My mind was fully set to anesthesia before I read this forum..

[theeastsky]

Don't get me wrong, I don't regret that I found this forum.
I've got tons of information and tips from here.

But it is true that this forum made me lost and confused.

2 anesthesiologist I've met were so happy with their job and schedule, and I didn't even think about asking them if there were any political issues in this field. (CRNA, Reimbursement, etc, etc..)

And more than anything, I loved this field of medicine, every aspect of it.

But thinking of the future where I do my own case with CRNA doing exactly the same thing next room, making somewhat hospitalists make (170~200K), I think I lost my appetite.

I'm pretty sure it's good for me to make this important decision with being fully informed but sometimes I think ignorance would have been bless...

Now I'm so depressed finding out that I've lost the passion for what I though would be my career. and been searching surgical sub specialties that I might enjoy..

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[pgg]

Anesthesia is a great field. $170-200K salaries are not realistic. Keep in mind that whatever the future holds, the sky hasn't fallen yet. That there are people on this forum who've been talking like that donkey on Winnie the Pooh for years already says as much about them as it does about the specialty.



ALL of medicine is facing change, not much of it good. This isn't the 1980s.

Try to make an informed decision, take what you want, and pay for it. Same as anything else in life. But don't look for anyone to talk you into a specialty.

 

[Planktonmd]

Anesthesia is a great field. $170-200K salaries are not realistic. Keep in mind that whatever the future holds, the sky hasn't fallen yet. That there are people on this forum who've been talking like that donkey on Winnie the Pooh for years already says as much about them as it does about the specialty.



ALL of medicine is facing change, not much of it good. This isn't the 1980s.

Try to make an informed decision, take what you want, and pay for it. Same as anything else in life. But don't look for anyone to talk you into a specialty.

I am not sure where you are getting all this optimism from!
Have you checked the anesthesia job market lately?
People should know what they are getting into and then make an informed decision.
The anesthesia residencies are producing crazy numbers of new grads while the number of available jobs has dropped dramatically.
The management companies and hospitals are taking over and as a result slashing reimbursement significantly.
Independent CRNA practice is not an illusion, it's a reality and expanding daily.
We are not in the same boat with all the other specialties, we are in a sinking boat by ourselves.

 

[AnesThrow]

If the sky falls, there's always critical care.

 

[Seba]

I'm brand new to the field as well, in my first year of practice post residency. I think if we all don't at least acknowledge the possibility that these forces are eroding our futures then we could wake up one day without jobs. I think we need to expand our roles in the hospital through acute pain services and for PP groups to provide CC coverage as part of their groups. Also, as much as possible we should encourage people to stay away from employment by AMCs and hospitals.

 

[BLADEMDA]

Don't get me wrong, I don't regret that I found this forum.
I've got tons of information and tips from here.

But it is true that this forum made me lost and confused.

2 anesthesiologist I've met were so happy with their job and schedule, and I didn't even think about asking them if there were any political issues in this field. (CRNA, Reimbursement, etc, etc..)

And more than anything, I loved this field of medicine, every aspect of it.

But thinking of the future where I do my own case with CRNA doing exactly the same thing next room, making somewhat hospitalists make (170~200K), I think I lost my appetite.

I'm pretty sure it's good for me to make this important decision with being fully informed but sometimes I think ignorance would have been bless...

Now I'm so depressed finding out that I've lost the passion for what I though would be my career. and been searching surgical sub specialties that I might enjoy..

All specialties have issues. We may have more than most. Still, there will be a job waiting for you once you finish Residency. Also, look at your statistics and realize not everyone will get a 240 plus Step 1 score and Honors in their rotations. Where do you fall? Will you match into anything better than Anesthesiology? Do you want to do IM then specialize?

By all means try and and land the specialty of your dreams. For some Anesthesiology is that specialty while for others it was the best they could get.

 

[countingdays]

My mind was fully set to anesthesia before I read this forum.

