Ian B. Hoffman, MD

Clinical Anesthesia Year 2

Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University

Ian is finishing up his 2nd year in his anesthesia training, getting ready for his last year in residency. Prior to anesthesia residency, Ian completed a residency in pediatrics and worked as an Emergency Dept Pediatrician in NYC. In this post, he reflects on a moment during his first year of anesthesia residency that truly put him to the test. Emergencies happen quickly in anesthesia, but with good training you learn to move swiftly and adjust to your environment to ensure a safe experience for you patient.

One of my biggest mental roadblocks as a physician was gaining the foundation for the confidence to perform a life-saving procedure when it mattered. In the middle of my first year as an anesthesia resident, we had a sick vascular patient going in for a procedure. With me was a medical student who was 6 foot 6 inches tall. The medical student had difficulty intubating, and the patient was declining fast. The bed was in position for a very tall person to mask and intubate; I could hardly see over the patient’s face! Also, in this room, the bed controls were at the other end and were inaccessible in this moment. My attending looked at me and asked, “you got this, Ian?”. I remember just instinctively going yes and went into position. On my tiptoes and utilizing all that I had learned thus far, I intubated and abated any further decline. This event was one of the scariest moments I’ve experienced. However, this moment has converted into a source of confidence that if I overcame that situation, I can overcome what is in front of me as I continue to face increasingly complex and challenging situations.