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Behind the Drapes: Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine

Behind the Drapes: Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine
Author: Kenny John
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From the creator of KeywordsxKenny comes the latest project from Dr. Kenny John titled “Behind the Drapes”. This is a podcast that aims to highlight a speciality in medicine that is often misunderstood and typically not included in medical school curriculums - Anesthesiology. Through various interviews, listeners will hear what it takes to become an Anesthesiologist and where the career can take you. Come see what’s going on behind the drapes in the best speciality in medicine!
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The season finale for season 2!! Our last episode on financial literacy is a fun conversation with a good friend, Dr. Andrew Winegarner about his ability to juggle residency and a side hustle. Listen along as we discuss informatics, coding, and what his side hustle entails.
00:40 First Job Ever
05:00 Informatics
12:30 Interest in Coding
14:00 Time Investment During Residency
17:00 What is Your Side Hustle?
20:00 10-year plan
Closing in on the end of the season, we talk with one of my favorite guests, Dr. Shyamal Asher, about everyone’s favorite topic - student loans. Listen along as we discuss Dr. Asher’s personal experience with student loans, basics of repayment types, and if Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is for real. 01:30 Personal Experience with Loans
06:30 In-state vs Out-of-state med school costs
09:00 Monthly Budgets
13:30 Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized Loans
16:30 When to Start Planning for Loan Repayment
18:15 Repayment Options & PSLF
26:00 Is PSLF For Real
31:30 How Will the Pandemic Pause Be Remembered?
Welcome back to another episode of Behind the Drapes Season 2 where we are talking financial literacy. In this episode, I speak with Brian Manley about what credit is and how we can use it to our advantage. Listen along as we talk about the typical progression for loans that create credit, different credit card tiers, and how Brian played a huge role in helping me get this podcast off the ground.
01:30 Who is Brian Manley?
07:30 Learning About Finances
12:00 What is credit?
19:30 Progression of Obtaining Credit/Loan
22:30 Credits Effect on Housing
24:30 When Should You Get a Credit Card?
26:30 Credit Card Tiers
37:00 How Do You Use Your Points?
In this episode of Behind the Drapes, I talk with Justin Harvey about contract negotiations and navigating the job market. Justin is a financial advisor who not only works with Anesthesiologists, he had a front row seat to his wife going through the process of becoming a chronic pain physician. He also has a podcast titled "Anesthesia & Pain Management Success" where he talks about financial topics related to the career of an anesthesiologist.
03:30 Red Hot Market
09:00 Academics, Private Practice, Locums
11:30 Private Equity Groups
20:00 Negotiating with Academics
27:00 Red Flags in Contracts
31:30 Who Proof Reads Contracts?
37:00 Timeline for Looking at Jobs
APM Success Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/anesthesia-pain-management-success/id1444486964)
In this episode, we talk with Associate Chief of Lifespan Physician Group Anesthesia Department and one of our favorite educators in the Brown Anesthesia Residency about billing and practice management as well as his role as a recruiter for the department. This episode idea came after he gave a similar lecture to my residency class and really had me thinking more people need to hear this information. Listen along as we talk about what goes into anesthesia billing, general financial considerations anesthesia groups take into account, what his role of recruiter is like, and advice he has for new or soon to be residency grads looking for jobs.
03:30 Gaining Interests in Finances
04:30 Modern Anesthesia Billing
06:30 Who Sets the Price
09:00 Billing for Regional Anesthesia
12:00 Supervising CRNAs vs. Residents
16:00 Providing Services Outside of the OR
18:00 Private Practice vs. Hospital Employed
21:00 Role as a Recruiter
24:00 Figuring Out What You Want in Your Career
28:00 Types of Applicants
30:00 When Should Applicants Reach Out
32:00 Interview Process at RIH
In this second part of Saving for Retirement, I talk with financial advisor, Tracy Cahill, about what retirement investment options there are for when you become an attending and see a sharp increase in your income. Your ability to invest in a Roth IRA is limited by your total household income, so when you exceed that limit it helps to know what other options are available to you. Listen along as we talk about backdoor Roths, College Funds, and when you can (should) finally touch those retirement savings.
03:00 Backdoor Roth IRA
06:30 Retirement Plans from Various Employeers
08:30 Saving for College Plans (529 Plans)
12:00 Personal Investing Advice
18:00 Pitfalls with Personap Investing
20:00 When to Reach Out for Professional Advice
22:00 When Can I Touch My Retirement Accounts?
24:30 Top 5 Takeaways for Retirement Savings
This episode if the first part of a two-part series where I speak with financial advisor and friend, Tracy Cahill about the importance of saving for retirement and where to get started. Listen along as he defines different savings account options, how much you should consider setting aside, and recommended resources to learn more about financial planning!