You are welcome. Glad we could help.

 

[Consigliere]

I am not sure where you are getting all this optimism from!
Have you checked the anesthesia job market lately?
People should know what they are getting into and then make an informed decision.
The anesthesia residencies are producing crazy numbers of new grads while the number of available jobs has dropped dramatically.
The management companies and hospitals are taking over and as a result slashing reimbursement significantly.
Independent CRNA practice is not an illusion, it's a reality and expanding daily.
We are not in the same boat with all the other specialties, we are in a sinking boat by ourselves.

Thank you for posting a realistic view of what is happening in the "real world." Take note anyone thinking about becoming an anesthesiologist.

 

[sevoflurane]

It might not be what it was 10 years ago... but it's still pretty awesome, IMO.

I don't supervise.
I don't do clinic.
I'm often home by 2-3pm and have the rest of the day to myself (sometimes I put in a 24 marathon full of exciting cases but that keeps things real for me).
Some groups have weekend calls q8 weekends.
The $ and lifestyle can be good to excellent.
I'm passionate about anesthesia, therefore, getting up in the morning and heading to work is not a drag.
Dealing with diverse patient populations keep things interesting.
The fellowships are good too: pain, peds, cardiac, cc.

Most important thing for me is that I've been tremendously happy with my specialty.
I feel lucky to have found it (formerly going into rads or surgery).

We have been loosing ground for decades (more so over the last 10 years) but you can't live in fear of "what if's".

What other specialty gets you involved with neonates, cardio thoracic, regional, USD, TEE, emergent AAA's, OB, chronic pain, or the run of the mill easy day of appy's, gallbladders and tonsils.

It's not for everyone, but it's def. the right fit for me.

 

[ctsicu]

Personally I wouldn't do it...I think we've lost extensive ground over the last 10 yrs. yes for now you will have a job but who knows if that will be true in 15 years. Also DO you want to be doin the same job side by side as a crna? I wish I could do something else but am too tired. And btw I am critical care trained aNd it does NOT save you. Finding a CC job with an anesthesia group in PP is next to impossible. You are resigned to academics with all of its bull****.

 

[Random Anesthesiologist]

It might not be what it was 10 years ago... but it's still pretty awesome, IMO.

I don't supervise.
I don't do clinic.
I'm often home by 2-3pm and have the rest of the day to myself (sometimes I put in a 24 marathon full of exciting cases but that keeps things real for me).
Some groups have weekend calls q8 weekends.
The $ and lifestyle can be good to excellent.
I'm passionate about anesthesia, therefore, getting up in the morning and heading to work is not a drag.
Dealing with diverse patient populations keep things interesting.
The fellowships are good too: pain, peds, cardiac, cc.

Most important thing for me is that I've been tremendously happy with my specialty.
I feel lucky to have found it (formerly going into rads or surgery).

We have been loosing ground for decades (more so over the last 10 years) but you can't live in fear of "what if's".

What other specialty gets you involved with neonates, cardio thoracic, regional, USD, TEE, emergent AAA's, OB, chronic pain, or the run of the mill easy day of appy's, gallbladders and tonsils.

It's not for everyone, but it's def. the right fit for me.

This is how I feel about the specialty. My 4th year electives were done in community hospitals with attendings who only preceptored 4th year medical students going into anesthesia. They were pretty frank with their opinions, and they mirrored this, for the most part.

I can completely understand the POV from those giving the "realistic" advice, but I'm finding out that realism varies in different markets in the country.

As much as I really enjoyed certain aspects of other specialties, I can't see myself doing anything other than anesthesiologist's work, and still be happy with my career.

