What is the typical schedule of an anesthesiologist ? What is a day in your life ?

[Zakaria12345]

I’m interested in knowing the typical schedule and day in the life of an anesthesiologist.

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[nimbus]

Work 1-2 days/week. Rest of time chill at home, walk the dog 2x/day. Lifestyle is currently awesome.

 

[Arch Guillotti]

Are you in high school?

 

[AdmiralChz]

Posts include wondering about being pre-med versus pre-dental. Might be getting just a little out ahead...

 

[Zakaria12345]

Are you in high school?

Yes

 

[Consigliere]

I’m interested in knowing the typical schedule and day in the life of an anesthesiologist.

Wake up before the sun rises on a daily basis and scream "FU_CK!" for 10 seconds straight and so loudly they hear you in China. Drive to work mulling over all the bad decisions you've made in life to get you where you currently are. Park at the hospital and quietly weep one last time while giving yourself the usual "you can do this" pep talk. Enter the hospital and put on a facade of happiness - this will be the hardest part of your day. Throughout the day, imagine all the unique ways to maim, kill, or destroy all those who slight you. This is a necessary defense mechanism for a career in anesthesia. Have fun with it! When possible, place your head in your hands and revisit all the poor decisions you've made to get you here - with your head in your hands. Leave the hospital with whatever dignity you still have and drive home, trying to suppress the dreadful anticipation you have for tomorrow. Your experience may vary.

 

[deleted126335]

Wake up before the sun rises on a daily basis and scream "FU_CK!" for 10 seconds straight and so loudly they hear you in China. Drive to work mulling over all the bad decisions you've made in life to get you where you currently are. Park at the hospital and quietly weep one last time while giving yourself the usual "you can do this" pep talk. Enter the hospital and put on a facade of happiness - this will be the hardest part of your day. Throughout the day, imagine all the unique ways to maim, kill, or destroy all those who slight you. This is a necessary defense mechanism for a career in anesthesia. Have fun with it! When possible, place your head in your hands and revisit all the poor decisions you've made to get you here - with your head in your hands. Leave the hospital with whatever dignity you still have and drive home, trying to suppress the dreadful anticipation you have for tomorrow. Your experience may vary.

You left off drink too much and overeat when done with work.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[dannyboy1]

You left off drink too much and overeat when done with work.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Why are you not overeating at work. You must not be doing it right

 

[deleted171991]

Wake up before the sun rises on a daily basis and scream "FU_CK!" for 10 seconds straight and so loudly they hear you in China. Drive to work mulling over all the bad decisions you've made in life to get you where you currently are. Park at the hospital and quietly weep one last time while giving yourself the usual "you can do this" pep talk. Enter the hospital and put on a facade of happiness - this will be the hardest part of your day. Throughout the day, imagine all the unique ways to maim, kill, or destroy all those who slight you. This is a necessary defense mechanism for a career in anesthesia. Have fun with it! When possible, place your head in your hands and revisit all the poor decisions you've made to get you here - with your head in your hands. Leave the hospital with whatever dignity you still have and drive home, trying to suppress the dreadful anticipation you have for tomorrow. Your experience may vary.

+1. Except when I am on ICU service. Then it's almost the opposite: tap dancing to work.

 

[deleted162650]

Wake up before the sun rises on a daily basis and scream "FU_CK!" for 10 seconds straight and so loudly they hear you in China. Drive to work mulling over all the bad decisions you've made in life to get you where you currently are. Park at the hospital and quietly weep one last time while giving yourself the usual "you can do this" pep talk. Enter the hospital and put on a facade of happiness - this will be the hardest part of your day. Throughout the day, imagine all the unique ways to maim, kill, or destroy all those who slight you. This is a necessary defense mechanism for a career in anesthesia. Have fun with it! When possible, place your head in your hands and revisit all the poor decisions you've made to get you here - with your head in your hands. Leave the hospital with whatever dignity you still have and drive home, trying to suppress the dreadful anticipation you have for tomorrow. Your experience may vary.

That should be stickied next to zippy’s “Day in the life of an anesthesiologist through the eyes of a surgeon” post.

