Dr Aman Sarai is a first year anaesthetics consultant. Today, we delve into the role of the anaesthetist, which, as most doctors are unaware of, goes beyond putting patients to sleep and sitting on their smartphone. We discuss what happens before, during and after each procedure, as well as switching between “cruise control” mode and jumping into action to manage a critically unwell patient.
Aman particularly enjoys the nature of his encounters with his myriad patients – both in theatre and ICU – and the short, sharp, instant-gratification nature of his work. He gives his thoughts on who is suited to anaesthetics. This also extends to what sort of personality is required to survive and thrive in the theatre environment with health care workers of all inclinations. However, the intense nature of some situations means it can be difficult to teach or interact with the team.
We discuss the lifestyle of an anaesthetist, including how tough it is to get in to the program, why some choose to be on call, and what sort of hours they work. This is split across public and private work, as well as some research whenever they can fit it in. Aman informs us as to the current and future role of anaesthetic nurses and computer programs and how they mesh with the role of the modern anaesthetist right now.
Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode. If you’d like to more about anaesthetics, please fill out the Google form below, or shoot us a message.
Pathways into Anaesthetics
Medical School → Internship (1 year) → HMO 1 (1 year) → Anaesthetics training (5 years) → Consultant
Source: ANZCA
Salary
According to the Australian Government Taxation Data, in the 2013-14 income year we had approximately:
- 945 female anaesthetists earning an average of $243,582
- 2160 male anaesthetists earning an average of $370,492
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We’d also like to give a quick shoutout to Melbourne artist SNED for composing the music accompanying our introduction.