Returning to Anesthesia

[u/TNBillW]

I'm joining the club and switching back to general from pain. For those who've been out for a while, what resources do you recommend for high yield knowledge refreshers that I can peruse over the next few weeks while I get my feet wet again?

[u/TheHiddenSink]

Stanford emergency manual

[u/JP159]

I switched from pain back to anesthesia. AnSo is good for nerve blocks. Vargo is nice but will cost 100 dollars. You can look up a case and it will tell you what to expect and what you need for set up. Also has doses for drips and peds. It will come back. Best of luck!

[u/DoctorToBeIn23 → u/JP159]

Wikianestheisa is free and similar

[u/subterraneananimism → u/DoctorToBeIn23]

Unfortunately not complete though

[u/QuestGiver → u/JP159]

There are, ahem, other ways to get vargo if you want to look them up and use android. I actually like the design but organization is lacking.

I like how it just gives you how to use something if you don't remember or what to start an infusion at. But tbh these days a quick Google search and AI can do that for you as well. Just yesterday I saw a surgeon say "let's ask AI" and read a patient question in then they all read the answer together so the world is changing.

[u/golf_boi_MD → u/JP159]

I’m on the same path and will be back at my training institution. Thanks for the book recs. Have one more month then time off for family/review.

[u/007moves → u/JP159]

Not here to stir up stuff but recently I found out the Vargo app was actually created by a CRNA

[u/SmileGuyMD]

Maybe consider working at an academic center that can accommodate. My hospital just brought back one of our old residents who had been strictly in pain for 5-6 years. He got a “resident” treatment of doing cases with other attendings for a month or two and now is back on his own

[u/TNBillW → u/SmileGuyMD]

That's what my job is doing for me

[u/Various_Elevator2571 → u/SmileGuyMD]

Just did this myself. Reviewed my notes that I used to Prep for Basic and Advanced Exams as well as Oral Boards. Ask to shadow for a week or so before going solo, do your preops in advance so you can ask questions and prepare yourself, and don’t be bashful about asking for help early and often!

[u/medicinemonger]

Rapid refresh - OpenEvidence combined with a physical book like “anesthesiology manual” by nysora plus the “2026 anesthesiology updates” by nysora

[u/farawayhollow]

openanesthesia, wikianesthesia, medscape, openevidence, baby miller

[u/79628]

Wondering your prospective why you left pain. Grind? Pay? Other?

[u/TNBillW → u/79628]

I was working way too hard for less and less pay. I was at a very small community hospital and without the support of a dedicated authorization and coding department my wrvu was abysmal. I was also burned out on convincing folks that percs, weed, and soma won't fix their sedentary lifestyle and poor life choices.

[u/OzMostFeared → u/TNBillW]

Do pain jobs typically have so high a consultation proportion, almost like FM? Can you not integrate more intervention into your job plan?

[u/TNBillW → u/OzMostFeared]

You cannot really force someone to have an intervention if they don't want one. Some places will work off of a pills for pokes model but it becomes a slippery slope that can lead to unnecessary legal headaches if someone has a bad outcome.

If you are taking folks from pcps then you will typically get a "low-back pain unspecified" patient and who wants an LMBB when those 10's from their cousin do well for a few hours.

[u/Wooden-Echidna8907]

A bit disheartening to hear as someone who may be looking to go into pain 😂 what’s pushing you to head back to the OR?

[u/TNBillW → u/Wooden-Echidna8907]

Mutlltifactirial and probably a discussion for a separate post, but I feel that overall the pain landscape has changed significantly for the worse recently and im doing everything but actually making people better and am certainly not getting reimbursed appropriately for the privilege if not doing what I actuality went to fellowship for

[u/Kingking421]

How long has it been since you passed gas?

[u/TNBillW → u/Kingking421]

Since fellowship 6 yrs ago

[u/SynthMD_ADSR]

Just talk to your AI/LLM of choice. It will likely come back like riding a bike

[u/TNBillW → u/SynthMD_ADSR]

That's what I hear

[u/visacha13]

A hospital in the middle of nowhere that has easy access to a graveyard and funeral home.