 

[esob]

You guys are making me rethink my decision, lol. Maybe all the anesthesiologists I've met IRL are just good at faking it, but they have all seemed reasonably laid back, moderately sardonic, and generally well-adjusted individuals. I have noticed for years, however, that that sentiment does not seem to show up on SDN.

 

[Zakaria12345]

Wake up before the sun rises on a daily basis and scream "FU_CK!" for 10 seconds straight and so loudly they hear you in China. Drive to work mulling over all the bad decisions you've made in life to get you where you currently are. Park at the hospital and quietly weep one last time while giving yourself the usual "you can do this" pep talk. Enter the hospital and put on a facade of happiness - this will be the hardest part of your day. Throughout the day, imagine all the unique ways to maim, kill, or destroy all those who slight you. This is a necessary defense mechanism for a career in anesthesia. Have fun with it! When possible, place your head in your hands and revisit all the poor decisions you've made to get you here - with your head in your hands. Leave the hospital with whatever dignity you still have and drive home, trying to suppress the dreadful anticipation you have for tomorrow. Your experience may vary.

Why do you hate your job

 

[MoMoGesiologist]

Wake up before the sun rises on a daily basis and scream "FU_CK!" for 10 seconds straight and so loudly they hear you in China. Drive to work mulling over all the bad decisions you've made in life to get you where you currently are. Park at the hospital and quietly weep one last time while giving yourself the usual "you can do this" pep talk. Enter the hospital and put on a facade of happiness - this will be the hardest part of your day. Throughout the day, imagine all the unique ways to maim, kill, or destroy all those who slight you. This is a necessary defense mechanism for a career in anesthesia. Have fun with it! When possible, place your head in your hands and revisit all the poor decisions you've made to get you here - with your head in your hands. Leave the hospital with whatever dignity you still have and drive home, trying to suppress the dreadful anticipation you have for tomorrow. Your experience may vary.

The “you can do this“ pep talk hit a little too close to home...

 

[deleted171991]

You guys are making me rethink my decision, lol. Maybe all the anesthesiologists I've met IRL are just good at faking it, but they have all seemed reasonably laid back, moderately sardonic, and generally well-adjusted individuals. I have noticed for years, however, that that sentiment does not seem to show up on SDN.

Because most people don't play a persona on SDN, but many do in real life. People do whatever is expected of them, so they can survive in a f-ed up world. And a few people still do have a good life in this specialty. Others have adjusted their expectations, so they seem happy.

Even those of us who are unhappy probably look perfectly fine almost all the time. This is a world in which opinions are punished, and everything you say in the workplace will be held against you. There is an entire culture of ratting on doctors nowadays. One knows that the world is upside down when physicians are treated as if they were children by less educated people, who are paid from profits produced by said physicians.

If I were a med student now, I would NEVER go into a specialty in which I have a low chance of having my own business.

 

[BloodySurgeon]

Because most people don't play a persona on SDN, but many do in real life. People do whatever is expected of them, so they can survive in a f-ed up world. And few people still do have a good life in this specialty. And others have adjusted their expectations, so they seem happy.

Even those of us who are unhappy probably look perfectly fine almost all the time. This is a world in which opinions are punished, and everything you say in the workplace will be held against you. There is an entire culture of ratting on doctors nowadays. One knows that the world is upside down when physicians are treated as if they were children by less educated people, who are paid from profits produced by said physicians.

If I were a med student now, I would NEVER go into a specialty in which I have a low chance of having my own business.

It all depends on people’s personality. I am happy with anesthesia. We have good days and we have bad days but I generally like my patients, job, and the people I work with. I would probably be happy with most specialities in medicine so again I think it’s just who you ask. but everyone likes to complain about something whenever they have the chance.

Anesthesia has decent work hours and good pay compared to other specialties. Calls can be stressful depending where you work. If you are at a large institution, trauma location, or academic hospital then call is generally in-house busy and demanding. You will save lives which is rewarding but doing it until your 60s can be very taxing. Ironically smaller hospitals and ASC have better hours and pay but can be very tedious and associated with a lot of politics.

there are also sub-specialties including pain medicine which allows you to operate in a private practice or critical care medicine so you can work in the ICU.

