Is being a anesthesiologist worth it?

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Back in 1999, I remember being fresh out of college and working side-by-side with a Java contractor who the company paid $115/hour. I wasn't paid anywhere close to that much even though I did a better job than him. They had to pay him that much because that was the going rate for Java contractors back then. Anyways, the tech bubble burst and the next year he was making $15/hour doing the same job. I always chuckle when I think about it. Consulting is a great field as long as someone is willing to pay you the good $$$, but the good gigs are harder and harder to find. Outsourcing the work to places like India and China or insourcing workers from those countries has really ravaged the IT industry in this country. It's not as good of or as stable of a gig as it could be. You have to be a freakin' superstar to do well in it. Even if you are, I just got tired of trying to keep up with the breakneck pace of technology changes. The technology that eventually reins supreme depends on the market and not necessarily it is the best. It sucks to be you if you chose the wrong technology to get really good at. I just got tired of it all. At 20, you may not be tired, but you will eventually.
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Sergio99 said:
Sure, Bronx, but remember that this guy has not been to college yet. He has been lazing off and partying in high school and now is pretty much doing the same. When he finally settles down and goes to college, we may be in for a surprise. I am not saying it is going to be easy; never did I say that. Moreover, his being able or not to get into a decent college and graduate from it will be one more test that will add information to his riddle's solution and will measure the seriousness of his intentions. In my life I have seen all kinds of people go to medical school and graduate from it, and I am sure you have seen them, too.
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Yeah I agree it's possible. But, the chance of it happening are slim. Not anyone that wants to be a doctor can do it.
 
I wasn't partying. I was writing code. I think I might just go for it. Anesthesiology. Go to community college for 2 years and transfer to a 4 year university.
 
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Your route would be to go to a community college for a couple of years, don't take any of your med school prereqs, but demonstrate academic prowess (3.7+). Transfer to State U, finish up your major and take your prereqs. Continue to do very well. Do well (29-32+ depending on state) on the MCAT. Do miscellaneous extracurriculars during the above. Apply to med school. Then blah blah, other people can tell you about that since I have no experience there. You're going to put yourself into a lot of debt doing this, and if you don't do well enough in school, you're gonna be pretty much out that money, unless you major in something that will help other professional interests.

At any rate, money alone is a pretty crappy reason to want to be a doctor (from my limited experience).
 
mrg said:
I wasn't partying. I was writing code. I think I might just go for it. Anesthesiology. Go to community college for 2 years and transfer to a 4 year university.
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Good! Go for it, but remember that "going for it" means sticking to it, not quitting for any reason, and studying hard, very hard, not only for the four years of college, but for the rest of your life.
 
29-32 and 3.7 from a State U? Damn, I forgot how low some schools' standards are.
 
rmbsstock said:
Corpo was right when he said " towards the end of your residency, you go on more interviews with people you don't really care about and, somehow everywhere you go you are vaguely reminded of those back-stabbing college "friends" that said to your face "congratulations" when you got accepted to Top Choice School of Medicine, but then discussed how much they hated you when you walked away with their next breaths. Guess what? These are your professional "colleagues" now, AND your future "partners".
I see many of these people in this forum.
I just wonder, how people think these days. Here we have a young man asking for information, totally transparent in his question. If you truly listen you could hear that he did not come from an advantaged family, and not have much support growing up. What does he get from some people in this forum!
a) some give guidance with respect
b) some are tottaley rude and abnoxious
c) and some tottaley discoureging him.
What the heck is this?
I think he can be a GREAT anesthesiologist because he is a SELF MADE MAN. He did not depend on mammy and daddy to send him to great schools to do well.
He knows his strength and weaknesses and he can focus on his weakness (math) and he can be great.
As for the sight of blood (mrg), I used to faint every time I saw blood, or felt blood. I mean hit the ground, and I did that at least four times. Then, I got used to it. And if I can get used to it, then ANYONE CAN.