I also feel like anesthesiology is a field worth saving and improving for future physicians, and you can't do that by discouraging bright minds by encouraging them to go into something else (out of fear of what might be). Realism is ok, but apparently subjective. I want to be part of bringing anesthesiology around again, if that's possible. It may be fruitless, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

 

[gasblaster]

I also feel like anesthesiology is a field worth saving and improving for future physicians, and you can't do that by discouraging bright minds by encouraging them to go into something else (out of fear of what might be). Realism is ok, but apparently subjective. I want to be part of bringing anesthesiology around again, if that's possible. It may be fruitless, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

I think part of how we got to where we are today is that previous generation(s) of anesthesiologists were unaware and/or ambivalent about the detrimental changes affecting the outlook of our field. However, it seems that the younger group of anesthesiologists and future anesthesiolgists are now more aware and, hopefully, proactive about doing what we can to combat these changes.

The issue we face now seems to be how...

 

[ctsicu]

More aware, yes. Proactive--questionable.

 

[Planktonmd]

I think part of how we got to where we are today is that previous generation(s) of anesthesiologists were unaware and/or ambivalent about the detrimental changes affecting the outlook of our field. However, it seems that the younger group of anesthesiologists and future anesthesiolgists are now more aware and, hopefully, proactive about doing what we can to combat these changes.

The issue we face now seems to be how...

It's about money... we cost too much money and everyone is working on reducing that cost: (Hospital administrators, medicare, private insurers, the government...)
They reduce our cost by getting other providers to provide the same services for a fraction of the cost and by decreasing or eliminating the supervision requirement.
But our academic leaders don't care and they continue to graduate thousands of new anesthesiologists and dump them in a job market that can not support them.

 

[pgg]

People should know what they are getting into and then make an informed decision.

Yeah, that's what I said:

Try to make an informed decision, take what you want, and pay for it. Same as anything else in life.

I'd be miserable in most other specialties, regardless of the paycheck.

 

[deleted126335]

I think part of how we got to where we are today is that previous generation(s) of anesthesiologists were unaware and/or ambivalent about the detrimental changes affecting the outlook of our field. However, it seems that the younger group of anesthesiologists and future anesthesiolgists are now more aware and, hopefully, proactive about doing what we can to combat these changes.

The issue we face now seems to be how...

The problem was and is no vision beyond one's personal time horizon. Lots of Fresh grads and current residents by necessity have a long term perspective. There are still plenty of us 50 + year olds writing checks to ASA PAC and hoping to keep this alive as a medical specialty even when we are done. There are also plenty of 50 somethings who cared during their 30s and 40s and no longer do. So it will be with your generation.

Some people invest extra time and effort and money out of a sense of duty, even if the beneficaries of that investment are tomorrow's docs. Many will only invest if they believe if there will be a payoff for them personally.

 

[Planktonmd]

I don't intend to rain on anyone's parade but I feel that false hope and unfounded optimism at this point are harmful.
When you are still a student or a resident you are seeing a very limited view of the specialty and you are being influenced by the academic environment.
You think that cool cases or cool procedures are a good enough reason for you to pick a specialty.
There are so many other factors other than "coolness" that should influence your decision.
But after you look at all these political, financial and social factors if you still feel that this is what you want to do, and that you will not be happy in anything other than anesthesia then go for it.

 

[Planktonmd]

Yeah, that's what I said:


I'd be miserable in most other specialties, regardless of the paycheck.

Me too... but I am crazy!

 

[deleted126335]

It's about money... we cost too much money and everyone is working on reducing that cost: (Hospital administrators, medicare, private insurers, the government...)
They reduce our cost by getting other providers to provide the same services for a fraction of the cost and by decreasing or eliminating the supervision requirement.
But our academic leaders don't care and they continue to graduate thousands of new anesthesiologists and dump them in a job market that can not support them.

Every hospital administration and surgical task force is grappling with the same question: How few anesthesiologists can we get away with? They are looking for cover to implement.

 

[IlDestriero]

But our academic leaders don't care and they continue to graduate thousands of new anesthesiologists and dump them in a job market that can not support them.

Do you know an unemployed anesthesiologist? I don't.

