General anesthesiologist vs. super-specialist: A phoenix rising from its own ashes?

Abstract

Like all other specialties, anesthesiology has evolved from a simple affair of relieving the pain during surgery by ether, chloroform or nitrous oxide, to a wide spectrum of important activities related to making the patient pain free as well as protecting his life for the risks of his primary disease and those arising from the surgery. With the progress made in the surgery into super-specialties, anesthesiology had to evolve itself into allied super-specialties. The diversity is likely to be further enhanced with the further development of newer treatment technologies needing fine skills by the operators. It has led to the general anesthesiologist to be pushed to the more peripheral hospitals, with lower degree of equipment and allied help. Not surprisingly the level of job satisfaction in general anesthesiologists is steadily decreasing. Perhaps the only solution for them to this problem is to evolve themselves as 'Peri-operative Physicians'.