Arch
Yes I did. He was pretty harsh on you but did not resort to outright profanity (plus he put the smiley thingey at the end of his post).
Look at it this way:
This is a professional forum that is filled with people who have been busting their humps for YEARS.
You are a young kid who hasn't even taken the SAT and who strolls in here all of a sudden wanting to be a million dollar "gas man".
In no less than an hour and sixteen minutes you decided you were on the "wrong train".
Arch, sorry but this is so disapponting to hear coming from you.
Since you admit he is a young 'Kid' , don't you think
1) the professionals should be good role models for him not visa versa
2) Its ok for others to put him down (including statment you made) and he cannot respond!!! this is age discrimination!!!
What happened to being appropriate rather than calling him "gas man". And after all the put downs, don't you think he would want to say he want to change his mind, to save face!!
Thank God for some of you who were understanding and acting like mentors.
Mr. mrg no one can tell what your limits are or set your limits for you, only you can. Some told you to shadow a doctor and see what he does and this is great advice.
Just do it
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not sure what being a self-made man has to do with being a good anesthesiologist. you should know, of course, as you are a...?
also, the vast majority of us paid our way through medical school with loans that we are currently repaying, so please spare the left-wing socialist guilt trip about mommy and daddy paying anyone's way through school.

sorry to say, but medicine, as a rule isn't something you just fall into (kid that hasn't taken SAT at 20 and "isn't that great at school.") it takes a lot of deliberate effort mixed with certain nominal skills. in addition, to train somewhere 'decent' in anesthesiology you need to do well in medical school.

i think, theoretically, anyone can do anything. but, frankly, judging by the original poster's tone, attitude, and just the gestalt i get from him - i don't think he is remotely aware of what medicine entails. consequently, he is not, in the least, on ANY path towards becoming a physician. at this time.

i would recommend taking baby steps and achieving some bare minimums before casually and carelessly strolling onto a professional forum and announcing his candidacy for our profession.
 
rmbsstock said:
Corpo was right when he said " towards the end of your residency, you go on more interviews with people you don't really care about and, somehow everywhere you go you are vaguely reminded of those back-stabbing college "friends" that said to your face "congratulations" when you got accepted to Top Choice School of Medicine, but then discussed how much they hated you when you walked away with their next breaths. Guess what? These are your professional "colleagues" now, AND your future "partners".
I see many of these people in this forum.
I just wonder, how people think these days. Here we have a young man asking for information, totally transparent in his question. If you truly listen you could hear that he did not come from an advantaged family, and not have much support growing up. What does he get from some people in this forum!
a) some give guidance with respect
b) some are tottaley rude and abnoxious
c) and some tottaley discoureging him.
What the heck is this?
I think he can be a GREAT anesthesiologist because he is a SELF MADE MAN. He did not depend on mammy and daddy to send him to great schools to do well.
He knows his strength and weaknesses and he can focus on his weakness (math) and he can be great.
As for the sight of blood (mrg), I used to faint every time I saw blood, or felt blood. I mean hit the ground, and I did that at least four times. Then, I got used to it. And if I can get used to it, then ANYONE CAN.

Arch
Yes I did. He was pretty harsh on you but did not resort to outright profanity (plus he put the smiley thingey at the end of his post).
Look at it this way:
This is a professional forum that is filled with people who have been busting their humps for YEARS.
You are a young kid who hasn't even taken the SAT and who strolls in here all of a sudden wanting to be a million dollar "gas man".
In no less than an hour and sixteen minutes you decided you were on the "wrong train".
Arch, sorry but this is so disapponting to hear coming from you.
Since you admit he is a young 'Kid' , don't you think
1) the professionals should be good role models for him not visa versa
2) Its ok for others to put him down (including statment you made) and he cannot respond!!! this is age discrimination!!!
What happened to being appropriate rather than calling him "gas man". And after all the put downs, don't you think he would want to say he want to change his mind, to save face!!
Thank God for some of you who were understanding and acting like mentors.
Mr. mrg no one can tell what your limits are or set your limits for you, only you can. Some told you to shadow a doctor and see what he does and this is great advice.
Just do it
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Thanks a lot. Yea u know what. I'm gonna study IT in community colledge (2 yrs). and then look to take my pre med pre-reqeseits in a 4 year university. I don't give a ******* what some of you downers think. I'm motivated and it's not all for the money. It's for making a difference in peoples lives and saving lives that otherwise would be lost. Not to mention job market wise, it beats the hell out of tech. It really pisses me off that some of you tell me crap like not everyone that wants to be a doctor can. That might be true, but your basis is on my HS gpa. Not my work ethic or personality. It's a shame that some of you think that way.

