Ok finally graduated and finished the year long internship. Now I'm about to take the exams which will take me into residency. First I'll take the first qualifying exam of my home country required to get into residency of my choice. Unlike the USMLE steps which are general, the exam here is subject specific, i.e, if I want to pursue a career in anaesthesia, I must take the qualifying exam of anaesthesia which also contains many anaesthesia specific basic science and physics questions. I will have to register for the exam in a week or two from now to be eligible. So while I get register I need to mention the speciality of my choice first. After thinking alot I've finally decided to pursue my career in anaesthesiology.Along with many other factors, two major factors that guided me were my interest, the technical aspect of the speciality, the dreath of qualified anaesthetists in my place (translating into a greater scope in future). Anesthesiology in the government hospitals (this is where I prefer to work) of developing countries is still in the basic level with quiet a shortage of qualified Anaesthetists. Plus I am interested in critical care medicine as well, and may further do fellowship in it.
But the question is how to deal with the family and friends who think my decision to be an anaesthesiologist is not a good one? Anaesthesia in the developing world is still a bit unpopular among the general public and even doctors and considered as a very low competency field. Though I just listen to them and make sure I stick to my own decision, I do sometimes get confused by the logics they give. Our world is a world where decisions of individuals are still largely influenced by the family. People usually look down to anaesthesia for whatever reasons.
By my limited exposure to the field of anesthesia ( a three month rotation), what I've realized is that I like anaesthesia for the following reasons. Just tell me if any of the following reasons is not worth considering while choosing a speciality.
1. I like the way the drugs work and all the physiology involved.
2. I like the procedure based practice
3. I'm interested in emergency management and crictical care
4. I like things straight forward and direct. I don't like ambiguous, puzzle solving stuff. (so internal medicine which was once my first choice is out of list)
5. I like to be the person responsible for decision making
6. I like to be a team leader
7. I don't like to see misery and suffering happening in front of my eyes everyday until it ends in death. (just so happens in medicine, consider a person with cirrhosis, CRF etc.)
8. I like to have lesser working hours and a nice personal life, and just enough funds to live a respectable normal life.
9. I am not interested in private practice, I would rather like to be a professor some day i.e involved in academics as well.
So many likes and so many dislikes. But I think most go in favor of anaesthesia.
Another factor is that as I mentioned earlier, anaesthesia is one of the least saturated fields here, so much better chances of getting residency now and jobs later.
So am I justified with my decision? Plus how to deal with the arguements of family /friends who think I'm being stupid?
But the question is how to deal with the family and friends who think my decision to be an anaesthesiologist is not a good one? Anaesthesia in the developing world is still a bit unpopular among the general public and even doctors and considered as a very low competency field. Though I just listen to them and make sure I stick to my own decision, I do sometimes get confused by the logics they give. Our world is a world where decisions of individuals are still largely influenced by the family. People usually look down to anaesthesia for whatever reasons.
By my limited exposure to the field of anesthesia ( a three month rotation), what I've realized is that I like anaesthesia for the following reasons. Just tell me if any of the following reasons is not worth considering while choosing a speciality.
1. I like the way the drugs work and all the physiology involved.
2. I like the procedure based practice
3. I'm interested in emergency management and crictical care
4. I like things straight forward and direct. I don't like ambiguous, puzzle solving stuff. (so internal medicine which was once my first choice is out of list)
5. I like to be the person responsible for decision making
6. I like to be a team leader
7. I don't like to see misery and suffering happening in front of my eyes everyday until it ends in death. (just so happens in medicine, consider a person with cirrhosis, CRF etc.)
8. I like to have lesser working hours and a nice personal life, and just enough funds to live a respectable normal life.
9. I am not interested in private practice, I would rather like to be a professor some day i.e involved in academics as well.
So many likes and so many dislikes. But I think most go in favor of anaesthesia.
Another factor is that as I mentioned earlier, anaesthesia is one of the least saturated fields here, so much better chances of getting residency now and jobs later.
So am I justified with my decision? Plus how to deal with the arguements of family /friends who think I'm being stupid?
