Expert: Dr Ian Jackson - please note UK based - 3/9/2010

Question
Hello, my name is Austin Hauer, I was wondering if you could take a
few minutes to answer some questions I have about the field of
Anesthesiology. I have an assignment in my first hour advanced biology
class, and one of the requirements is to interview two
Anesthesiologists.

What have you learned from past mistakes?

Provide an example of a problem you were faced with and how you solved it.

What is your greatest accomplishment?

What is your greatest strength?

What is your greatest weakness?

Do you prefer to work in a team or independently?

What is your best moment as a doctor (and worst)?

If you could, would you change anything?

When did you decide you wanted to be an Anesthesiologist?

How do you see yourself in 5 years from now?

Is there any additional information you'd like to provide me with?


Thank you very much for taking the time to help me.

Answer
What have you learned from past mistakes?
Never rush into things and always have a Plan B.

Provide an example of a problem you were faced with and how you solved it.
Providing anaesthesia at 10,000ft in the Himalayas for ear surgery. The equipment was poor and all the patients had fast heart rates during anaesthesia which is bad for ear surgery. Had no drugs that we normally use to slow the heart rate but thought carefully about what I did have and used a drug that reverses the muscle relaxants used by anaesthetists which slows the heart rate as a side effect.

What is your greatest accomplishment?
Becoming the first doctor in my family.

What is your greatest strength?
Team work and good common sense.

What is your greatest weakness?
Ice cream.

Do you prefer to work in a team or independently?
Team

What is your best moment as a doctor (and worst)?
Each time I remove the pain of labour from a pregnant women by giving her an epidural - it's lovely to turn pain and distress into a smile.
Worst
Losing a life - especially children following trauma when you have tried everything to save them over several hours.

If you could, would you change anything?
Yes but that is a very wide question!

When did you decide you wanted to be an Anesthesiologist?
After completing medical school

How do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
Retired

Is there any additional information you'd like to provide me with?
best of luck