Anesthesiology Clerkship

So you want to become an anesthesiologist? Here's what to expect during your clerkship!

This series on various medical specialties is going to be recorded over 2010-2011 as I take on my 3rd year clerkship.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• anesthesiology
• medicine
• medical clerkship

[1pchan]

For a perspective of an anesthesiologist in private practice with 100% clinical work, please Google for the SDN interview "20 Questions: Michelle Au, MD, Author."

[1pchan]

By the way, I appreciated TheMedSchoolGirl's thoughts about anesthesiology. But it seems her thoughts are from the perspective of a med student rotation, which is quite different from resident life let alone as an attending anesthesiologist.

[1pchan]

@jamie06231

I don't know how it works in Canada. But in the US, you'd go to med school. That's four years. Then apply to residency before graduating from med school. Anesthesia is a four year residency (first or intern year isn't in anesthesia though but in surgery or internal med are the most usual choices I believe). Take boards and hopefully pass. Then you're an anesthesiologist.

[1pchan]

@bobg504

I agree! Residency can be pretty intense. 65-70+ hours.

At the same time, I think we should look beyond residency and see what life is like once we're done training and are consulting anesthesiologists. Life can be much better post-residency.

[1pchan]

@DrSuperSixSeven

I agree anesthesiologists shouldn't be lumped in with nurse anesthetists! I'd be offended as well if someone made the same error.

That said, according to her profile she's from Canada. So while we Americans use anesthesiologists, perhaps Canadians use anesthetists? That's what they do in the UK and a couple of Commonwealth nations (e.g. Australia, New Zealand). Actually, I believe they spell it anaesthetists.

Just my guess why she says anesthetists. But I could be wrong.

[DrSuperSixSeven]

Also, stop using the term “anesthetist”, you idiot. There are anesthesiologists, and there are nurse-anesthetists. Specify which one you’re referring to.

As an anesthesiologist, I am personally offended by any term that lumps me into a group consisting of nurses.

[DrSuperSixSeven]

“Anesthesia is the specialty of putting people to sleep, making sure they don’t remember anything while they’re sleeping, making sure they’re comfortable while they’re sleeping, and making sure that when they wake up, they have pain control”.

Wrong. That’s what a CRNA does. An anesthesiologist’s job is to make sure that the patient is fit for surgery and anesthesia. Yes, we also deliver anesthesia as you’ve described. But we are peri-operative physicians, not technicians like CRNAs.

[cdavis2021]

where r u loacted ive heard the residents in my area r wrorking crazy hours like 60 to 70+ ????

[bobg504]

I am an anesthesiology resident at a top program. It's not a simple and easy as u portray it to be, nor is it as "relaxed". If you do anesthesiology residency, you will find out, lol.

[jamie06231]

It sounds very interesting! I'm going to school to be a dental hygienist but this seems very cool. (obviously it's hard work to become one) I'm just curios how you started? You went to Medical school and then what? Do you apply to a special program?