Our Future: De-Skilled or Super-Skilled?

Abstract

Editorial| March 2021 Our Future: De-Skilled or Super-Skilled? Steven L. Shafer, MD Steven L. Shafer, MD Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar ASA Monitor March 2021, Vol. 85, 6. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ASM.0000737024.41432.cf Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Cite Icon Cite Get Permissions Search Site Citation Steven L. Shafer; Our Future: De-Skilled or Super-Skilled?. ASA Monitor 2021; 85:6 doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ASM.0000737024.41432.cf Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAll PublicationsASA Monitor Search Advanced Search Topics: anesthesia, conduction, basic local alignment search tool, endoscopy, environmental air flow, etomidate, fentanyl, internship and residency, medical devices, medical residencies, nurses “Think twice before you go into anesthesia!” Those were the cautionary words Dr. John Redpath shared with me during my anesthesia rotation in my third year at Stanford Medical School. Fentanyl, blithely named “Sublimase,” had completely replaced other opioids in anesthesia practice. Sufentanil and alfentanil were rumored to be even safer opioids. Gavril Pasternak was reporting distinct opioid receptor subtypes for analgesia and respiratory depression (Neurology 1981;31:1311-5). Dr. Redpath anticipated the discovery of an opioid as potent as fentanyl that didn't depress ventilation. “If that happens, there will be no need for anesthesiologists.” It didn't happen, and anesthesiologists have remained gainfully employed. The discovery of “biased opioids” offered the possibility of such an opioid (Science 1999;286:2495-8), and the recently introduced oliceridine may deliver somewhat on the promise (Anesthesiology 2020;133:559-68). (So far,... © 2021 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), All Rights Reserved.2021 You do not currently have access to this content.