In my opinion there is no perfect job but anesthesia has one of the best flexibility in Job opportunity. You can work part time, locum, specialize without difficulty, high job availability, and with the covid situation I foresee higher salaries. Also I don’t have to deal with rounding, writing lots of notes, or admitting any patients to my service.

 

[nimbus]

and with the covid situation I foresee higher salaries.

How so??

 

[Mman]

Wake up before the sun rises on a daily basis and scream "FU_CK!" for 10 seconds straight and so loudly they hear you in China. Drive to work mulling over all the bad decisions you've made in life to get you where you currently are. Park at the hospital and quietly weep one last time while giving yourself the usual "you can do this" pep talk. Enter the hospital and put on a facade of happiness - this will be the hardest part of your day. Throughout the day, imagine all the unique ways to maim, kill, or destroy all those who slight you. This is a necessary defense mechanism for a career in anesthesia. Have fun with it! When possible, place your head in your hands and revisit all the poor decisions you've made to get you here - with your head in your hands. Leave the hospital with whatever dignity you still have and drive home, trying to suppress the dreadful anticipation you have for tomorrow. Your experience may vary.

 

[Mman]

You guys are making me rethink my decision, lol. Maybe all the anesthesiologists I've met IRL are just good at faking it, but they have all seemed reasonably laid back, moderately sardonic, and generally well-adjusted individuals. I have noticed for years, however, that that sentiment does not seem to show up on SDN.

less than 1% of anesthesiologists in the country are posting on this forum and the age bracket is skewed heavily towards younger doctors. It's also like an online review for anything where the most unhappy are the most likely to post. The average doc that has a normal job and is happy with life is probably not going to try to seek out this forum to talk about how perfectly happy with things they are.

 

[Planktonmd]

less than 1% of anesthesiologists in the country are posting on this forum and the age bracket is skewed heavily towards younger doctors. It's also like an online review for anything where the most unhappy are the most likely to post. The average doc that has a normal job and is happy with life is probably not going to try to seek out this forum to talk about how perfectly happy with things they are.

I don't think only unhappy people come to this forum, for example you seem very happy and you still come.

 

[joshbc]

This is an excellent segway for all of the unhappy anesthesiologists. What would you do if you had a million dollars? Lawrence might be on to something.

 

[btbam]

This is an excellent segway for all of the unhappy anesthesiologists. What would you do if you had a million dollars? Lawrence might be on to something.

I’m guessing many of the loudest complainers on here already have several mil in the bank.

 

[deleted126335]

I’m guessing many of the loudest complainers on here already have several mil in the bank.

Money, prestige, respect. If you don't get the last two at work, it takes a helluva lot of the first to make up for it.

 

[Consigliere]

This is an excellent segway for all of the unhappy anesthesiologists. What would you do if you had a million dollars? Lawrence might be on to something.

Segway - means by which Paul Blart gets around the mall

Segue - move or shift from one role, state, or condition to another

 

[abolt18]

Segway - means by which Paul Blart gets around the mall

Segue - move or shift from one role, state, or condition to another

I learned something new today.

 

[Mman]

I don't think only unhappy people come to this forum, for example you seem very happy and you still come.

I started posting here as a naive medical student and have never left. So no I don't think "only unhappy people come to this forum", I just think unhappy people are infinitely more likely to talk about how unhappy they are than someone who is perfectly content is to tell you that they are feeling just fine. Anger is a stronger emotion to drive posting than someone that is content.

I realize my job is an outlier in the anesthesia world these days and I would not advise someone to expect to attain it. But I'd also be happy in plenty of "worse" jobs than I have now.

 

[dchz]

Segway - means by which GOB gets around the town

 

[MirrorTodd]

I’m guessing many of the loudest complainers on here already have several mil in the bank.

Several mil dont mean **** if the dollar ends up being worth a tenth of what it was.

 

[pjl]

I started posting here as a naive medical student and have never left. So no I don't think "only unhappy people come to this forum", I just think unhappy people are infinitely more likely to talk about how unhappy they are than someone who is perfectly content is to tell you that they are feeling just fine. Anger is a stronger emotion to drive posting than someone that is content.

