Summer in Anesthesiology

[alphaholic06]

I just finished my M1 year, and I will be spending my summer working in the Anesthesiology Department. I was wondering if you guys can tell me some things I should know, things I can learn, and any other tips or advice that can be helpful.

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[Surfer]

what you should know: quit your summer job and go on vacation. it really won't help you that much. go do something fun. It's the last summer you'll ever get.

 

[nvshelat]

Hey dude,

Did the same thing last summer. Hopefully they're pretty chill and will let you go home early, have a few days off, etc. You don't wanna work too hard
Hopefully they'll also let you do stuff - I of course intubated, started a few IVs, airway. If not, ask.
But I found it good for solidifying my physio/pharm knowledge (+ adding to it) more than anything. I was given Baby Miller and told to read it, I think it helped. Brushing up on autonomic pharm would've been a little helpful, but I think relaxing and just enjoying being in the OR would be best. Anesthesiologists tend to be great teachers

 

[fakin' the funk]

Working in the anesthesia dept? Doing what?

I did research after 1st year. If that's what you're doing, definitely put yourself in your boss's pocket when he/she is attending. Otherwise if you are outgoing and introduce yourself to the various anesthesia ppl in the OR and let them know you're interested they will probably let you have a crack at an airway.

 

[MSIIImom]

I must say, working in the Department of Anesthesiology and the other poster doing the same in the past and starting IVs and everything else is very ambitious. I don't believe any of my classmates who matched in Anesthesia did all of that.

Though it might not be necessary, it is one more experience to discuss on interviews waaaaay during 4th year and also a way to 'rub shoulders' with attendings.

 

[Surfer]

One more time: QUIT and go on vacation. It is mostly a worthless experience. You don't know anything yet. You have plenty of time to change your mind on what you want to do during the rest of your life. You haven't done a SINGLE clinical rotation. Relax, take it easy, go to the beach. Get a girl friend. Do something, ANYTHING other than spend your last summer of your life in the hospital. Trust me, it won't make a difference on your application. Unless, that is, you are incredibly borderline. Match rates are very high. You'll be fine.

Get out of the hospital.

 

[alphaholic06]

Working in the anesthesia dept? Doing what?

I did research after 1st year. If that's what you're doing, definitely put yourself in your boss's pocket when he/she is attending. Otherwise if you are outgoing and introduce yourself to the various anesthesia ppl in the OR and let them know you're interested they will probably let you have a crack at an airway.

I'll be basically shadowing. I can do whatever procedures that the resident or attending feels comfortable letting me do.

 

[fakin' the funk]

I'll be basically shadowing. I can do whatever procedures that the resident or attending feels comfortable letting me do.

My advice is to shadow for a couple days, tops. You'll know if you like it after that amount of time, and besides there is plenty of time in 4th year to do anesthesia rotations. Don't waste your summer in the OR.

 

[Pharm Life]

I just finished my M1 year, and I will be spending my summer working in the Anesthesiology Department. I was wondering if you guys can tell me some things I should know, things I can learn, and any other tips or advice that can be helpful.

How sure are you that you want to do anesthesiology? You might be better off shadowing docs in a few different specialties for a couple of weeks instead of just anesthesiologists. Or, if you only want to shadow anesthesiologists, pick people who do different things. I did a research fellowship after my first year that required me to spend a certain number of hours shadowing too. I shadowed anesthesiologists in a bunch of different areas, including the pain clinic and basic researchers as well as ORs for different kinds of surgeries like cardiothoracic, ENT, etc. If all you are going to do is shadow, I agree that a week or two tops should be enough to decide if you want to get more serious about anesthesiology. Maybe you can still get involved in a research project if that interests you though. I had such a good experience during that summer that I decided to take a fifth year to do research and get an MS.