FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS --
ANESTHESIOLOGIST INTERVIEW
Dear Students,
I am often asked to answer questions about the specialty of Anesthesiology and what it is like to be an anesthesiologist. Here are the answers to a previous interview—
best of luck!
With Kind Regards,
Dr.Mark Moore
1. What is the title of career or profession?
ANESTHESIOLOGIST
2. Why did you pursue your current career or profession?
I COMPLETED MY UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE IN PHARMACY, THIS WAS A LOGICAL EXTENSION OF MY INTERESTS
3. What are your major duties and/ or responsibilities?
IN THE OPERATING ROOM UNDER FULL MONITORS, I INDUCE AN UNCONSCIOUS STATE IN A PATIENT, KEEP THEM ASLEEP, SUPPORT THEIR PHYSIOLOGY AND THEIR LIFE DURING THIS TIME, THEN AWAKEN THEM AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SURGICAL PROCEDURE.
4. Do anesthesiologists see a lot of blood, gory stuff, and other icky things?
YES.
5. What is the most memorable experience you've had in medicine?
WHEN I SAVED THE LIFE OF A YOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS BLEEDING TO DEATH AFTER THE DELIVERY OF HER BABY. SHE LOST CONSCIOUSNESS AND HAD NO MEASURABLE BLOOD PRESSURE. AS THE NURSES FRANTICALLY ROLLED THE STRETCHER DOWN THE HALL TO THE OPERATING ROOM, I STRADDLING THE HEAD OF THE BED AND THOUGH THE WOMAN BARELY HAD A PULSE FOR LANDMARKS, I STARTED AN LARGE BORE LARGE GAUGE IV INTO THE JUGULAR OF HER NECK (A CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETER) SO WE COULD ADMINISTER FLUIDS AND BLOOD FASTER THAN SHE WAS LOSING IT. SHE RECEIVED TEN UNITS OF BLOOD AND 5000 CC OF IV FLUID DURING AN EMERGENCY HYSTERECTOMY. SHE LIVED. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES.
6. What is the outlook for employment in this career over the next few years?
IT IS GOOD. HEALTHCARE IS RELATIVELY IMMUNE FROM ECONOMIC RECESSIONS.
7. What level of education is required? Which courses would be extremely beneficial to take?
A LOT--FOUR YEARS COLLEGE, FOUR YEARS MED SCHOOL, FOUR YEARS RESIDENCY, COLLEGE SHOULD BE BIOLOGY OR CHEMISTRY MAJOR, PLAN ON A MAJOR IN STUDYING. PLAN ON STUDYING ENOUGH TO GET GOOD GRADES 3.5 MINIMUM, THAT IS, MOSTLY A'S AND AN OCCASIONAL B.
8. How has this career changed, if any, over the past few years?
MORE TECHNOLOGY, MORE KNOWLEDGE TO STAY CURRENT. MORE REGULATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND FROM HOSPITALS, MORE PAPERWORK
9. What do you find most interesting or like the most about your career?
HELPING PEOPLE IS THE "MEANING OF LIFE" AND BEING A DOCTOR IS PART OF ONE'S LIFE FABRIC-- IT'S NOT REALLY A JOB
10. What do you like least about your career and why?
NO ONE LIKES TO WAKE UP AT 3AM TO DO ANYTHING, WELL, ALMOST. OVER TIME, ONE TAKES LESS NIGHT CALLS AT THE HOSPITAL, AND THAT IS GOOD.
ANESTHESIOLOGY IS AN EXCITING PROFESSION, BUT IT IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. ANESTHESIOLOGISTS MUST ACTIVELY BALANCE THE STRESS IN THEIR PRACTICE, SO IT DOES NOT CARRY OVER INTO THEIR REAL LIVES.
11.What special skills/training are required to perform this job? Where do you get the training for these skills?
YOU NEED TO BE BRIGHT, THINK ON YOUR FEET, AND REMAIN CALM IN ALL SITUATIONS. IT HELPS TO BE FRIENDLY, THE PATIENTS ARE ALL NERVOUS
12. Are there any special physical demands?
NONE THAT A CUP OF COFFEE WON'T ALLEVIATE
13. What is the opportunity for advancement in this field?
AS A MEDICAL PRACTICE MATURES, PHYSICIANS CAN DO DIFFERENT THINGS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE SPECIALTY OR IN THEIR GROUP. FOR EXAMPLE, I REVIEW CASES FOR THE BOARD OF MEDICINE, TO HELP THEM IMPROVE HEALTHCARE FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA
14. How many other people do you work with daily? Is this advantageous?
WE WORK WITH A SURGERY TEAM OF FOUR OR FIVE STAFF, NURSES, SURGERY TECHNICIANS, SOMETIMES THE SAME PEOPLE EACH DAY, THOUGH IT DEPENDS ON THE PRACTICE
15. Are there any special materials, equipment, tools, machinery, etc. that you must know how to use for this career?
WE HAVE AN ANESTHESIA MACHINE THAT DELIVERS THE GASES, AND A MEDICINE DISPENSING DRAWER WITH ALL THE DRUGS AND SYRINGES. THE HOSPITAL OPERATING ROOM HAS ALL THE MACHINES WE USE TO MONITOR THE PATIENT'S VITAL SIGNS WHILE THEY ARE UNDER ANESTHESIA. THERE'S A HUGE VOLUME OF HIGH-TECH INSTRUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO HEALTHCARE IN THE RECENT DECADE. WE EVEN HAVE ROBOTS TO ASSIST THE SURGEONS.
16. What technology systems (mechanical, electrical, fluid, thermal, chemical) are applied on the job?
OUR MACHINES ARE ALL MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL; WE USE COMPUTERS AND ROBOTS NOW TO DO SURGERY. MATH IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF WHAT WE DO, AS IS PHARMACOLOGY.
17. How many hours do you usually work in a day/week?
THE AVERAGE ANESTHESIOLOGIST WORKS 45 TO 50 HOURS PER WEEK.
18. What is the greatest satisfaction that you derive from your work?
WORKING WITH MY MEDICAL FRIENDS TO HELP OUR PATIENTS OVERCOME PAIN, FEAR AND THEIR AILMENTS. TEACHING OTHERS HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR BODY AND THEIR HEALTH. TEACHING YOUNG DOCTORS HOW TO CARE FOR THEIR PATIENTS.
19. What is the salary range for this type of career?
ANESTHESIOLOGISTS EARN OVER 100,000 ANNUALLY AND MORE.
What would be the best way to prepare for a future in Anesthesiology?
BE SMART. READ A LOT . DO WELL IN SCHOOL, PARTICULARLY YOUR MATH AND SCIENCE CLASSES. YOU NEED TO BE AN A-STUDENT BY THE TIME YOU ARE IN COLLEGE, SO LEARN AND PRACTICE GOOD STUDY HABITS EARLY. YOU WOULD BE WISE TO FIND A MENTOR IN YOUR COMMUNITY TO HELP GUIDE YOU ALONG THE WAY AND EVEN WORK WITH PART-TIME THROUGH YOUR SCHOOL YEARS. IF YOU NEED HELP, SEND ME A NOTE.
20. If you were choosing a career field to pursue at this point, would you choose this career again? Why or Why not?
OF COURSE. SEE #1 - 19
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GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS!
MARK MOORE, MD
TALLAHASSEE ANESTHESIOLOGY, PA
TALLAHASSEE , FLORIDA