 

[Planktonmd]

Do you know an unemployed anesthesiologist? I don't.

Not yet... but it's coming!
And you probably will be employed as long you are willing to work for half the money you make now and either supervise 10 rooms or do what CRNA's do.
So, if the concern is finding a job then we are possibly OK for 10-15 years but no one should expect incomes anywhere near our current average.

 

[countingdays]

I don't intend to rain on anyone's parade but I feel that false hope and unfounded optimism at this point are harmful.
When you are still a student or a resident you are seeing a very limited view of the specialty and you are being influenced by the academic environment.
You think that cool cases or cool procedures are a good enough reason for you to pick a specialty.
There are so many other factors other than "coolness" that should influence your decision.
But after you look at all these political, financial and social factors if you still feel that this is what you want to do, and that you will not be happy in anything other than anesthesia then go for it.

Exactly. It's a good job that won't last.

Also, Crnas are less of a problem than a handful of national groups taking control and exerting monopoly control over your income, lifestyle, and practice environment. And that's if Obamacaid doesn't destroy us first.

There's no better specialty for me, but I still wouldn't do it again if I knew as a med student what I know now.

 

[pd4emergence]

Don't get me wrong, I don't regret that I found this forum.
I've got tons of information and tips from here.

But it is true that this forum made me lost and confused.

2 anesthesiologist I've met were so happy with their job and schedule, and I didn't even think about asking them if there were any political issues in this field. (CRNA, Reimbursement, etc, etc..)

And more than anything, I loved this field of medicine, every aspect of it.

But thinking of the future where I do my own case with CRNA doing exactly the same thing next room, making somewhat hospitalists make (170~200K), I think I lost my appetite.

I'm pretty sure it's good for me to make this important decision with being fully informed but sometimes I think ignorance would have been bless...

Now I'm so depressed finding out that I've lost the passion for what I though would be my career. and been searching surgical sub specialties that I might enjoy..

All medical specialties are going to change in the coming years. My take on anesthesiology is that if you would do this job for what a crna makes and be happy then you will be fine. I doubt it will get there but it might. In my mind being a hospitalist/im/fp/er/surgeon would be miserable no matter how much money I made. 170 to 200k for anesthesiology would be much better than having to go to clinic every day. But thats because I like my job and really hate clinic.

 

[Consigliere]

Any medical student who chooses anesthesiology as a career is a goddamn fool.

 

[countingdays]

Any medical student who chooses anesthesiology as a career is a goddamn fool.

 

[Gern Blansten]

Any medical student who chooses anesthesiology as a career is a goddamn fool.

Why hide your true feelings?

 

[Planktonmd]

Any medical student who chooses anesthesiology as a career is a goddamn fool.

I actually agree with you...

 

[Eplerenone]

This forum is to anesthesia what 4chan's /b/ is to the interwebs.

 

[chudat]

This forum is to anesthesia what 4chan's /b/ is to the interwebs.

a lot of real world attendings posting on how abysmal anesthesia's future is.....definitely gained a new perspective today

 

[Silent Cool]

Anesthesia is a great field. $170-200K salaries are not realistic. Keep in mind that whatever the future holds, the sky hasn't fallen yet. That there are people on this forum who've been talking like that donkey on Winnie the Pooh for years already says as much about them as it does about the specialty.



ALL of medicine is facing change, not much of it good. This isn't the 1980s.

Try to make an informed decision, take what you want, and pay for it. Same as anything else in life. But don't look for anyone to talk you into a specialty.

Yeah, be sure not to ask anyone to convince you of anesthesia. LOL

 

[Silent Cool]

Any medical student who chooses anesthesiology as a career is a goddamn fool.

Consig,

you are a perennial downer re: anesthesia. could you tell us why? how many years have you been out? what would you have done instead?

thanx

 

[Silent Cool]

Exactly. It's a good job that won't last.

