Most Important Skills for an Anesthesiology Resident at an Academic Hospital
For an anesthesiology resident, "being very organized" and "very vigilant" are crucial, requiring multitasking to monitor patient vitals and surgical procedures simultaneously. The ability to be "flexible and creative" is also paramount, as unexpected airway difficulties necessitate quick thinking and adaptable "plans in place" for various scenarios.
Organization, Attention to Detail, Problem-Solving, Flexibility, Critical Thinking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Briana Kossbiel
Anesthesiology Resident
Academic Hospital
University of Arizona, 2016
University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson, 2021 - MD
Biology & Related Sciences
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Medical
Honors Student, Veteran
Video Highlights
1. Being organized and detail-oriented is crucial for managing multiple patient needs and monitoring vital signs simultaneously.
2. Anesthesiologists must be vigilant and possess excellent multitasking skills to handle various aspects of patient care and surgical procedures.
3. Flexibility and creativity are essential for adapting to unexpected situations and devising alternative plans during surgical procedures, especially when encountering airway or ventilation challenges
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
The most important skills are really being very organized. For anesthesia, you have to do a lot of multitasking, especially when taking care of a patient, perhaps someone very sick coming from the ICU to the operating room.
They have so many different things going on regarding their blood pressure, oxygen, and heart rate that you're always monitoring for every patient. For these sick patients, they can be a little more tenuous, meaning those values and how stable they are can change very quickly.
It's very important to pay attention to all of that, as well as what the surgeon is doing, the patient's positioning, and everything else happening in the room. Being vigilant and detail-oriented is crucial.
One of the biggest things for anesthesia, especially, is being flexible and creative. We follow regular cases, but you can always encounter something unexpected. Someone's airway might not be what you expect, or you could have difficulty ventilating or intubating them.
Knowing the next step you'll take and being prepared is key. If A can't happen, what are B and C? Having plans in place and knowing they might have to change requires flexibility and creativity, while also being on top of your game.