MSIII advice needed

[castiron]

MSIII here, trying to get some much needed advise /info. Anesthesia has always been my NUMBER ONE. Had everything I wanted in a medical profession, respect, knowledge, $, no rounding, job security (I know I know, nurses are taken over the world….but I call BS on that), lifestyle, etc. However, seeing as how I’m going through some of the other medical specialties as a 3rd year, I’ve begun to second-guess myself. This isn’t because anesthesia is any less appealing tome, I just realized that there are some really cool specialties out there also. I’m debating between anesthesia and ortho now. I would appreciate any help/advice you could give me about your life as an anesthesiologist now. Within the next year I have to make the decisions that will affect the REST OF MY LIFE, and I need to make a truly informed decision. I’m sure many of you remember the days when you had this decision to make. I would just like some input from the residents/attending/retired anesthesiologists out there.

1.. .What other career choices did you consider before anesthesia?
2.. .Why did you eventually choose anesthesia over the above ?
3.. .What is the best part about your practice?
4.. .What makes you get up everyday and go to your job?
5.. .Is the money what you expected? (shallow maybe, but every medical student thinks about it)

Again, thanks to everyone. I look forward to my third year and finding my way.

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[doctor712]

 

[Consigliere]

MSIII here, trying to get some much needed advise /info. Anesthesia has always been my NUMBER ONE. Had everything I wanted in a medical profession, respect, knowledge, $, no rounding, job security (I know I know, nurses are taken over the world….but I call BS on that), lifestyle, etc. However, seeing as how I’m going through some of the other medical specialties as a 3rd year, I’ve begun to second-guess myself. This isn’t because anesthesia is any less appealing tome, I just realized that there are some really cool specialties out there also. I’m debating between anesthesia and ortho now. I would appreciate any help/advice you could give me about your life as an anesthesiologist now. Within the next year I have to make the decisions that will affect the REST OF MY LIFE, and I need to make a truly informed decision. I’m sure many of you remember the days when you had this decision to make. I would just like some input from the residents/attending/retired anesthesiologists out there.

1.What other career choices did you consider before anesthesia? SURGERY
2.Why did you eventually choose anesthesia over the above ? MONEY
3.What is the best part about your practice? MONEY
4.What makes you get up everyday and go to your job? MONEY
5.Is the money what you expected? (shallow maybe, but every medical student thinks about it) NO

Again, thanks to everyone. I look forward to my third year and finding my way.

Peace

 

[Bertelman]

This choice will become crystal clear during your third year rotations. You will either love surgery + clinic, or love anesthesia. I'm guessing the latter.

Nearly every white male has a dream of going into Ortho, being the team physician for the N.O. Saints, and doing knee scopes on female college athletes. Reality is, you're pinning hips on Grandma, doing reductions in the ED, and casting. Then you go to clinic. And your partners are animals.

 

[diceksox]

Reality is, you're pinning hips on Grandma, doing reductions in the ED, and casting.

Instead of Peyton Manning's shoulder, you'll be doing Esther Manning's hip.

 

[Bertelman]

Instead of Peyton Manning's shoulder, you'll be doing Esther Manning's hip.

Holla!

 

[CrazyJake]

Castiron - I think it's good to think long and hard about every specialty, this is an important decision. Ortho is a great field, very well respected - cool procedures and people love the guy who put grandpa's new knee in or who fixed up their buddy's shoulder from years of being a sports start. Yet, just saw my family's ortho doc the other night and he looked so tired - he just works continually and is always on call. My family lives in a small town, so he's the big dog, I think he makes a million +...but work never ends. He told me that I had made a good choice with Anesthesia - 'good money, better hours, no office, not on call everday.' I can assure you this isn't the 1st time an Orthopod has told me this. Most of those guys are animals and love their job, but they've been married, remarried, remarried on the remarried..missed their kids lives. Just a generalization, but it has some merit.

I thought also about ER, IM, Ortho, ENT. Wanted a job I could do forever and I knew I wouldn't last forever in ER - god bless those folks. A good ER doc is a stud, but if I made it 8-10 yrs it would have been a miracle. IM was cool too, but didn't want to do 7 days on, 7 off, then 7 nights as a hospitalist..didn't think I could hack that either with a family. IM + specialty would have ruined all my free time and lifestyle too. Cardiologist and GI docs make the money and are awesome doc's, but review the last sentence again from the 1st paragraph.

I chose anesthesia b/c I loved the procedures and short, but intense encounters with patients. I like meeting someone at 7am and 'selling myself' to a stranger and then taking incredible care of them during their surgeries. I liked that I can work as much or as little as I want (mommy track jobs, locums, relief work, etc). I think I can do Anesthesia till I'm 70 or 80, at least a day or 2 a week which was also appealing. I wanted to stay married to my smoking hot wife (not a clinic) and be a part of my kids lives - which I actively am, even during busy residency!

Granted..I'm only 3 yrs in but I wake up and most days I'm excited to go to work. I hope and expect this to continue.

And as for the money, you'll may get bashed for the question but it's also fair. Med students have debt, trust me I know, so you want to have a ballpark idea. Most in my residency have had ZERO trouble getting a job for 250K plus, with most in the 350-600K range. A few females make less, but they work from 7am-2pm a couple days per week...and they're still making 215-220K. Most are looking at 1-2 yr partner tracts to make the higher amounts. Anesthesia may make less in the future, but so is everyone else.

goodluck,
CJ

 

[amyl]

I considered ER for a brief moment until all the ER docs told me not to do it... they were burned out and jaded. It eventually becomes less exciting, more FP stuff and don't even get me started on the social issues you can become sucked into.
in ortho your life will be tougher, longer hours, more pay, more "respect" to your face but just as much smack talk behind your back, if not more.
I love anesthesia -- but only you can determine if its right for you or not. anesthesia is more finesse and intellectual... ortho is "Tool time" -- its not complex or involved, its whacking and mechanics. think long and hard.... most people don't leave anes for ortho but sometimes the reverse happens
and please.... only come join us if you are sure