Also, Crnas are less of a problem than a handful of national groups taking control and exerting monopoly control over your income, lifestyle, and practice environment. And that's if Obamacaid doesn't destroy us first.

There's no better specialty for me, but I still wouldn't do it again if I knew as a med student what I know now.

Gypsy,

What would you have done instead?

 

[AnesThrow]

Call me paranoid but sometimes I feel like all of these negative posts about anesthesia are trying to convince people not to go into this field so that there are fewer graduating anesthesiologists and 'more jobs'. Although in effect, less strong applicants applying to Anesthesiology will leave even more unfilled spots which will be filled with scramblers with no real interest in this field and this will be detrimental. This forum does not seem to mirror the real world. I have worked with many different anesthesiologists both in PP and in academics who seemed extremely happy and I have yet to hear ANYONE spouting this much doom & gloom.

General anesthesia may indeed be on its' way out at least in its' current form but I sincerely doubt that anyone is going to be hiring a CRNA over a double-fellowship trained anesthesiologist. Those who are going into this field for 'lifestyle' mommy-track jobs are indeed in for a big surprise and I think that is who these negative posts apply to. As in any other field (medicine or not), If you are willing to maximize your potential and become specialized in niches, there will always be a market for you. It's only logical.

 

[theeastsky]

All specialties have issues. We may have more than most. Still, there will be a job waiting for you once you finish Residency. Also, look at your statistics and realize not everyone will get a 240 plus Step 1 score and Honors in their rotations. Where do you fall? Will you match into anything better than Anesthesiology? Do you want to do IM then specialize?

By all means try and and land the specialty of your dreams. For some Anesthesiology is that specialty while for others it was the best they could get.

don't want to brag about it but i am a quite competitive candidate with good scores, honors, LORs, etc.. but to be honest after I took an elective on anesthesia i didn't even consider other fields so i didn't care if the specialty is the least i can get or not. but now that i have second thoughts, i am considering ortho or neurosurg which i'm not even sure i can enjoy cuz i've never given it a chance to get in my head but honestly i'm trying to find the ones with good job stability and decent compensation.

call me troll but this is how i feel.

 

[Planktonmd]

Call me paranoid but sometimes I feel like all of these negative posts about anesthesia are trying to convince people not to go into this field so that there are fewer graduating anesthesiologists and 'more jobs'. Although in effect, less strong applicants applying to Anesthesiology will leave even more unfilled spots which will be filled with scramblers with no real interest in this field and this will be detrimental. This forum does not seem to mirror the real world. I have worked with many different anesthesiologists both in PP and in academics who seemed extremely happy and I have yet to hear ANYONE spouting this much doom & gloom.

General anesthesia may indeed be on its' way out at least in its' current form but I sincerely doubt that anyone is going to be hiring a CRNA over a double-fellowship trained anesthesiologist. Those who are going into this field for 'lifestyle' mommy-track jobs are indeed in for a big surprise and I think that is who these negative posts apply to. As in any other field (medicine or not), If you are willing to maximize your potential and become specialized in niches, there will always be a market for you. It's only logical.

My friend... a "double-fellowship trained anesthesiologist" is an over qualified too expensive CRNA equivalent in the eyes of your future employers: (hospital bean counters and management companies), but you don't have to take my word for it...
do your homework and do what appeals to you.
I tell the truth and refuse to lie to young doctors like you just to glorify my specialty.
If I had a child in medical school right now I will definitely try to steer him away from this dying specialty.
I say that with great pain because I actually love this specialty.

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

All medical specialties are going to change in the coming years. My take on anesthesiology is that if you would do this job for what a crna makes and be happy then you will be fine. I doubt it will get there but it might. In my mind being a hospitalist/im/fp/er/surgeon would be miserable no matter how much money I made. 170 to 200k for anesthesiology would be much better than having to go to clinic every day. But thats because I like my job and really hate clinic.

