Let's talk taboo.

[urge]

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How old it too old for anesthesia?

Let's not kid ourselves. Most- I repeat- most anesthesiologist cannot cut the mustard as they get old. We know our fair share. That 1 am to 6 am case messes them up for week. Granted, one or two still do great in their 60's or 70's, but I'm sure they are a minority.

When do you think it is time for a no in-house call, ASA 1-2 practice?

I'm thinking about when should jobs take this into consideration.

If you ask me I would say 60 is the magic number.

 

[pd4emergence]

I agree with 60. In my group you can take yourself out of the call pool at 55. I don't have any partners taking in house call that are over 55. As for a mandatory age, that is kinda dicey. It is probably different for different people. Along with the call question, is there an age where your cognitive abilities and skills diminish to the point where it is time to quit (not just call)?

 

[2ndyear]

55-60 sounds good for no more call to me, but everyone is very different. As I recall, airline pilots as a whole don't really dig the whole mandatory retirement age and it was raised to 65 a couple of years ago. On the other hand, I can do just about anything for 12 hours. If we reach a point where there is an excess and everybody is making less money (working for the govt), perhaps we could do 12 hour shifts like ER docs. Still some degree of burnout, but less than the brutal 24 hour in house with the possibility of working post call like now.

 

[bigdan]

I had this conversation with a classmate, who just matched into anesthesiology at age 45; so he'll be just shy of 50 when done with residency. He's a little stressed about how things will go...

dc

 

[highvoltage]

I had this conversation with a classmate, who just matched into anesthesiology at age 45; so he'll be just shy of 50 when done with residency. He's a little stressed about how things will go...

dc

he should have been a radiologist. You can read imaging studies until the day you die. provided you can still see

 

[lisichka]

so does it mean when one is 65 or older, they stop working in anaesthesiology ???

what about internist or family medicine? what is their expiration age?

 

[coprolalia]

so does it mean when one is 65 or older, they stop working in anaesthesiology ???

what about internist or family medicine? what is their expiration age?

I know a dude who's roughly 70, works part-time 2 days per week at an outpatient endoscopy center supervising CRNAs, and still makes like $1500/week. He's sharp as a friggin' tack, too.

Not a bad way to "retire", especially in this sh*tty economy.

-copro

 

[Jeff05]

internists do not need the tactile skills/visual acuity/fast responsive thinking required in anesthesiology, ever really. even simpler tasks like effectively masking someone become difficult with arthritic fingers...

there are anesthesia attendings that can function well after the age of 70, but they are incredibly rare. most need to take it easy after 65.
i think all of us have seen older anesthesiologists, no matter how nice, really slide before our eyes.

dealing with older physicans who become limited by age is a very difficult thing, specifically dealing with those who deny or are not aware of their limitations.

so does it mean when one is 65 or older, they stop working in anaesthesiology ???

what about internist or family medicine? what is their expiration age?

 

[lisichka]

can anaesthesiologist have an office based practice when he/she gets old?

sort of like internist? seeing and consulting patients?

 

[Licoricestick]

can anaesthesiologist have an office based practice when he/she gets old?

sort of like internist? seeing and consulting patients?

I suppose theoretically you could have a scenario where an anaesthetist just does preanaesthetic consults but doesn't do any actual gassing. The problem with this is that it isn't the same as the situation where the patient was seen in pre-anaesthetic clinic by person x but anaesthetised by person y. The difference is that someone who is retired from the practical side of things may not be making appropriate assessments and having the right sort of discussions with patients. What if a new surgical technique comes in that he (or she!) has no idea what is required in terms of positioning/invasive monitoring/surgical requirements?

I'm not sure how much other anaesthetists would trust a pre-an from someone who'd effectively been out of the game for something like 2 years.

Don't get me wrong - a good pre anaesthetic consult is tremendously important for identifying possible problems, allowing for appropriate planning and helping to make sure that a confident relaxed patient enters your theatre (although sometimes discussion and reassurance will never be enough...that's when midazolam is very useful), but I don't think it should be divorced from the hands on work, or at least not for very long (it might be something you could do if you've mangled your left hand and can't lift a laryngoscope for 8 weeks).

 

[Jeff05]

only as a part of a massive private group. but, more likely in academics. we have an older guy who can't do OR stuff anymore see patients in clinic for preadmission testing.

can anaesthesiologist have an office based practice when he/she gets old?

sort of like internist? seeing and consulting patients?

 

[lisichka]

it kinda sucks that older gas. docs have to resign and are not needed anymore. i always envisioned myself working till i die. i really don't want to retire once i am older and more frail. i want to be useful to society, i want to see patients, and help them. even if it is just a little/tiny help o🙁

is there statistics about aging doctors, and the specialty breakdown for them?

 

[Jeff05]

so don't go into procedure based specialties. you can see office patients until you fall over and die. but, anything procedural you will lose skill with age...

it kinda sucks that older gas. docs have to resign and are not needed anymore. i always envisioned myself working till i die. i really don't want to retire once i am older and more frail. i want to be useful to society, i want to see patients, and help them. even if it is just a little/tiny help o🙁

is there statistics about aging doctors, and the specialty breakdown for them?