A big thanks to the few of you that treated me with open arms. I'll try to be a active forum member and ask any questions as I progress in the endeavors. First up is the accuplacer test for brookdale admissions :) Keep u posted :)
 
mrg said:
I'm motivated and it's not all for the money. It's for making a difference in peoples lives and saving lives that otherwise would be lost.
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Hey dude, you're already wayyy ahead of the curve on that little soundbite. Remember, if anyone ever asks, just repeat the above.
 
bronx43 said:
Hey dude, you're already wayyy ahead of the curve on that little soundbite. Remember, if anyone ever asks, just repeat the above.
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Contrary to what some people have said, taking some pre-reqs at community college does NOT look bad. Maybe Harvard is snobby about it or something, but I've spoken with Admissions Directors at more than a few very good institutions who do NOT care.

What does NOT look good is to go to a 4 year, then take Organic Chemistry at a Community College because everyone knows the teacher there is easier.

FWIW, the hardest Bio class I've ever taken was at my Community College. It all depends on the teacher...not the institution.

Work hard, stay focused. Eyes on the prize, my son. Eyes on the prize.
 
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mrg said:
Thanks a lot. Yea u know what. I'm gonna study IT in community colledge (2 yrs). and then look to take my pre med pre-reqeseits in a 4 year university. I don't give a ******* what some of you downers think. I'm motivated and it's not all for the money. It's for making a difference in peoples lives and saving lives that otherwise would be lost. Not to mention job market wise, it beats the hell out of tech. It really pisses me off that some of you tell me crap like not everyone that wants to be a doctor can. That might be true, but your basis is on my HS gpa. Not my work ethic or personality. It's a shame that some of you think that way.

A big thanks to the few of you that treated me with open arms. I'll try to be a active forum member and ask any questions as I progress in the endeavors. First up is the accuplacer test for brookdale admissions :) Keep u posted :)
Click to expand...

The way that you've presented yourself so far is of a 20 year old man who wants to grow but doesn't seem to understand what it realistically takes.

Being motivated is great and all, but do you really think that you can beat out the thousands of applicants who have been working toward this goal since they were 16? do you honestly believe that you can outperform the kid who spends his Friday nights studying organic chem? or the one that spends half a year studying for the MCAT? if you think you have the edge on these kind of people, go for it, but the real world isn't all fairy tales and puppy dog tails. Thinking that you can "be motivated" and "a hard worker" doesn't really translate into you becoming a "gas man."

The reason you are getting so much animosity from the people on this forum isn't because of you're young and have a low high school GPA but because you are trivializing everything that the physicians on here have worked to achieve.

I would be excited to see the reaction of your pre-med adviser when you tell him/her
"I don't give a ******* what some of you downers think"
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after they tell you that you don't have what it takes.
 
rmbsstock said:
+pity+ :bow: +pity+ :bow:
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the immigrants you describe who make it here are THE BEST and brightest that their countries have to offer and come here against unbelievable odds and succeed. like you said, they focused and worked hard. i'm not sure why you're calling them idiots. a chemistry phd has nothing to do with this discussion.


i wrote "you are a...?" because i don't know what you do. however, i'm relatively certain that you have not attended medical school or are an anesthesiologist. so, the strength of the evidence you can rely on is in question.

as far as parental support, i do agree that it is helpful in any undertaking. your resentment against people who have had that is palpable. but, this again is a moot point.

if i was a betting man, i would not bet on the original poster going to medical school. call it a feeling, call it thin-slicing (gladwell) - but, i don't think it's going to happen. just my personal opinion.
 
