Anyone on here ever practice in Ireland. I've a lot family who still lives there and I'm thinking about working over there after residency just for the experience and to travel. I've heard getting work is difficult, if anyone can shed some light on the process or what it is like please explain or PM me
Hey Maverikk... first off, sorry I missed your pm. I'll give it to you to the best of my knowledge.
FWIW, Dublin and Waterford is all I know as far as anesthesia (in Ireland).
I still have very close friends (and mentors) that I'm in contact with... so, sort of in the loop on a "what's up" basis. To be honest, the technicals of anesthesia I have not asked about in a long time as I've been here in the US practicing in PP for a while. Just friendship at this point with my leprechauns across the sea.
😀
You can become a registrar pretty easily. That will give you 100-160 Euros a year with some work... but as a general rule, the hours are not bad. Registrars are not attendings. They are like residents and fellows and sub-attendings.
My mentor of many years has it good. He is a full fledged "attending". He has every other friday off, and has 8 weeks vaca + a gazzillion ireland holidays (seriously that country has like 1-2 weeks of holidays). He makes about 275-325 euros annually and is the happiest man in the world. He is the reason I went into anesthesia.
Here is the kicker though...
We americans, work a lot harder than the average anesthesiologist compared to what I've seen:
"Theater" ie the OR, doesn't start until 9-930 am... and they don't last as long as what I'm accustomed to. You are working late if you are there past 4pm.
The whole environment is completely different. Coffee, scones, regular tea breaks (with half and half
😕) are commonplace. The environment is very chill compared to the grind we experience here... shait... they have their own INDUCTION rooms for crying out loud. Prop, Roc, Tube.. then wheel'em in to the OR when you are ready.
👍
Anesthesia is a
5 or 6 year gig if I remember right. You have to pass a bunch of tests as a general registrar and then move into anesthesia.
Anesthesiologist are very respected in Ireland. The ICU's I saw were commanded by anesthesiologist... and very bright ones at that.
The down side:
You will and can be in a hold pattern for a while. You can be a senior registrar for some time (even after your time is up) until someone retires or you have proven yourself. This was a big negative for me. Not knowing I could be a full fledged "attending" after X years was anxiety producing for those involved.
Things may be different now, but I doubt it. That being said, as a senior registrar, you still have great quality of life + lots of holidays: aka long weekends.
Ireland itself, is awesome. Beautiful, extremely friendly, and if you like to have fun, there is plenty of that too. I have some pretty amazing memories playing soccer out there, studying hard and then hitting the clubs or traveling Europe. I never felt pressured about work and things were just easy cheese. I was encoureaged to take time off and travel.
You may make more bank here, but that doesn't mean you are the lucky one.
I know too many anesthesiologist here in the US that got caught in the grind and lost the purpose of life- now all they know how to do is work. Sad.
I never met an unhappy anesthesiologist in Ireland.
🙄
If the tract to become an "attending" was like it was here, then it would be more doable for me...personally. But as anything in life, if you give it your all, you'll be good... I think.
Cork, Dingle Penninsula, Dublin, are all great places to see. Again, the people are real, warm and fun. If money is #1 for you then it may not be the right move. But... there is so much more.
If you are certain that is where you want to go, you can do it. My mentor was trained in Ireland, came to the States, became an attending at Brigham and Women's and then went back to the mother land. He is one happy dude I'll always be thankful to have known... professionally and personally.
PM me, if you want any further info. I can get you in contact with the right people if you are really interested. They will be a better help than I can be at this point.
Black and white pudding... I'd pass on that tho.
🙂
