To learn about the work an career of an anesthesiologist we spoke with Dr. David Maduram in New York.
Davids studied at Harvard, Columbia, and the University of Illinois, and is now an attending anesthesiologist.
Tell us about your current position, and how long youve been at it.
My name is David Maduram, and Im an anesthesiologist at White Plains Hospital in New York.
This is my first year as a full-fledged attending anesthesiologist.
What drove you to choose your career path?
How did you go about getting your job?
What kind of education and experience did you need?
It takes many years to become an anesthesiologist.
The training process to becoming a full-fledged anesthesiologist is rigorous.
Most residents will spend at least one day a week working overnight at the hospital.
What kinds of things do you do beyond what most people see?
What do you actually spend the majority of your time doing?
What misconceptions do people often have about your job?
If an anesthesiologist incorrectly doses a local anesthetic for an epidural, they can cause cardiac collapse within seconds.
What are your average work hours?
My typical morning starts at 6AM and ends at around 5PM.
I do a 24-hour shift in the hospital 2-3 times a month.
What personal tips and shortcuts have made your job easier?
The most important thing in anesthesiology is to stay organized!
When time is of the essence, its important to know where your life-saving tools and drugs are.
What do you do differently from your coworkers or peers in the same profession?
What do they do instead?
I think that the best anesthesiologists are those that are always thinking three steps ahead.
Whats the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?
As with most medical professions, one spends quite a lot of time at the hospital.
Whats the most enjoyable part of the job?
The best part of being an anesthesiologist is definitely the amazing patients!
Its nice to walk home and know that people depend on you and that you are helping them!
Do you have any advice for people who need to enlist your services?
Since most patients interact with anesthesiologists prior to a surgical operation, Ill start there.
What kind of money can one expect to make at your job?
Our pay scale is publicly available, andcan be found through an internet search.
How do you move up in your field?
Anesthesiologists who are skilled in administration typically coordinate the flow of patients in the operating room.
Other anesthesiologists can assume leadership positions in the intensive care unit and pain management clinics.
What do people under/over value about what you do?
People often take anesthesia for granted.
A popular saying notes that anyone can put someone to sleepit takes an anesthesiologist to wake them back up!
What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession?
Empathy is also a prerequisite.
If youd like to share your career, email us at[email protected].
Photo byTorwaiPhoto(Shutterstock).
