So today i am gonna just share my views regarding how to approach the subject of anesthesia in residency…
So like every other field of speciality, anesthesia also has two parts to learn.
1st is the skill i.e the procedures and the routine that is being followed everywhere.
2nd is the knowledge of the subject.
Now both of them are not mutually exclusive but when we start our residency then obviously one takes precedence over the two.
So here are some points that you can remember :
1: for 1st few months just imbible the practice of anesthesia…get adjusted to the routine.its all about routines like checking the machine,tubes, scopes, blades, drugs, labels…you might find it boring but these habits will save you from a catastrophy years later.
2: keep your eyes, ears and senses open in theatre…everyone has a unique way of doing things.you have to be receptive enough to learn from evryone…that includes the support staff of ot to the anesthesia technician.
3: always ask these questions when you do something or anything to any patient at anytime
Why? How? When? What? Where?
If you can start getting answers to these one by one, you will be impeccable in your knowledge about the conduct of anesthesia.
4: about procedures, its an art of learning…the more you do the better you get but and this but is the biggest challenge…anyone can do procedures,even non qualified technicians can do it.so there is nothing great in learning them without knowing about them.
So my funda for procedures is simple
“You dont know the thing, you dont do the thing”.
So read about it extensively before doing it and you will find the difference in your procedure.
5: respect your seniors and learn from them.residency doesn’t only teach you how to be a good anesthesiologist but it also teaches you to be how to be a good professional…the way you treat your seniors now is the exact way you will be treated later.so remember this thing, that you are gonna be a 1st year junior only once in your life…so better make the best of it.
6: lastly academics…so i hope you dont get time in 1st year to read but if you do get i suggest use google more than text books…text books are lengthy and they take time.ans time is something that a 1st year pg doesnt have.
In google we have lot of good websites for the material on anesthesia.
Anesthesia tutorial of the week
Uk anesthesia
Bmj and ija articles
Asa pub
These articles are authentic and concise and can be reffered easily…they come in pdf format which are downloadable for free.
Apart from these we have lot of books but my suggestion is to open and do a book which can be done.so in 1st year you start with
1: morgans textbook of anesthesia
2: lees synopsis of anesthesia
3: oxford hand book of anesthesia
4: radha sukhani for blocks
5: rashid khan for airway management
Rest we all know that miller’s text book of anesthesia is the standard textbook for everything…so that can be used as well.
Lastly i would like to welcome you all to the exciting world of anesthesia and i hope you really own the subject and its practice and excel in every part of it…
P.S : I am just a message away regarding any discussion later as well…
Follow my facebook page " inducing Anesthesia with dr anshul diwakar" to get regular updates for steady revision of all topics…
Good luck…