I wouldn't do this job for only 170-200K

If I would, I'd be working 8-2.

 

[buccsmf1]

So many attendings ripping on the field, if not anesthesia, what else? Per recent match stats, the average anesthesia match had a 226 step 1. This makes the field a barely above average match. So if the students are barely above average, what the hell else do you suppose they do?

FM, IM? If you don't do a fellowship you're stuck doing outpatient or hospitalist. What an absolute nightmare. INR, HTN, lipids and A1C over and over and over and over and over agin till you die

Psych? Peds? OB/GYN? Which of these is going to make substantially more money than anesthesia 15-20 years from now? Which one is so much more interesting on a day to day basis?

Many specialties (plastics, derm, rad onc, optho...) arent possible for most anesthesia applicants.

EM and rads are a couple specialties that are fairly similar in terms of working style and scores needed. But I personally hated EM, I just felt like a glorified triage nurse. And if you ask a radiologist (my dad for example), they'll give you the same spiel about, "terrible job market, jobs are going to be outsourced, this profession won't exist in 30 years."

I'm not claiming to know more than any attending on this planet. But I'm curious to what you suggest we should do?

 

[jetproppilot]

DOOM AND GLOOM

DOOM AND GLOOM

I dunno man.

I've been listening to this s h it since my residency years!!!! (1992-1996, Tulane)

Here's what I can honestly tell you:

1) I F UCK ING LOVE MY JOB and I've been doing this gig for 17 years now. I still awaken before my alarm goes off most days at the completely ridiculous hour of five thirty AM (wtf is that? FIVE THIRTY? That's inhumane. Yeah well I'm used to it.).

2)I get paid a ridiculous amount of money. This isn't just me...this is all anesthesiologists. Yeah there's a range of what we make, from the top earner to the bottom earner but my point is this: The bottom earner in our craft makes more than most doctors. My girlfriend's entire family (her dad, brothers, sister in law) are all teachers. You wanna hear about people working hard and getting paid very little? GOOGLE TEACHER SALARIES man. Girlfriend's brother works more hours than me...he's Athletic Director at his school...SO WE DON'T HAVE ALOTTA ROOM TO BITCH.

3) DID I MENTION I LOVE MY JOB? I dunno about all you readers out there, but JOB SATISFACTION is very important if you wanna live a happy life. I can't express to you how much I love my field. It isn't for everyone; we're all different creatures man.

I hope ALL OF YOU PRE MEDS, MED STUDENTS, AND RESIDENTS OUT THERE find happiness in your profession, whatever it is, like I've found in mine.

SINCE THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT.

 

[chessknt]

don't want to brag about it but i am a quite competitive candidate with good scores, honors, LORs, etc.. but to be honest after I took an elective on anesthesia i didn't even consider other fields so i didn't care if the specialty is the least i can get or not. but now that i have second thoughts, i am considering ortho or neurosurg which i'm not even sure i can enjoy cuz i've never given it a chance to get in my head but honestly i'm trying to find the ones with good job stability and decent compensation.

call me troll but this is how i feel.

Do what you like to do, don't let people on here who think they know the future turn you away. You didnt go in to medicine for money (I hope), the US medical education model is very good at making that a poor choice, and if healthcare is completely taken over by the government (which very well could happen), all bets are off for everyone. Just do what you like to do and let the rest fall in to place. Of course be an advocate of your profession, but don't suffer through all of medical school just to pick a specialty that may be better off down the road that you dont really like over one that is less certain that you do like.

$0.02.

 

[Planktonmd]

So many attendings ripping on the field, if not anesthesia, what else? Per recent match stats, the average anesthesia match had a 226 step 1. This makes the field a barely above average match. So if the students are barely above average, what the hell else do you suppose they do?

