers?
Would the job market / fellowship chances be more difficult for people with an anesthesiology background?
If you are a current sleep doctor - Do you enjoy it? What do you like most?
Thank you in advance for any input!