I realize my job is an outlier in the anesthesia world these days and I would not advise someone to expect to attain it. But I'd also be happy in plenty of "worse" jobs than I have now.

Same

 

[IlDestriero]

Several mil dont mean **** if the dollar ends up being worth a tenth of what it was.

I’m still going to retire. Med view cottage in the southern French Alps or lake front in Mississippi. Either way, my feet will be up, breeze off the water, fine single malt in the glass, and waking up at 10 or so to get ready for brunch.

 

[joshbc]

First of all-
I have actually never seen "segue" written out, I don't think. Appreciate the lesson.

Secondly, you guys missed the mark on what I was getting at, or just don't think Office Space was funny (which if so, explains why people are getting the unhappy vibes). Lawrence's answer to the question, "What would you do if you had a million dollars?"- "Two chicks at the same time"

 

[AdmiralChz]

Segway - means by which Paul Blart gets around the mall

Segue - move or shift from one role, state, or condition to another

This is an all time hysterical post. I am still laughing. Paul Blart!

 

[dhb]

Really great jobs as an anesthesiologist are very hard to get by because you need a lot more factors to be favourable than for some other specialties.
IF (big if) your group is fair and not out to screw you AND you have strong leadership within your group, your day to day will still be tampered by
-nurses (ok most of the time)
-CRNAs if you have them (experience can vary from good to horrible)
-Surgeons (good ones aren't that prevalent)
-Administration
Etc... So a lot of holes in your cheese have to be aligned for you to smoothly slip a tube, put your feet up and count the benjamins.

 

[Neopolymath]

less than 1% of anesthesiologists in the country are posting on this forum and the age bracket is skewed heavily towards younger doctors. It's also like an online review for anything where the most unhappy are the most likely to post. The average doc that has a normal job and is happy with life is probably not going to try to seek out this forum to talk about how perfectly happy with things they are.

Wouldn't the younger age mean you expect happier people not less happy people on here?

 

[deleted171991]

Wouldn't the younger age mean you expect happier people not less happy people on here?

No. Jobs used to be waaaay better 1-2 decades ago (think PP partnerships), so many oldies have a ton of FU money already, and work because they want, not because they must.

 

[Neopolymath]

No. Jobs used to be waaaay better 1-2 decades ago.

I suppose my argument is that in my life the old docs are the ones whining the most precisely because they knew what the good days were like whereas the young ones I know are still motivated and feeling ready to work hard.

 

[Mman]

Wouldn't the younger age mean you expect happier people not less happy people on here?

younger docs are less likely to be in a great job than older docs. I mean even the best job ever is going to make you be on a partner track for a period of time and then probably some type of buy in before you are "living the good life". I mean I happily did those things and did not complain about it here while going through it, but to others things like buy in and partner track are 4 letter words.

Also, compensation over time has not kept up with inflation so docs today are making way less than they did 30-40 years ago.

 

[BloodySurgeon]

How so??

Since I've been looking at job contracts for the last 2 years and noticed a significant increase since the COVID-19 situation. Yes, there are some concern for job security due to CRNA politics and lack of elective surgical cases. I wont deny this, but the hospitals are desperate to enlist physicians with expertise in critical care and skilled intubations. Our value is finally being recognized and will be distinct from CRNAs. In addition, once this ends there will be a backlog of elective cases waiting to start and many baby boomers will retire to avoid this pandemic. We will be very busy for the next 1-2 years which will require more physicians and/or higher wages.

In addition, I think the smaller ASC and private practice will be hit hard and will inevitable be bought out by larger institutions as we are seeing across the county. When that happens they will also need to hire anesthesiologists quickly. That would require larger incentives and salaries. Just my two cents.

No. Jobs used to be waaaay better 1-2 decades ago (think PP partnerships), so many oldies have a ton of FU money already, and work because they want, not because they must.

