Interested in Surgery

[agranulocytosis]

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So I just started an AI in anesthesiology and I had a couple questions for you all...

I have a huge interest in surgery. I'm talking absolute desire to cut someone open and take a peek or fix some ****. The only thing that I hesitate about is the lifestyle of a surgeon as I feel it would be unfair to my girlfriend.

I love the fact that I get out at the end of the day in anesthesia without having to round. And the hours I can totally get used to.

It's just that during any case, with the exception of ENT cases, I'm in total awe of the surgery going on more than the patients' vitals. With the exception of an unexpected outcome during extubation or major vital changes during the case, I tend to find it quite boring.

How do you residents and attending cope? Do you actually find it boring and have to find a way to deal with it or do you find anesthesiology truly stimulating and can't see yourselves doing anything else?

 

[agranulocytosis]

I guess what I'm trying to ask is whether or not the field becomes different from a 4th-year AI as a resident and beyond.

 

[Noyac]

Why don't you ask your girlfriend if she would rather be married to a surgeon or an anesthesiologist.

 

[Eta Carinae]

Why don't you ask your girlfriend if she would rather be married to a surgeon or an anesthesiologist.

 

[LonghornJPS]

It sounds to me like you should pursue surgery.

 

[deleted50478]

I guess what I'm trying to ask is whether or not the field becomes different from a 4th-year AI as a resident and beyond.

Anesthesia becomes more interesting as you become more responsible for the patient. Of all specialties, anesthesiology is the least similar in practice to the med student rotation experience (i think anyway).

Surgery is very cool to watch at first, but the awe you feel now will disappear quickly. It isn't that awe inspiring to watch someone sew for hours once you get beyond the initial interest of seeing a person opened up. Then again, if you go into surgery, you won't be watching, you'll be doing it. It'll probably be a routing activity, not too exciting nor too boring.

The surgery lifestyle isn't necessarily that terrible as an attending. There are lots of areas in surgery that don't have many night cases.

Do what you really want.

 

[Gas]

Go into surgery. If that is what you are more interested in during your anesthesiology AI, then the choice is fairly obvious.

In terms of the hours, things are different when you are an attending. In fact, at my hospital, the anesthesiologist has the tougher call than the surgeons. We have to be available for everything, including all surgical emergencies from all surgical subspecialties, in addition to OB. What I mean is that if you become a general surgeon, I will have to do your emergencies at night, plus everyone else's. The difference is we get post-call day off, while surgeons often round or operate the next day too.

Long story short, as stated before, surgical lifestyle/hours are much more reasonable as an attending. However, anesthesiologists often take in-house call as attendings, unlike most surgeons. Lifestyle pros about anesthesiology include no rounds, no clinic, beeper off when off duty. Lifestyle pros about surgery include no in-house call, you can operate/round/schedule patients how you want (for the most part), and you get to be in the limelight.

These are generalizations, but you have to do what you want. If you are in awe of surgery, then go for it!

 

[somedumbDO]

I WISH I was bored more often. A boring day is a good day...

agreed...... last night I was certainly not bored doing a off pump single lung tx. I take bored any day.

 

[sawthelight]

...first off, you sound like you have little interest in anesthesia other than a little lighter work day (which is debatable, as stated above). Don't go into it because it's apparently easier, go into it because you want to. You should talk to your girlfriend (who may/may not be around in 10 years when you're established in practice, just saying), but take this into consideration: whatever you choose, you better enjoy it, because EVERY specialty has its hard times and tough days, and if you don't enjoy it, you're going to want to jump off the ledge. I switched because I liked anesthesia, but took the rotation too late in the year to switch. Surgery residency confirmed that I didn't really enjoy surgery, I just found it interesting as a student (as I retracted endlessly...which I still do). 🙂

Surgery's cool, but residency is a killer, and it's not as pretty as it is during 3rd and 4th year when you get to operate a lot and don't get destroyed on call. Also, after you do the surgical procedures a few times, most of them become as everyday as any other procedure...doing them "perfectly" and getting satisfaction out of that is something you can get out of any specialty, IMHO, including anesthesia.

Also, search previous threads re: surgery vs. anesthesia. I think anesthesia's awesome, really, and offers everything you could want in a specialty. To the casual observer, it may appear boring, but I assure you, it's not. Looking forward to starting my CA-1 year in July...counting the days! PM me if interested.