Is it helpful to be good at math?

[Blue Frog]

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I am planning to take anesthesia as a 4th year elective but deciding when to take it (before or after MSPEs go in). I am good at math and pretty poor at memorizing. I am wondering if math abilities provide a significant advantage in an anesthesia elective, or if it's really mostly memorizing drugs anyways.

 

[Blue Frog]

I should add "logic" to that question....
Is being good at MATH and LOGIC a significant advantage in an anesthesia elective?

 

[Trisomy13]

math and logic are entirely useless. what are you trying to be, some kind of Vulcan?

 

[loveumms]

Are you for real?

Of course you use math and logic. You have to memorize the drugs as an anesthesiologist although as a fourth year you won't be required to know dosage (you will look stellar if you do though). You also need to know why you use that specific drug, it's side effects and why you wouldn't use other drugs instead.

 

[mikeshana]

propofol 2-3mg/kg, fentanyl 50mcg......

not much math. The only math i do is move decimal points (ie 10mg of phenylephrine in 100cc saline is 100mics/cc) and balancing my narcotics at the end of the day. knowing dosages is not math

logic is important, but not as much as common sense

 

[Trisomy13]

logic is important, but not as much as common sense

and good hygiene. arguably more important than logic!

 

[loveumms]

propofol 2-3mg/kg, fentanyl 50mcg......

not much math. The only math i do is move decimal points (ie 10mg of phenylephrine in 100cc saline is 100mics/cc) and balancing my narcotics at the end of the day. knowing dosages is not math

logic is important, but not as much as common sense

Oh, I didn't realize that 2mg/kg of propofol times 50kg isn't math.

2 x 50 = 100

 

[lushmd]

Oh, I didn't realize that 2mg/kg of propofol times 50kg isn't math.

2 x 50 = 200

You sure about that? 😉

 

[VentdependenT]

I am planning to take anesthesia as a 4th year elective but deciding when to take it (before or after MSPEs go in). I am good at math and pretty poor at memorizing. I am wondering if math abilities provide a significant advantage in an anesthesia elective, or if it's really mostly memorizing drugs anyways.

I am, lets say, less than gifted at advanced math. There is no advanced math in anesthesiology, nor in clinical medicine for that matter.

Moving decimals, addin, subtractin, dividin, and multiplyin. Thaz about it. Remember that you can cheet and use PAPER AND PENCIL to figure stuff out or can use the ONLINE CALCULATOR if need be.

 

[Gasboy07]

If you can use a calculator or a pencil you'll be fine!