I agree with this, but I think medicine as a whole has changed. Reimbursement has decreased. True partnership tracks have decreased. Salaries after inflation are not the same as 1-2 decades ago and we have to adjust our expectations. Yes, surgeons have a little more negotiation power with their RVU model but with the right payer mix Anesthesia does just as good with significantly less hours. The era of ownership at an ASC with a million dollar salary and no weekends don't exists for most of America. Our internal medicine colleagues are much more jeopardized than we are.

 

[aneftp]

Work 1-2 days/week. Rest of time chill at home, walk the dog 2x/day. Lifestyle is currently awesome.

Actually that’s my sister anesthesiologist job. She works 3 days a week. Monday-Wednesday. Takes occasional required calls for the group. Lives in a 1.7 million dollar home in nice area of east coast. Full partner. She cut back her working hours and even got $2200 for stimulus checks!!

I kid u not. She’s cut back a lot. Money isn’t primary goal. She’s been working less since 5 years ago. Once you reach a certain point in life if you play your cards right (no divorce). You should be pretty set by ur mid to late 40s even with 2 kids like she has. One in college. One about to start college. And she managed to save 300k each kid for their 529 plans and they go full rides to state colleges as well.

life is good. She doesn’t have a dog though. Just a 2018 Honda Civic, a 2019 Honda CR-V. Just got rid of her 2001 Acura MDX and 2006 Lexus LS....don’t waste money on cars folks.

 

[nimbus]

Since I've been looking at job contracts for the last 2 years and noticed a significant increase since the COVID-19 situation. Yes, there are some concern for job security due to CRNA politics and lack of elective surgical cases. I wont deny this, but the hospitals are desperate to enlist physicians with expertise in critical care and skilled intubations. Our value is finally being recognized and will be distinct from CRNAs. In addition, once this ends there will be a backlog of elective cases waiting to start and many baby boomers will retire to avoid this pandemic. We will be very busy for the next 1-2 years which will require more physicians and/or higher wages.

Which part of the country are you seeing these higher offers? What are the ballpark numbers? Our surgical volume and income are down 80% due to the effects of COVID. Most anesthesiologists are socially distancing at home not generating any income. Things are very uncertain when they’ll be restored to previous levels.

 

[deleted162650]

An Anesthesiologist's typical Day through the Eyes of a Surgeon:

7:10- Roll out of bed, splash water on my face, head to work.

7:29- Arrive in time at the OR for my 7:30 cases. Determine each patient needs further lab work. I tell the surgeons we are delayed because patients were late arriving to hospital.

7:37- I'm hungry. Breakfast time.

8:42- I cut my breakfast short after 1 hour to make sure my 2 cases are now going. Stick my head in each room, patients asleep. From the door I hear beeping so I assume they both are alive, flash the thumbs up sign and leave.

8:44- Time to make rounds. I need to check on the RN.I.L.F.'s on 3W, 4E, 5C, and ICU.

10:06- "BEEP, BEEP, BEEP." FUQQ!! Rounds cut short due to pager going off, AGAIN! "Dammit, that's the third time this thing has gone off this month! What am I, the friggin hospitalist?"

10:11- Man, I'm hungry. It's been over an hour and a half since my last food break. I head to the doctor's lounge to grab a coke, some donuts, watch CNBC, and check emails.

11:03- Cut my donut break short to check on my cases. Both rooms are empty. I find out my next case is already in progress in a different room. Pulse Ox is beeping. Patient is alive. I flash the thumbs up from the door and leave.

11:06- Family members ask how the surgery is going. I tell them he is fine. They tell me it's a she. "Whatever. She's doing fine. Gotta run."

11:11- Surgeon wants to know if he can add on an emergency appendectomy. All 3 anesthesiologists already have 1 case in progress each that are being supervised, but we can do it first thing in the morning. Surgeon gets pissed. I tell him to tell the hospital to not be so cheap and give anesthesia more money.

11:13- I head off to finish my "floor rounds." (wink, wink)

11:46- Need to grab a quick lunch before I starve to death!

12:49- I cut lunch short after only an hour so that me and my colleagues can have our daily battle over who gets the short straw and has to stay. Once again we all walk out on the new guy.

12:52- Walking to doctor's parking lot. Feeling stressed. This is now the THIRD day in a row I've had to stay past 11:30am. Will bring this up at the next group meeting.