01:30 Tracy's personal story
04:00 Steps When Starting a New Job
05:00 IRA vs 401k/403b
08:30 Get Started As Soon As You Can
11:00 Picking Which Retirement Plans to Use
12:30 How Much $ Should You Set Aside
14:30 Recommended Resources
*Books that were mentioned*
"The Psychology of Money" by Morgan Housel
"The Power of Zero" by David McKnight
In this episode of Behind the Drapes, I talk with decorated real estate agent Kara Pierce about how to approach the real estate market throughout the different phases of our medical careers. She is a wealth of information and provides valuable insight from the perspective of an expert in the field. Listen along as we discuss renting vs buying in residency, what the current state of the housing market is, and how to create a real estate portfolio to increase your wealth over time.
04:15 Renting vs Buying
12:45 Estimating Housing Prices
19:45 Seller’s/Buyer’s Costs
23:30 Physician Mortgage Loans
31:30 Kara’s Personal Real Estate Journey
33:00 Creating a Real Estate Portfolio
37:00 Property Management
43:00 Closing Remarks
In the second episode of the second season, we talk with Dr. Andrew Winegarner, one of my co-residents, who I believe is financially insightful and savvy and offers the listeners some pieces of advice from his own personal financial experiences. Listen along as we talk about how he went through three used cars in the summer leading up to residency, what he budgeted for when taking out loans for medical school, how his budgeting shifted once he graduated, and how him and his wife organize their finances.
01:30 This car is on fire
08:30 Saving up for an emergency fund
10:40 Taking out loans with a budget
11:50 Budget living expenses
12:50 Prioritizing Costs in Medical School
15:15 Budgeting as a Resident
16:20 Apps for Tracking a Budget
18:50 Joint vs Split Bank Accounts
Why does financial literacy matter? Because money can be stressful, and reducing stress can make you productive in other parts of life - like your job. Being able to navigate debt and earning a paycheck starts with seeking out information and knowledge that can help aid you in your decision making. Everyone has different financial situations and understanding your own is most important. Hopefully some of the lessons in this episode (and the rest of the season) will make you feel like a more informed manager of your money. This season starts off again with one of my favorite guests, Dr. Shyamal Asher, who inspired the theme of this episode after I sat in on his medical student lecture about finances. Here’s what’s coming this episode:
03:00 Why is financial literacy important
09:30 Financial stressors leading to burnout
12:30 Financial Independence
17:00 Disability Insurance
22:50 Life Insurance
27:00 Personal Belonging Insurance
This episode is the finale of what I consider to be a season full of interesting, knowledgeable, and impactful Anesthesiologists - this episode fits all of that and more. There are countless moments that I will never forget when working with Dr. Maslow. From cardiac cases, ambulatory surgery, and even tonight as I write this while on OB call with him, Dr. Maslow (intentional or not) will teach me something new every time I work with him. You’ll be able to tell from my introduction how much I look up to him. He is incredibly smart, talented procedurally, and can get almost any patient laughing even in life and death situations. Tune in to see what’s going on Behind the Drapes with Dr. Maslow in this Season 1 finale.
01:40 Introduction
05:30 Joining the Army
09:05 Why Anesthesia?
13:30 How to calm a patient before surgery
17:45 Beginning of Career
22:20 Life at RIH
27:15 Starting a Residency at RIH
31:00 Calling Residents the Night Before
35:00 Proudest Moments of Career
38:30 Plans for Life After Anesthesia
Welcome back to another episode of Behind the Drapes! In this episode, we talk to Dr. Brenda Satterthwaite - one of the assistant program directors and the clinical site director for The Miriam Hospital. In this episode we not only talk about her academic and administrative roles, we get into scuba diving, Settlers of Catan strategy, and how she decompresses from a stressful day. If you’re a parent and are curious what to expect if your child ever needs surgery, Brenda also does a good job explaining what it’s like being a Pediatric Anesthesiologist. Come see what’s going on Behind the Drapes with Dr. Satterthwaite!
02:00 Board Games
05:30 Scuba Diving
11:30 What got you into anesthesia?
14:30 Favorite/hardest parts w/ anesthesia
16:45 How do you decompress?
18:45 Decision to pursue pediatrics
21:00 Advice for residents on pedi
23:30 How to communicate with parents
32:00 Site Director for The Miriam Hospital
34:45 What future goals do you have?
In this episode of Behind the Drapes, we talk with Dr. Harish Lecamwasam. Harish is someone who first inspired me to consider the application of anesthesia and critical care outside of the traditional hospital-based care system. He is someone who is driven by innovation and has created a career path that fuels this urge. Not only is he a Chief Medical Innovation Officer, he is an educator and mentor at our residency program at Brown. Come take a listen to Dr. Lecamwasam’s story as we see what’s going on Behind the Drapes.
02:00 Boston sports fandom
03:55 Sri Lankan Roots
07:30 Starting Educational Path at MIT
12:45 Finding Anesthesiology
15:00 Innovation in Anesthesia
18:45 Private Practice in AZ
23:30 Getting Acquired by a National Group
29:20 Chief Medical Innovation Officer
35:00 How Hospitals Use Talis Technology
39:30 Traveling for Work
46:15 What Pulls You Back to Anesthesia
In this episode of Behind the Drapes, we talk to one of the best there is at what she does - Dr. Caroline Hunter. She is someone who will expertly teach you cardiac physiology, how to perform a transesophageal echocardiogram, and how to handle conflict resolution in the OR. She is also great at mentoring residents and has earned the title “mom of the residency”. Listen along to hear about her path to anesthesia, the roles she plays in our residency, why she loves cardiothoracic, and what keeps her motivated to keep improving at her job. Stay tune to see what’s going on Behind the Drapes!
