The AAMC team recently sat down with Dr. Robert to learn more about his work. He has been practicing general anesthesia for eight years and provides anesthesia for a variety of specialties, including general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, urology, and more. Learn more about anesthesiology below.
What attracted you to anesthesiology?
I was initially interested in surgery. But while working with a surgeon during my first year of medical school, I found myself gravitating more towards anesthesia. People don’t realize how important anesthesiologists are when it comes to patient safety in the operating room. Evaluating and monitoring patients to make sure everything goes smoothly on the day of surgery as well as post-operation really interested me.
Can you describe a typical workday?
I always start my day by either lifting weights or doing cardio. Most operating rooms start surgeries at 7:30 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. Before surgeries begin, I look up my patients and make sure I have everything I need for surgery, whether that be lab values, EKG, or doctors’ notes. Then I meet with each patient to perform a focused history and physical exam to make sure that I have assessed their readiness for surgery as well as have built a rapport with the patient and their family. For most people, surgery is scary, so I make sure I answer all their questions and clearly explain what will happen. Before I leave at the end of the day, I make sure all my patients are comfortable post-operation and are ready to go home.
What previous experiences have helped you most in your current role?
I had many different jobs before becoming a physician! One of my most interesting jobs was as a middle-school science teacher. The time that I spent teaching various scientific concepts like gravity and mass prepared me to break down complex medical terminology that the average person may not understand. It’s very important that patients know what’s going to happen during surgery, so using easy-to-understand language is critical.
What’s one thing you wish you would’ve known before going into anesthesiology?
One thing about anesthesia that I did not anticipate but really enjoy is how much of a team sport it is. We work side-by-side with the surgeons, nurses, and other specialists to make sure that patients are optimized. Clear communication and teamwork are crucial in anesthesia to ensure not only a good experience for the patient but also safety. If the medical team can work well with one another, that enhances patient safety.
How would you describe someone that would excel as an anesthesiologist?
Attention to detail is extremely important to ensure you are giving patients the proper dosages of anesthesia. Vigilance in the operating room is also important. When a patient’s oxygen level gets low, their blood pressure drops, or their heart stops beating, you must step in immediately to treat and prevent the patient from having a poor outcome.
Can you share a case you found especially rewarding?
We warn patients that there is a chance an epidural needle could be placed a bit too far and cause patients to have a spinal headache. A spinal headache is positional, meaning that it goes away when you lie flat, but causes pain when you sit up.
As a resident, I had a case where I placed an epidural and unfortunately caused my patient to have a spinal headache. The patient had a flight she had to take, so we had to figure out a way to accommodate her so she would not be sitting up on her 20-hour flight in pain! We decided to perform an epidural blood patch, which is when you take the patient’s own blood and insert it into the epidural space to improve the headache. Unfortunately, when we performed this, it did not work.
We decided to try the epidural blood patch again, but this time we used a fluoroscopy (x-ray) to make sure that the blood was going into the right spot. And it worked! We also wrote the airline a letter requesting an upgraded seat so she could relax on her flight. This was a case I’ll never forget, and I haven’t caused a spinal headache since.
What advice would you give to students who are just beginning their journey into a career in medicine?
Be open. I had a lot of classmates who knew for certain they wanted to go into a certain specialty, but I would recommend keeping an open mind as you go through your rotations. You never know what field may match your personality, abilities, and knowledge best! It’s also important to find mentors and people who can give you more insight into specialties and their challenges. This will help you make an informed decision when it comes time to choose your medical specialty.
Do you have advice for premeds looking for mentors?
Doctors are surprisingly open to becoming mentors. As a student, it’s important to reach out to people in the field you’re interested in and ask if you can shadow them, get coffee, or just have some of your questions answered. Upper-class medical students, residents, and interns can also help you figure out your career path.
To learn more about Dr. Robert and his work, follow him on Instagram and TikTok.