12:56- Driving away in my Bentley. Surgeon waves to me on his way to clinic. I flash him the finger.

Found it! Wasn’t Zippy, but rather another great long gone contributor.

 

[Mman]

Since I've been looking at job contracts for the last 2 years and noticed a significant increase since the COVID-19 situation.

I'm sorry, but what kind of (and how many) job contracts have you seen in the last 2 months? Because that's about the extent of time we are talking about and most places are at an absolute hiring freeze. I know several people that had jobs lined up for July start that have been revoked totally or pushed back.

If anything covid is going to make patients more reluctant to come into the hospital for purely elective procedures in the near future. So while there is a backlog of cases, I doubt we see even more than 80% of them ultimately come back in the next year. Also worth noting that with so many people out of work that payer mixes are shifting everywhere in an unfavorable direction.

 

[PainDrain]

Found it! Wasn’t Zippy, but rather another great long gone contributor.

So glad you found this gem. The first time I read this a few years ago I literally spit my coffee out and was crying laughing by the end of it.

 

[dhb]

I'm sorry, but what kind of (and how many) job contracts have you seen in the last 2 months? Because that's about the extent of time we are talking about and most places are at an absolute hiring freeze. I know several people that had jobs lined up for July start that have been revoked totally or pushed back.

If anything covid is going to make patients more reluctant to come into the hospital for purely elective procedures in the near future. So while there is a backlog of cases, I doubt we see even more than 80% of them ultimately come back in the next year. Also worth noting that with so many people out of work that payer mixes are shifting everywhere in an unfavorable direction.

I predict the largest crush of surgical volume in world history the back half of this year. Literally every day will be a busy day.

 

[Mman]

yes, it is true. We have a massive backlog of cases. It will be insanely busy. We still won't do all of them and the ones we do will have a worse payor mix. The revenue for the year will not "even out" so to say.

 

[caligas]

Segway - means by which Paul Blart gets around the mall

Segue - move or shift from one role, state, or condition to another

Consigliere is more fun during a pandemic. Working 1 day a week probably helps.

 

[pjl]

yes, it is true. We have a massive backlog of cases. It will be insanely busy. We still won't do all of them and the ones we do will have a worse payor mix. The revenue for the year will not "even out" so to say.

Our surgeons are telling us that very few patients have any interest in coming for appointments, let alone surgery in the near future. They expect to be slow for a month or two after things open back up.
This is coming from people who a few weeks ago said they had backlogs of >50 cases. They expect to burn through their pent up demand in a couple weeks.

 

[anbuitachi]

we have a lot of covids and recently had concern regarding future of our practice as anesthesiologists. we are seeing obviously increased CRNA autonomy. we are predicting this to increase in the future, and it will be a free fall in salary as we compete with CRNA for the same jobs.

Also i dont think only unhappy come here to post. ive been posting since pre med school, at first because i found sdn to be very resourceful.

 

[dannyboy1]

we have a lot of covids and recently had concern regarding future of our practice as anesthesiologists. we are seeing obviously increased CRNA autonomy. we are predicting this to increase in the future, and it will be a free fall in salary as we compete with CRNA for the same jobs.

Also i dont think only unhappy come here to post. ive been posting since pre med school, at first because i found sdn to be very resourceful.

Agree. The biggest threat to us from COVID is CRNA autonomy. The surgeries will eventually return....

 

[deleted162650]

we are seeing obviously increased CRNA autonomy.

To do what? Isn’t your case volume in the toilet? Why does less demand result in increased mid level autonomy?

 

[anbuitachi]

To do what? Isn’t your case volume in the toilet? Why does less demand result in increased mid level autonomy?

well a significant portion of our department got sick from covid . plus we increased our overnight staff since we have way more intubations and codes than before, plus we still need to cover any traumas and emergency cases overnight. also we are being deployed to other areas to help out during this pandemic (icu, floor, mostly to help with placing central and arterial lines, and intubations)

crnas are doing many intubations, and line placements on the floor. anesthesiologists are mainly doing the cases in the OR, and being deployed to ICUs