Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Why did I want to do that?

So I am on my anesthesia week, and clearly when I decided a long time ago I wanted to be an anesthesiologist, I was not thinking. I don't like it. It's not a bad week, the days are short, the people are (mostly) nice, but...the patients are asleep. Universally (almost!). I also have started to believe the addage of anesthesia - 90% boredom, 10% panic. They are amazing critical care docs. They can stick a breathing tube in faster than anyone in the hospital. They can get access to pretty much any vein, or artery, for a line when it's needed. If you are really sick, you want an anesthesiologist around, even if you never have to actually know they are there. But do I want to be one? No. I got to intubate today, and I really didn't like it. Something about shoving a giant tube down someone's throat just rubs me the wrong way. It's good, I suppose, to knock a few choices off the list, and start to narrow down what it is I want to do, but something about watching my attending get to work at 7 and leave at 1:30 in the afternoon makes me wish I could find a redeeming quality. I just don't think I can.

2 comments:

Amy said...

The anesthesiologist was my best friend when I was in labor! :) (Epidurals are fantastic. There's an awake patient...albeit probably not the happiest one if they've been waiting for a while!)

The Maiden Metallurgist said...

I'm sorry you can't find a redeeming quality, but if you can't find a way to make those hours work, you must really not dig it! At lesat you have options.