"A natural challenge of being an anesthesiologist is the pressure to achieve perfect outcomes. Each day, I'm working with acute and critical patients, so even the smallest mistake or miscalculation could cause injury or be life-threatening to the patient. This job requires you to be alert at all times and to exercise good judgment and caution with every step you take in the patient care process. There is often pressure from leadership to be as successful as possible, to prevent the hospital from being sued, which is understandable, but still causes stress for staff. I've found that it's important to understand the impacts of medical mistakes, but it's equally as important to trust and be confident in your skills and abilities. I make sure that I take care of myself outside of work, mentally and physically so that I'm prepared for each shift, and I can be focused on the patient and their safety. It's important to have outlets for stress so that it doesn't build up and carry over into the workplace and to your staff."

"In the recent past, my biggest challenge has been in balancing my studies with the work that came with my residency. I have learned a lot about managing my time and prioritizing my work. It's a triage skill, and while the biggest challenge is learning to do it right, it's fulfilling when I do."

"Taking my specialty for granted is my biggest challenge. Even a frequent type of case--yet another nerve block or a simple in-and-out mask case--should never be seen as routine. If it does, I'm not putting my patient first, because there is so much at stake in what I do, even when it's considered 'routine.' There are no routine patients, so there are no routine cases. When I'm lucky enough to have a series of cases that don't have life-and-death excitement, the lure of complacency-in-the-routine is a test for when the life-and-death complication presents itself; if I'm complacent, I may not pass that test."