My life as an Anaesthesiologist

I've been working in the department of Anesthesiology for last 28 years now, mostly in the army and for last two years in the civil. I am sure, my friends, who are non medicals would love to know what would be a typical day in my life as an anesthesiologist. When I first started working in Anaesthesiology department in 1989 at Command Hospital ( Air Force ) Bangalore, we worked mostly in the Operation Theatre. Today's anaesthesiology's focus especially in the intensive care unit has made our subject much more interesting. Initially, I joined MD ( Microbiology ) for one year after MBBS at Andhra Medical College, but the nature of my work in the department Viz. taking classes for MBBS students, telling them about Microscope and various nosocomial infections and other non clinical work didn't suit my personality. Always I liked the idea of seeing patients on an acute basis for a short period and any type of clinical work and directly interacting with the patients rather than seeing their blood/sputum for staining and identifying under the Microscope. I left my post graduation of Microbiology and joined army so that I can select some clinical subject for post graduation. As an anesthesiologist, my work typically goes smoothly, although I face huge variety of adverse events which I manage confidently. An anesthesiologist in the operation theatre is similar to being an airplane pilot in his cockpit...A cockpit is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft from which a pilot controls the aircraft...Once the patient is unconscious after induction with anaesthetic agents given intravenously and by inhaling volatile agents, the anesthesiologist's primary job is to manage and monitor the blood pressure, heart rate and many other parameters and of course, the response to surgery and pain. There's never a dull moment in my day as an Anaesthesiologist... it's fast-paced and intellectually demanding, with intense high-pressure workdays counterbalanced by ample personal life and family life. Col Pendyala Pradeep, Anaesthesiologist.