FM, IM? If you don't do a fellowship you're stuck doing outpatient or hospitalist. What an absolute nightmare. INR, HTN, lipids and A1C over and over and over and over and over agin till you die

Psych? Peds? OB/GYN? Which of these is going to make substantially more money than anesthesia 15-20 years from now? Which one is so much more interesting on a day to day basis?

Many specialties (plastics, derm, rad onc, optho...) arent possible for most anesthesia applicants.

EM and rads are a couple specialties that are fairly similar in terms of working style and scores needed. But I personally hated EM, I just felt like a glorified triage nurse. And if you ask a radiologist (my dad for example), they'll give you the same spiel about, "terrible job market, jobs are going to be outsourced, this profession won't exist in 30 years."

I'm not claiming to know more than any attending on this planet. But I'm curious to what you suggest we should do?

Again... You should do what you think you are made to do...
If it's anesthesia then be it... but do your homework first and remember that you are picking a profession that you are going to be doing for the rest of your life.
There are many factors other than how cool the procedures are or how interesting the cases are...

 

[AnesThrow]

My friend... a "double-fellowship trained anesthesiologist" is an over qualified too expensive CRNA equivalent in the eyes of your future employers: (hospital bean counters and management companies), but you don't have to take my word for it...

I mean I understand your point but I don't think it only applies to anesthesiology. Cheaper to staff the ER with PA/NP than with ER physicians; cheaper to staff rehab units with physical/occupational etc. therapists/nurses than with PM&R doctors; cheaper to eventually allow psychologists to prescribe meds and do away with psychiatrists in inpatient units; cheaper to do telerads than to have house radiologists; the list goes on and on.

In the long run, cheaper is not always better and the negative outcomes of these 'financial' actions will be evident. Let me ask you, in our litigation-prone society, will these money-hungry management companies risk a CRNA doing, for example, pediatric hearts over a trained anesthesiologist?

 

[Stank811]

Common on really....anesthesiologist are not going anywhere. OP you actually worked with anesthesiologist who love what they do and then you read some posts from a couple individuals (who you know nothing about) and let them change your mind....weak. Take all the information you can get and it should help you formulate your decision but taking the opinions of pessimistic posters on a internet forum over your real life experiences is questionable in my opinion.

I am a CA3 and 90% of my class has jobs and they are no where near the doom and gloom reports on here...not even in the same ballpark. The one's without jobs have spousal or geographical restrictions but will likely have job offers in the real near future based on what they are saying. Anesthesiology is an amazing field and like many other posters I can not see myself doing anything else in medicine.

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

My friend... a "double-fellowship trained anesthesiologist" is an over qualified too expensive CRNA equivalent in the eyes of your future employers: (hospital bean counters and management companies), but you don't have to take my word for it...
do your homework and do what appeals to you.
I tell the truth and refuse to lie to young doctors like you just to glorify my specialty.
If I had a child in medical school right now I will definitely try to steer him away from this dying specialty.
I say that with great pain because I actually love this specialty.

if you had to pick ANY fellowship (accredited or not), which would you pick at this point?

I'm leaning towards peds or pain/regional, or possibly sleep - if i decide to pursue one.

 

[Notanerd]

everyfield of medicine is dying right along with the work ethic and morality of america. I was in a different field and actually just changed to anesthesiology after a lot of thought into it. Every field is turning into crap IM: if you just stay at this level you'll be = to a NP or a PA, if you do a fellowship like cards your life sucks bc thats all you do and if you choose rheum its boring as hell. Every field has midlevels obgyn has midwives, the truly only safe ones are surgeons and i couldnt see myself doing that. In my opinion Doctors especially anesthesiologist are safe bc anesthesia is a very dangerous field were people die quickly... one of the biggest differences between anesthesiologist and crnas besides crnas being a joke .... is that you can sue doctors. The liability that we take makes us irreplaceable. i met grads on the interview trail that were signing 400,000 first year contracts and getting loans paid off. and if your whining about money its your fault bc you shouldnt depend solely on your job as your source of income.another great thing about being a doctor is our credit line. the world is in a scaryplace with the redistribution of americas wealth and resources, we are now seeing it in healthcare.

