In a major dilemma....50/50 between Anesthesia and ER

[otacon88]

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I'm beginning to get super stressed out i've been having a constant headache for a couple weeks now. I'm an MS 3, and i just cannot figure out what I want to do. I've read countless threads after threads, and still have gotten no where. Here's my thought process, any insight/advice/help is greatly appreciated.

Anesthesia: My pros - I love the OR but don't want to be a surgeon, very laid back and fits my personality type very well, enjoyed the rotation, good lifestyle, great pay, good hours, i like being in an 'intensivist' position and love acute management and thinking on my feet and fast paced atmosphere. No rounding, no tons and tons of paperwork, no clinic, no continuity.

My cons - I was never really interested in physiology or pharm in MS, and haven't bothered to learn about it much. CRNA's might take over?

ER: My pros - I love studying about this stuff, i love knowing and being able to do almost anything even though i'm not specialized, i like the fast paced atmosphere, acute setting, no continuity, SHIFT WORK! you work and then you're done, lots of time off, good pay.

My cons - seems like it might be just one huge day of clinic, lots of bs problems to deal with, have to do really crappy and weird hours that can mess with your internal clock.

 

[Rendar5]

I'm beginning to get super stressed out i've been having a constant headache for a couple weeks now. I'm an MS 3, and i just cannot figure out what I want to do. I've read countless threads after threads, and still have gotten no where. Here's my thought process, any insight/advice/help is greatly appreciated.

Anesthesia: My pros - I love the OR but don't want to be a surgeon, very laid back and fits my personality type very well, enjoyed the rotation, good lifestyle, great pay, good hours, i like being in an 'intensivist' position and love acute management and thinking on my feet and fast paced atmosphere. No rounding, no tons and tons of paperwork, no clinic, no continuity.

My cons - I was never really interested in physiology or pharm in MS, and haven't bothered to learn about it much. CRNA's might take over?

ER: My pros - I love studying about this stuff, i love knowing and being able to do almost anything even though i'm not specialized, i like the fast paced atmosphere, acute setting, no continuity, SHIFT WORK! you work and then you're done, lots of time off, good pay.

My cons - seems like it might be just one huge day of clinic, lots of bs problems to deal with, have to do really crappy and weird hours that can mess with your internal clock.

Hmm...sounds like you may want the anaesthesia route, honestly. anaesthesia is regular hours, doesn't have to be that far from shift work. You do get your share of emergencies too. You may not be up to the clinic-like aspect of EM. It does sound like you're much more interested in acute disease processes and you will see these in both. If you're still not sure, amke sure you spend a month in the emergency room as a rotator to get a real feel.

In the end, just ask yourself, what feels like home? the ER or the OR? That gut answer really should be dead on.

 

[AmoryBlaine]

How do you feel about uncontrolled situations?

Anesthesia has essentially zero (that is the whole point).

ER has a bunch (that is the whole point).

Do they stress you out or do you thrive on them?

 

[Arch Guillotti]

Closing. cross-posting is a violation of the SDN TOS.

feel free to contribute to the open thread an the anesth forum.