Anesthetics or Surgery

**Gannny J** · 28-11-2006, 04:10 AM

can anyone tell me which profession would need more patient contact-surgery or anesthetics? (i'm a good communicator)

**yeliab_cram** · 28-11-2006, 04:34 AM

Well, i wouldnt soley base your lifelong career decision on that lone point. But IMO Anaesthetics has more "quality" patient contact that surgery. Ie surgical patient contact is limited to very brisk ward rounds, very busy clinics and other than that they tend to be unconcious.

However, there is probably more patient contact in gen med that either anaesthetics or surgery. Anaesthetics is a very varied job - they dont just sit around in theatre doing the crossword. They manage ICU, they are regularly needed in resus and get to do lots of exciting airway management.

**andy2** · 28-11-2006, 05:07 AM

depends what you mean by patient contact - anaesthetists spend a fair proportion of their time talking to patients and their relatives, but a far greater proportion of their time looking after patients who are uncommunicative. Surgeons can also spend a fair proportion of their time talking to patients -and probably spend a greater proportion of their day than anaesthetists doing this, with clinics, emergency recieving, ward rounds etc...

However this would be a poor single reason for choosing a specialty - if talking to patients is the most important aspect of your career then GP or Psych might be better options. However all doctors who work directly with patients should be good doctor-patient communicators, and even those who don't spend much time with patients (lab based, radiology, public health) often need good communication skills.

**Gannny J** · 28-11-2006, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by andy2

depends what you mean by patient contact - anaesthetists spend a fair proportion of their time talking to patients and their relatives, but a far greater proportion of their time looking after patients who are uncommunicative. Surgeons can also spend a fair proportion of their time talking to patients -and probably spend a greater proportion of their day than anaesthetists doing this, with clinics, emergency recieving, ward rounds etc...

However this would be a poor single reason for choosing a specialty - if talking to patients is the most important aspect of your career then GP or Psych might be better options. However all doctors who work directly with patients should be good doctor-patient communicators, and even those who don't spend much time with patients (lab based, radiology, public health) often need good communication skills.

Thanks - - I was thinking about surgery, but since hearing that anaesthetists deal with bigger challenges and have to think on their feet more that surgeons, im leaning towards anesthetics. True or False?

**yeliab_cram** · 28-11-2006, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by Gannny J

Thanks - - I was thinking about surgery, but since hearing that anaesthetists deal with bigger challenges and have to think on their feet more that surgeons, im leaning towards anesthetics. True or False?

I think thats quite a sweeping generalization!

Both specialties have to deal with very big challenges and both specialties have to be able to think on their feet. Just for different reasons and in different ways.

What stage are you at? because i dont think you can really make such a decision without experiencing a variety of different specialties. After you have spent time in surgery and anaesthesia, then start to think about chosing which you would like to do as a lifelong career.