 

[Planktonmd]

I mean I understand your point but I don't think it only applies to anesthesiology. Cheaper to staff the ER with PA/NP than with ER physicians; cheaper to staff rehab units with physical/occupational etc. therapists/nurses than with PM&R doctors; cheaper to eventually allow psychologists to prescribe meds and do away with psychiatrists in inpatient units; cheaper to do telerads than to have house radiologists; the list goes on and on.

In the long run, cheaper is not always better and the negative outcomes of these 'financial' actions will be evident. Let me ask you, in our litigation-prone society, will these money-hungry management companies risk a CRNA doing, for example, pediatric hearts over a trained anesthesiologist?

Let me ask you this... what percentage of the graduating anesthesiologists today will be doing pediatric hearts in your opinion?

 

[Planktonmd]

if you had to pick ANY fellowship (accredited or not), which would you pick at this point?

I'm leaning towards peds or pain/regional, or possibly sleep - if i decide to pursue one.

Peds or Cardiac

 

[Yangkower]

I'm a recently graduated resident and I had no problem finding a good job. I still get calls/email at least once a week from head hunters and hospital recruiters asking if I'll send them a CV. My contract is really good and I'm getting paid a lot more {plus bonuses} more than I expected when I started looking.

Having said that, if you want to go to a big city or academic program prepare to do a fellowship and take a lot less money. You will still find a job but will have to work harder to do so.

 

[AnesThrow]

Let me ask you this... what percentage of the graduating anesthesiologists today will be doing pediatric hearts in your opinion?

A very low percentage but is that for lack of opportunity or lack of desire? My point in the post that you first responded to was that there are 'irreplaceable' niches that exist and the market will always be open to those who strive for them.

 

[jetproppilot]

A very low percentage but is that for lack of opportunity or lack of desire? My point in the post that you first responded to was that there are 'irreplaceable' niches that exist and the market will always be open to those who strive for them.

That is very true, and very well said man.
SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
Is Powerful.

 

[jwk]

DOOM AND GLOOM

DOOM AND GLOOM

I dunno man.

I've been listening to this s h it since my residency years!!!! (1992-1996, Tulane)

Here's what I can honestly tell you:

1) I F UCK ING LOVE MY JOB and I've been doing this gig for 17 years now. I still awaken before my alarm goes off most days at the completely ridiculous hour of five thirty AM (wtf is that? FIVE THIRTY? That's inhumane. Yeah well I'm used to it.).

2)I get paid a ridiculous amount of money. This isn't just me...this is all anesthesiologists. Yeah there's a range of what we make, from the top earner to the bottom earner but my point is this: The bottom earner in our craft makes more than most doctors. My girlfriend's entire family (her dad, brothers, sister on law) are all teachers. You wanna hear about people working hard and getting paid very little? GOOGLE TEACHER SALARIES man. Girlfriend's brother works more hours than me...he's Athletic Director at his school...SO WE DON'T HAVE ALOTTA ROOM TO BITCH.

3) DID I MENTION I LOVE MY JOB? I dunno about all you readers out there, but JOB SATISFACTION is very important if you wanna live a happy life. I can't express to you how much I love my field. It isn't for everyone; we're all different creatures man.

I hope ALL OF YOU PRE MEDS, MED STUDENTS, AND RESIDENTS OUT THERE find happiness in your profession, whatever it is, like I've found in mine.

SINCE THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT.

You're absolutely right - And I've been hearing it since 1979 (geez, I'm old).

If you haven't already been in practice 12-15 years, you've barely seen one cycle of ups and downs in the anesthesia world. I've seen three, affecting both docs and anesthetists at different times. The sky has been falling for someone, somewhere, for every year I've been in this profession since 1979. The only thing you can count on is "things change".