General anesthesia questions

[Idiopathic]

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Some questions.

1) Who is going to do GA without continuing into a specialty year after residency?

1a) Does this limit your opportunities?

2) What programs do you feel give you the most well-rounded training, so that you would feel reasonably comfortable running most cases?

3) How competitive are the most competitive programs? Where would you say gas ranks when compared to ortho, rads, derm?

4) What do you plan to make (and where do you plan to make it) after residency?

Thanks for any input. Im really getting my struggle on with deciding.

 

[UTSouthwestern]

Some questions.

1) Who is going to do GA without continuing into a specialty year after residency?

1a) Does this limit your opportunities?

2) What programs do you feel give you the most well-rounded training, so that you would feel reasonably comfortable running most cases?

3) How competitive are the most competitive programs? Where would you say gas ranks when compared to ortho, rads, derm?

4) What do you plan to make (and where do you plan to make it) after residency?

Thanks for any input. Im really getting my struggle on with deciding.

1. Me. Limitations if you want to do sick kids. Most hospitals won't let you work on them without pedi fellowship. Everything else, I'll be doing.
2. I would read some of the reviews that have been posted on scutwork and here. There are many reviews of various programs and you should choose where you are most comfortable attending.
3. Gas ranks behind ortho, rads, and derm in terms of competitiveness, but that's partly due to the fact that there are a ton of residency spots out there. The most competitive programs will choose among candidates with board scores > 220 with good grades and LOR's. As long as you haven't completely struggled, you should still have a shot somewhere.
4. I plan to make many babies here in Dallas. Money too, but lots of babies.

 

[ThinkFast007]

Some questions.

1) Who is going to do GA without continuing into a specialty year after residency?

1a) Does this limit your opportunities?

2) What programs do you feel give you the most well-rounded training, so that you would feel reasonably comfortable running most cases?

3) How competitive are the most competitive programs? Where would you say gas ranks when compared to ortho, rads, derm?

4) What do you plan to make (and where do you plan to make it) after residency?

Thanks for any input. Im really getting my struggle on with deciding.

idio happened to neurosurgery 🙄

 

[Idiopathic]

The fear of having to move my family 1500+ miles away to work 100 hours a week for 7 years, with practice not being any better. It was a dream, byt maybe not a realistic one. Its only about a 10% possibility right now. Rads and Gas are probably 1a and 1b at this point, in a dead heat. HELP ME FIND A CAREER SOMEBODY!!

 

[MAC10]

1. Me. Limitations if you want to do sick kids. Most hospitals won't let you work on them without pedi fellowship. Everything else, I'll be doing.
2. I would read some of the reviews that have been posted on scutwork and here. There are many reviews of various programs and you should choose where you are most comfortable attending.
3. Gas ranks behind ortho, rads, and derm in terms of competitiveness, but that's partly due to the fact that there are a ton of residency spots out there. The most competitive programs will choose among candidates with board scores > 220 with good grades and LOR's. As long as you haven't completely struggled, you should still have a shot somewhere.
4. I plan to make many babies here in Dallas. Money too, but lots of babies.

Makin babies is fun 😀

 

[xampower]

If you are trying to make this decision now, I would assume that you are a 3rd year. Have you done an elective in Rads or Anesthesia yet? If not it is impossible to make a decision now. I was considering Rads and Gas also. My first two elevtive months I did a Rads and Gas month. I would suggest doing these locally and decide which one you like. Then go and do an away rotation to get a good letter if you aren't able to get one at home. Away rotations in the field you are interested in are exhausting. It feels like a 30 day interview. I wouldn't suggest doing them until you are sure that is what you want to do. As far as Rads vs Gas, I chose Gas without question. I really liked anatomy but was bored with my Rads rotation. It just wasn't me. Yes, it's a great lifestyle but I couldn't do it for 25 years. Anesthesia challenged me on a daily basis. Having a critical life in your hands never allows for boredom. The ability to specailize in OB, Neuro, Hearts, Pain, critical care etc. is great. Once you do the rotations you will know. If you have already done them what does your gut say. You have to be happy.

