Transitioning from residency into practice can be daunting. Residents are eager, clinically skilled and very well trained. However, being a strong clinician is no longer sufficient. Today, anesthesia groups are recruiting anesthesiologists who not only bring strong clinical skills, but who may also have other strengths such as administrative experience or an interest in active participation in the hospital medical staff organization through compliance, quality improvement, patient safety and other committee initiatives. They are looking to hire not only future partners, but future leaders.
Most residents have, at best, a rudimentary understanding about the business side of anesthesiology, and their eyes glaze over whenever the phrase “Practice Management” is mentioned. After all, they are busy enough just learning how to do anesthesia! They have become experts in time management, including prioritizing what is important to learn and what is less important. Unfortunately, regulatory, administrative and documentation topics are usually prioritized...