Expert: Dr Ian Jackson - please note UK based - 3/31/2008

Question
Dear Dr. Ian Jackson,
         I am currently a freshman in high school. Unlike most freshman, I am concerned about my future and have questions about it. I have always been intrigued by medicines, and careers dealing with them has always been high on my list. Through research I have found that I would love to become an anesthesiologist. Although described as rigorous and frustrating by some, I feel as if I can handle it and become very successful in the end. However, I do have one major concern about the job. This concern leads me to my question. What is it all about? Of course, after the hours of research, I have gotten the core of the job, but I would like to know from a primary source what it's really like. Having that said, I was wondering do you actually ever have to PERFORM on a patient. That has been a fear of mine since I was younger. I love the idea of helping people through medicine, but I can't actually stand the blood. I can see it, but I cannot touch it. As petty as this may sound, it is very true. My body shivers at the thought of performing medically on someone as a doctor or surgeon would. With this question I hope to find out more about the profession than I already know, in turn, helping me decide whether this occupation is right for me. Thanks greatly for taking the time out to read this, and I hope to hear from you very soon!

-Tim

Answer
Hi Tim
I was interested to receive your question. I'm afraid as an anaesthetist in the UK you have to train as a doctor first (5 years) and then specialise in anaesthesia for another 6-7 years. Our training prepares us to do the procedures we need to be able to perform on patients. This includes putting in arterial lines, central lines, epidurals as well as the use of various local anaesthetic techniques that require us to carefully position a needle in the right place. This requires a steady hand and there is no room for any squeemishness. One of my children would be great in the job but the other just doesn't 'do blood etc' and faints too easily, which sounds a bit like you.
I would suggest that perhaps you would be best to do some voluntary work in a hospital to see if you have what it takes to push yourself through this.
All the best
Dr Ian Jackson