 

[Idiopathic]

Thanks. the way my system is set up, I dont get a free month until June. I have both an anesthesia and rads elective set up at my home school, but I think I will go with the gas one, after weighing much input and several other factors. The next month I will have to go away and then probably in September also, if I want any chance to get letters before applications are due. I am a little hamstrung by the system, no doubt. In otherwords, I have to commit now, just to ensure that I can get some aways at places that I want...I cant wait until I do an elective @ home, because it will be too late.

 

[xampower]

Thanks. the way my system is set up, I dont get a free month until June. I have both an anesthesia and rads elective set up at my home school, but I think I will go with the gas one, after weighing much input and several other factors. The next month I will have to go away and then probably in September also, if I want any chance to get letters before applications are due. I am a little hamstrung by the system, no doubt. In otherwords, I have to commit now, just to ensure that I can get some aways at places that I want...I cant wait until I do an elective @ home, because it will be too late.

You have plenty of time. I didn't have an elective until June as well. I did a home anesthesia elective in June and Rads in July. I took the month of August for boards and did my away rotation in anesthesia in September. I received my letter form my away the first week of October and it was uploaded into ERAS by the second week. I had all other letters (1 cardiology, 1 critical care) already in. I ended up getting a second gas letter from my away rotation which I didn't get into eras until Nov. If you have good scores and grades etc. you are going to get interviews even without the gas letter. I would say I received half of my interviews before my letter was even turned in. When the letter was turned in I didn't notice any change in the flow of interviews. Programs have their schedules. It seems they tend to send out invites in masses, not based on when your app is complete or when your gas letter is in. If you app is in Sept.1 which I highly suggest it is, they will know everything they need to know about you even without that letter. Take a deep breath. You have plenty of time. I had your same schedule and I wouldn't have changed a thing. Also, if you choose gas (which I think you should) only do one away rotation. There is no need to do more than that if you have decent scores and numbers. I will put money on that where you do an away rotation, you will not rank #1. I didn't and out of everyone I have talked to on the interview trail and my friends, I can't think of one person who is putting it #1. I am sure someone will post with a exception but is just seems to be the trend. I'm not saying not to do more than one for ranking purposes but there is absolutely no need. You will get a good idea if a program is for you or not on the interview trail. Enjoy those ohter elective months. Go over seas or do some easy months to have have time to do things you enjoy outside of medicine. You will get plenty of experience during internship and residency.

 

[powermd]

The fear of having to move my family 1500+ miles away to work 100 hours a week for 7 years, with practice not being any better. It was a dream, byt maybe not a realistic one. Its only about a 10% possibility right now. Rads and Gas are probably 1a and 1b at this point, in a dead heat. HELP ME FIND A CAREER SOMEBODY!!

One of the great things about anesthesiology is that your patients have fixable problems- and you're participating in the actual curing of the patient. Wheeling a fixed patient from the OR to recovery is a pretty satisfying feeling. In radiology you never actually fix anyone, just diagnose their problems. Important work, of course, but something to consider before making a final decision.

 

[undecided05]

I didn't do an away elective and got interviews to all but one program that I applied to... my advice, do a month of anesthesia and a month of radiology. It sounds like you're competetive and will get interviews to most every anesthesia program. Don't worry about the away rotations... I don't think it's a big deal for gas like it would be for neuorsurgery or ortho.

Also would have to disagree with the post before mine... radiologists can go into interventional radiology and cure "really bad things".

 

[powermd]

I didn't do an away elective and got interviews to all but one program that I applied to... my advice, do a month of anesthesia and a month of radiology. It sounds like you're competetive and will get interviews to most every anesthesia program. Don't worry about the away rotations... I don't think it's a big deal for gas like it would be for neuorsurgery or ortho.

Also would have to disagree with the post before mine... radiologists can go into interventional radiology and cure "really bad things".

Touche.

But most don't!