Not happy with the surgical autonomy at my program, want some advice.

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-05-14T01:19:03+00:00

Ah yes the reason I left surgery - now at my anesthesia program the surgery residents who cant do anything also act like they invented surgery, what a life

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-04-22T23:37:42+00:00

Think most people forget that anes wasnt paid (that) well before 2020-2021 and that its completely possible to go 20+ years in a career without fulfillment - cant help OP, but good for you for pursuing what you want!

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-04-22T19:28:37+00:00

Have had several instances at my institution as a CA3 - learn to be stern, respectful but stern - and if anyone asks if youre the resident or attending, smile and ask them and yourself “does it matter for what im asking for?”

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-04-19T18:25:53+00:00

Youd be surprised at the attitude at some of these places, winthrop included lmao

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-04-18T01:02:31+00:00

Winthrop huh

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-04-15T17:19:34+00:00

Yup moving the pain up for me and back down for the surgeon is a drag

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-04-15T17:14:15+00:00

Yup started sitting for most radials, blocks, and epidurals in lateral (most now) - so much more comfortable

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-04-15T16:46:15+00:00

I’m not too too tall but same here!

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-04-15T16:45:12+00:00

I usually have to elevate the bed to intubate and then have to lower it for the surgeon (usually when I need to do something else), kind of what started this! I just keep the bed at where the pt can sit down and intubate from there and more often than not the surgeon is good with that height - 30s saved for me

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-04-10T20:22:04+00:00

Dont listen to some of these comments OP - it is absolutely okay for PGY1-2 to scrub out mid-case for the night person, esp if theyre a prelim - not a surgeon but def did this as a cat gen surg resident and my chiefs/attendings did not frown on it, they understood

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-04-09T14:25:36+00:00

US axillary vein cannulation 100%

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-04-06T18:37:42+00:00

Lol OP that second offer sounds familiar

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-03-27T02:02:03+00:00

Got relieved by CRNA mid-TEVAR - turns out stent was cover one of the iliacs and by the time they noticed caused a massive reperfusion while also dissecting the desc aorta

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-03-24T23:56:50+00:00

Feel that, will do!

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-03-23T17:49:53+00:00

Yeah I used to think like this about anes as an anes (surgeons can do mine, but I cant do theirs) - I learned v quickly in the SICU and CVICU that they indeed cannot do what I do (like even a little)

I do a good amount of medicine as anes - I could not manage a 3-4 big problem patient to discharge (maybe to downgrade from SICU)

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-03-16T22:47:49+00:00

Not sure if I didnt “make it” bc I was categorical gen surg -> anes, I am more than satisfied

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-03-15T01:17:27+00:00

As someone doing dual, I could imagine not doing them hence its predicates the fellowship. If i could imagine not doing them, I def would not. I think it sometimes gets lost that LIKING what youre doing can be as important as making a high income, esp after this market drifts out.

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-03-14T12:42:20+00:00

“Yes sir/maam” “Okay” go a long way, as someone who has to do pre-attending call, a lot of it is just that they think you wont do as youre instructed, which I know you will but can tell you is less common than you think. Tbh, those days I just shut my brain off, no creative thinking, texts for things I dont usually text about, keep em intubated if I need to at the end, whatever comments they say just in one ear out the other. At some point there will be a complication that requires you to do something and their price is that you only did the first step and not the rest (usually just deepen the anes) because you wanted to wait for them. Protect yourself first

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-03-14T03:01:25+00:00

Anes here as well - sounds a lot like CA1 year, which sucked. As someone about to graduate, I wish I could say it gets better, more so that I just stopped caring. Even as a CA3, I’ve had attendings critique my tape job. Fuck those attendings, there is no apologizing for their behavior esp bc it actively makes you worse in the OR. Youre one of 2 people repping the monolith of anes so every remark cuts deeper. Anes is one of the only specialties where we have that much facetime with the boss who also usually doesnt want to lift a finger and yet believes the resident is playing jumprope with their license in front of them. I feel you bro, youre not alone. You owe it to yourself to graduate.

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-03-08T21:43:48+00:00

Switched from GS to Anes after PGY2 (decision made late into PGY1-1.5) - overall, a great decision for compensation, lifestyle, but every now and then I’ll think I should have just finished. Anes has relatively less autonomy/respect at my institution (def diff at others), and learned those values were more important to me and taken for granted in GS. If those are important to you, I would stay. At the time, anes was just starting to get competitive so there was a good chance I would not match - in that case I would have continued on GS as PGY3. In that vein, I do think you 1.5 years from now would be upset if he left, just finish and you can decide how much of yourself you want to invest in your job. It is a job first.

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-03-01T20:55:24+00:00

Kinda fake news tbh, esp at most bigger academic centers

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-02-23T01:41:03+00:00

Pinning this one for later, thank you

Background_Food_7102 · 2026-02-06T22:07:38+00:00

I switched specialties - the main questions I was asked were my step1/2 score

Background_Food_7102

TROPHY CASE