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Anesthesia Call


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  • 4 weeks later...

Definately center specific. Here in Saskatoon as a resident we do about 4-5 calls a month. Our staff people do at least that if not more if you include the second on call person. Staff people do home call with of exception of the obstetrical anesthesiologist who is in house at all times.

 

The on call person is home call but frequently spends the majority of the night at the hospital as we tend to do a lot on call.

 

Hope that helps.

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  • 1 year later...

It all depends on the size of the department. If you have 15 Anesthesiologists you can assume you will be doing 2-3 calls per month if everyone takes 100% call. Many departments allow older staff to take less/no calls so this can affect the ratio. People also take vacation time so that leaves less to take call. Academic sites may have 2 people taking call - 1 for the main OR, 1 for obstetrics so that impacts your frequency. Academic sites often have a 2nd call who stays late to run a 2nd room until 7pm or later.

 

In my department we have 6 OR's which is probably about the average size of most community hospitals (150-200 beds). 7 Anesthesiologists. 1 takes no call. The rest of us do 5-6 calls per month with a minimum of 1 weekend but often 2 weekends per month (1 Saturday, 1 Friday+Sunday). These are 24hr calls and are done in hospital and because of obstetrics you are working all night.

 

Trevor

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Ahem, I would LOVE once per week. My schedule is more often 2 per week than one. When I do my Friday+Sunday weekend + a weekday call it can be 3 calls in 7 or 8 days which is heavy.

 

Once per week is fine. 1:4 is too much. We should be getting 2 new staff which should drop me to 1:5-6 which will be fine, at least at this part of my career.

 

You ask about lifestyle. I love my life as an Anesthesiologist. I have no office, no secretary, no staff, no overhead. I never have a waiting room of patients waiting for me. I am never late, I never have to cancel my patient (the surgeon may have to cancel but I am not emotionally involved). I never have MY day cut short. If my surgeons list runs really early, I just pick up the pending emergencies so I keep my 8hr day (and the $'s) instead of being forced to finish at noon and twiddle my thumbs (unless I want an early day!). When I go home I know my patients are being taken care by the guy on call, the surgeon is always wondering about his or her patients.

 

The call can be tough. Particularly if you do obstetrics. Could I work as hard as I am now when I am 50 or 60? no. Am I content to be working this hard at this stage of my career (<5 yrs practice), yes, it pays the bills. That is one thing, On call accounts for 30-40% of my income. If I am up all night working, I am making good $'s all night long. Beats the heck out of being a resident! That said, how much money is enough money, I am doing well enough that I would be quite happy to give up 1-2 calls/month to work a little less nights.

 

So to summarize. 1:4 call at a slower center may be totally fine (say where you generally work until 10-11pm but are very rarely called back after). But 1:4 is really heavy when you are guaranteed to get one or 2 epidurals +/- a C/S after midnight. I love my work though so am happy to be working hard now but am looking forward to an extra 1-2 department members taking call.

 

Trevor

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