Chapter 1
Laid Back Until It Isn’t: The Myth and Reality of Anesthesia Training

There is a steep learning curve in the first year of anesthesia training, which means you learn a tremendous amount of medical and situational information in a short amount of time. You will find the tasks intellectually, emotionally, and physically draining.

As soon as you walk into the OR, you’ll feel pressure from all angles: patient needs, surgeon requests, and attending expectations. For even the most level-headed among us, the urgency is hard to ignore. Complicating this scenario is a bizarre set of social norms that are pervasive in the OR. Despite performing the most critical tasks, airway and IV access, you will feel like you are always in someone’s way. You will be attempting procedures for the first time under the watchful eye of an audience who (erroneously) thinks they can do it faster and better than you.

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