Jeff05 said:
if i was a betting man, i would not bet on the original poster going to medical school. call it a feeling, call it thin-slicing (gladwell) - but, i don't think it's going to happen. just my personal opinion.
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that reminded me of

doubt03.jpg
 
rmbsstock said:
See, you sound so negative, like the ones that judged us and we proved them wrong. I hope to God that mrg prove you wrong, and I know you will not be upset.

As for you mrg, I trust in your will if you use it.
We used to do what my father used to tell us.
1) You can lose your home, your money, your family, and your innocence in one hour, but Education is the ONLY weapon that no one can take from you.
2) Worship God in heaven and your books on earth. You worship your books by studying with every breath you take.
3) Don't look behind, but make every step you make now leave its mark.
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Worship Odin in Asgard.
 
rmbsstock said:
See, you sound so negative, like the ones that judged us and we proved them wrong. I hope to God that mrg prove you wrong, and I know you will not be upset.

As for you mrg, I trust in your will if you use it.
We used to do what my father used to tell us.
1) You can lose your home, your money, your family, and your innocence in one hour, but Education is the ONLY weapon that no one can take from you.
2) Worship God in heaven and your books on earth. You worship your books by studying with every breath you take.
3) Don't look behind, but make every step you make now leave its mark.
Click to expand...

Let us all know in 4 years if you even make it to med school!
 
rmbsstock said:
What is wrong with you man? Are you that negative too with your patients? I sure hope you are not so they will have some hope to wake up after you put them under.
As for you mrg do not listen to him. If anyone has a negative attitude they better leave it to themselves rather reflect it on others (that is my own personal opinion). If anyone finds medical school so darn hard that it is impossible for mrg to do it so maybe it is them that have the problem. Doctors are everywhere, how the heck did they make it and they survived!!!!You are not going to the moon, or a rocket scientist. Chill out.
mrg, I hope to God, we all be alive, and you will come back in three years or four, and you will show all these negative people and all the ones that supported you your degree.
I am surrounded here by a community of doctors, non NON of them is extra special. If any of the ones here can do it, then someone like you who gets on a forum and starts asking questions can.
Just, clean up the language. I always learned and told my brothers "fake it till you make it". Act successful, speak success, behave like succesful people, do everything like the very best successful student, and you will be THE best successful student. God bless you and do not waste any time on Bull sh-- forums. find true professional guidance and go study.
Click to expand...

There isn't anything wrong with me and why are you getting so offended by what I said? Don't worry about how I am with my patients bro. I merely pointed out the length of time required before mrg can even get to med school. Explain negativity in that statement? I never said he couldn't or wouldn't make it. You assumed that. By the way, thanks for contributing so much to this forum.
 
:laugh: at this thread.

Hes a 20 yr old kid who probably heard you can make a lot of money as an anesthesiologist and decided to hop on the forum to ask about it.

mrg...these are the people you get to deal with for the rest of your life if you choose medicine.

Dont do it (solely) for the money. Its too much work. In addition to coprolalia's brilliant post just think of the fiscal risk youre going to be taking with no guarantee that it will pan out. Like it was mentioned earlier go shadow a doc and see if it might be for you.

However, if you do choose the med route, nobody is going to ask about your high school biology grade.
 
rmbsstock said:
What is wrong with you man? Are you that negative too with your patients? I sure hope you are not so they will have some hope to wake up after you put them under.
As for you mrg do not listen to him. If anyone has a negative attitude they better leave it to themselves rather reflect it on others (that is my own personal opinion). If anyone finds medical school so darn hard that it is impossible for mrg to do it so maybe it is them that have the problem. Doctors are everywhere, how the heck did they make it and they survived!!!!You are not going to the moon, or a rocket scientist. Chill out.
mrg, I hope to God, we all be alive, and you will come back in three years or four, and you will show all these negative people and all the ones that supported you your degree.
I am surrounded here by a community of doctors, non NON of them is extra special. If any of the ones here can do it, then someone like you who gets on a forum and starts asking questions can.
Just, clean up the language. I always learned and told my brothers "fake it till you make it". Act successful, speak success, behave like succesful people, do everything like the very best successful student, and you will be THE best successful student. God bless you and do not waste any time on Bull sh-- forums. find true professional guidance and go study.
Click to expand...
Calm down, Rmbsstock, RedAnesthesia is merely trying to show a realistic picture of the way ahead by pointing out the difficulties to be faced. It is just like saying to someone about to cross a long stretch of desert to fill up his gas tank and his radiator because he will have a hard time finding supplies for the next 100 miles or so. We would be too cruel if we told mrg that the way ahead will be easy. He can succeed, yes, but only if he knows what to expect and braces himself for it.