01:30 Introduction
07:20 Choosing Visiting Professors
11:30 Finding Anesthesiology
15:40 Relevancy of Standardized Tests
17:50 Evaluating Residency Applications
20:25 Role in Developing Residents
20:15 Why Do Residents Enjoy CT
24:00 Why Are Residents Terrified of CT
27:20 Working on Technically Skills
29:40 Conflict Resolution in the OR
34:15 What Keeps Her Motivated
Dr. Rotenberg is retiring today!! After around 40 years of service in Anesthesiology, he is finally hanging up his stethoscope and moving on to greener pastures with less airway emergencies. In this episode, we recap Dr. Rotenberg’s career, talk about various influences in his life, and finish with some of his anesthesia-related habits that make everyone think of Dr. Rotenberg. Take a listen to see what’s going on Behind the Drapes!
Welcome back to Behind the Drapes! In this episode, we talk to Dr. Alex Cohen who has carved a lane for himself in both Regional Anesthesia and Administrative roles in the hospital. Listen along as we talk about moving to Providence from Boston, what the future of regional anesthesia looks like, and how he ascending in the administrative side of the hospital. Come take a look at what’s going on Behind the Drapes!
00:09 Introduction
03:00 Life in Boston
04:10 From Rotating to Signing On at RIH
06:45 Why Anesthesia?
10:00 Time in Seattle
12:00 What is the Future of Regional?
15:45 Creating the Division of APS
21:30 Stepping into an Administrative Role
25:30 Saying No and Prioritizing
29:00 Average Day breakdown
33:45 Getting an Official Office
35:30 What Gets You Out of Bed in the AM
In this episode, we get nostalgic. I talk with my good friend, Danie Leahy, who I met back in college when we worked on UVM Rescue together. When I was in medical school, I watched her match into Anesthesiology and she ultimately helped me choose the same specialty for myself. She has graduated residency and is currently doing a combined Cardiothoracic and Critical Care Fellowship at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. Listen along as we relive our rescue days and talk about what it’s like being married to an anesthesiologist, why she chose her fellowship path, and how much she enjoys teaching.
00:08 Introduction
03:15 UVM Rescue Roots
09:45 Training Probies to Teaching Residents
12:00 Residency at UVM
16:00 Pandemic Pregnancy
23:15 Married to an Anesthesiologist
27:00 Decision to Pursue Fellowship
36:30 Future Job
39:15 What Makes Jobs Different
44:00 Proudest Moments So Far
Welcome back to Behind the Drapes! In this episode we hear from Dr. Taif Mukdohmi who was a part of the first graduating residency class for Brown Anesthesia. Since graduating, he has gone on to pursue a fellowship in Chronic Pain and is now in the process of opening up a practice with his brother and friend called “Pain Zero”. Take a listen to see what else Taif has in store for us this episode! Here’s a breakdown of what to look forward to:
01:50 Brown Anesthesia’s 1st Residency Class
06:33 Mentors at Brown
11:52 Passion for Chronic Pain
17:35 Titans in the Field
19:30 Research experience
22:45 Fellowship in NYC
27:00 Current business: Pain Zero
32:30 Ideal Day as a Pain Doc
Welcome back to Behind the Drapes. In this episode, we talk to Dr. Caramez - one of our recent graduates from Brown Anesthesia Residency who stayed on as staff here at Rhode Island Hospital. Paula is vibrant with energy and her story of how she found a career in Anesthesiology is a unique one! Stay tuned to hear more about her life in Brazil, moving to America, experiencing a second residency, and how she’s adopting to her new role as the Anesthesiologist in the OR. Here’s what you have to look forward to:
00:09 Introduction
01:40 Medical Career in Brazil
09:10 Coming to the USA
11:30 Path to Citizenship + Residency
18:50 Residency Take Two
26:00 How is life as an attending?
30:30 Becoming a Medical Educator
Welcome to the series premiere of "Behind the Drapes"! In this episode we talk to Dr. Shyamal Asher, Cardiothoracic Anesthesiologist, about what it takes to be a new dad, how he found his way to Cardiac Anesthesia, starting the echo curriculum at Brown, and his uprooting from Kenya and moving to Worcester, MA. Take a look at the show notes below to see what's ahead!
00:09 Introduction
00:55 Half-marathon Talk
02:50 New Dad Life
13:30 Division of Cardiac Anesthesia
18:20 Echo Curriculum at Brown
21:40 Why did you go into Anesthesia?
24:20 Med School Story
27:15 From Mombasa, Kenya to Worcester, MA
30:30 International Medical Work
43:00 MBA - Ambitions and Goals