Future of Anesthesia

[perilou]

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My intent here is not to incite a flame war.

I am a US medical student looking into entering Anesthesiology. I am worried about the possibility of spending my time training in a specialty that will some day become delegated completely to non-physicians. Are there any reputable sources of information pertaining to the future of the specialty, and the current status of the specialty? For example, some sites give numbers saying that almost all anesthetics are applied by CRNA's already. Is this true?

I tried searching the ASA's website (I am not a member) but couldn't find anything.

Thanks for your help.

 

[periopdoc]

Read through the anesthesia forums here on SDN and you will find tons of info to answer your question, especially if you read the midlevel forums...

Perhaps we aren't reputable?

- pod

 

[perilou]

Read through the anesthesia forums here on SDN and you will find tons of info to answer your question, especially if you read the midlevel forums...

Perhaps we aren't reputable?

- pod

I did not mean any offense 🙂

I guess I was looking for official statistics - if they are kept. It seems like most of what I read here is speculation and doomsday scenarios.

I am a worrier by nature, and this worries me. Job security is something I need, and I want to make sure I know what I'm getting in to.

 

[Pilot Doc]

If by reputable you mean 100% (or even >50%) reliable, no - there's not anything.

The future of physicians practicing anesthesiology is far from certain and will be the result of a complex interplay of politics and health care reimbursement policy. If major change does come, it will probably be highly regional, at least at first.

If you are a worrier by nature and have a fiscal or psychological need for job security, look elsewhere. Nothing is a guarantee, but most other specialties will do better on that criteria than anesthesiology

 

[Pilot Doc]

For example, some sites give numbers saying that almost all anesthetics are applied by CRNA's already. Is this true?

It is true, but I think you're drawing the wrong conclusions. That has been true for a long time, and it may well have been true forever. The 1 MD to 1 patient model has been going away for a long time. But most of the CRNA administered anesthetics are MD supervised. The details of MD supervision are going to determine the future of anesthesiology.

 

[Colba55o]

I did not mean any offense 🙂

I am a worrier by nature, and this worries me. Job security is something I need, and I want to make sure I know what I'm getting in to.

🙄

and this separates you from the overwhelming majority of people how?
Nothing in medicine, or any other field for that matter is guaranteed. For now, focus on doing well on the boards and wards and try to match into what you can see yourself doing for the next 30yrs.

 

[mcgreen]

I am a US medical student looking into entering Anesthesiology. I am worried about the possibility of spending my time training in a specialty that will some day become delegated completely to non-physicians. Are there any reputable sources of information pertaining to the future of the specialty, and the current status of the specialty? For example, some sites give numbers saying that almost all anesthetics are applied by CRNA's already. Is this true?

Future of anesthesia


Without Healthcare Reform;

AMC's and malignant groups getting a strangle hold on most locations. So you will either have to work for a cooked dishonest AMC (anesthesia Management Company) that is out to screw you or you will have to play the partnership game, work for next nothing for three to five years for the hope of making partner. Either choice will involve supervising CRNAs or working alongside CRNAs since one Doc supervising or working alongside four CRNA's is cheaper and makes more money than four docs working.

With healthcare Reform;

Think VA medical center very low pay, Low stress , slow pace, shorter hours, Run by the local party officials most likely politically active RN or RN-JDs. You will be equal to the mid levels.