I don't condemn the people who are negative about this, because it is truly very difficult, and they are actually helping him by painting a true to life picture of what lies ahead. If we didn't tell him all of this, we would be making almost 100% sure that he would fail. It would be like throwing him out of an airplane without a parachute.

Regarding what we tell our patients, we do tell them of the risks of anesthesia. I tell every single one of my patients, or their parents if they are children, that they can die as a complication of the anesthetic. Then I go on to reassure them that those risks are extremely rare and that I will take very good care of them and take all kinds of precautions to avoid those complications, but that they have to know they may die, no doubt about it: nobody goes to sleep or has any kind of anesthesia, local, regional or general, without knowing that he or she can die. This is what we are doing with mrg: nothing more, nothing less.
 
Sergio99 said:
Calm down, Rmbsstock, RedAnesthesia is merely trying to show a realistic picture of the way ahead by pointing out the difficulties to be faced. It is just like saying to someone about to cross a long stretch of desert to fill up his gas tank and his radiator because he will have a hard time finding supplies for the next 100 miles or so. We would be too cruel if we told mrg that the way ahead will be easy. He can succeed, yes, but only if he knows what to expect and braces himself for it.

I don't condemn the people who are negative about this, because it is truly very difficult, and they are actually helping him by painting a true to life picture of what lies ahead. If we didn't tell him all of this, we would be making almost 100% sure that he would fail. It would be like throwing him out of an airplane without a parachute.

Regarding what we tell our patients, we do tell them of the risks of anesthesia. I tell every single one of my patients, or their parents if they are children, that they can die as a complication of the anesthetic. Then I go on to reassure them that those risks are extremely rare and that I will take very good care of them and take all kinds of precautions to avoid those complications, but that they have to know they may die, no doubt about it: nobody goes to sleep or has any kind of anesthesia, local, regional or general, without knowing that he or she can die. This is what we are doing with mrg: nothing more, nothing less.
Click to expand...

This is a great post, agree 100%.

Everybody (especially doctors and patients) make decisions based on risks/benefits/alternatives. Usually very risky paths are undertaken only if the potential benefits are high or the alternatives are few. I think what people on here are trying to convey with varying degrees of tactfulness is that the OP seems to be underestimating the risks and overestimating the benefits, especially when there are legitimate alternatives.

Also, respect on here is very much earned. He'll be more respected once he's actually undertaken some college coursework, then get into medical school, then get into residency, etc. You just have to realize what stage you're at when you're approaching others. It's medicine, good or bad.
 
rmbsstock said:
What is wrong with you man? Are you that negative too with your patients? I sure hope you are not so they will have some hope to wake up after you put them under.
As for you mrg do not listen to him. If anyone has a negative attitude they better leave it to themselves rather reflect it on others (that is my own personal opinion). If anyone finds medical school so darn hard that it is impossible for mrg to do it so maybe it is them that have the problem. Doctors are everywhere, how the heck did they make it and they survived!!!!You are not going to the moon, or a rocket scientist. Chill out.
mrg, I hope to God, we all be alive, and you will come back in three years or four, and you will show all these negative people and all the ones that supported you your degree.
I am surrounded here by a community of doctors, non NON of them is extra special. If any of the ones here can do it, then someone like you who gets on a forum and starts asking questions can.
Just, clean up the language. I always learned and told my brothers "fake it till you make it". Act successful, speak success, behave like succesful people, do everything like the very best successful student, and you will be THE best successful student. God bless you and do not waste any time on Bull sh-- forums. find true professional guidance and go study.
Click to expand...



:laugh:, leave this forum please.
 
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