Molly Deacutis, MD, MPhil (master of philosophy), took a circuitous route to becoming a pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist—and says she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Long interested in medicine, Dr. Deacutis originally thought she’d seek a career in pediatric neurology or psychiatry, which led her to undergraduate and graduate studies in neuroscience, biology, psychology, medical ethics, and depression in children. In medical school, she had a mentor who noted the focus within the field of pediatric anesthesiology toward understanding anesthetic effects on the developing brain, joining her interest in brain development with a new fascination with anesthesiology.
While that was the initial hook into anesthesia, Dr. Deacutis says she was drawn to seek additional training in the highly specialized—and newly accredited—field of pediatric cardiac anesthesiology after spending time in the pediatric cardiac operating room during her anesthesia residency training.
“I loved the environment and thought, ‘How could I do anything else?’” Dr. Deacutis recalls. “I like how it’s a team effort; everything the surgeon does affects what I do, and everything I do affects the surgeon. The interplay and communication between all of us has always been so inviting to me.”
When it comes to working with patients and their families, Dr. Deacutis says she draws upon her well-rounded background and experience to put herself in their shoes.
“What people don’t realize is that an anesthesiologist does more than just putting patients to sleep. We have just a few minutes to get parents to trust us with their child’s life, so we need to build a rapport immediately,” she says. “I take the time to introduce myself and ask them how they are feeling. I let them ask any questions they may have. I try to be as thorough as possible, while recognizing that a lot of the things I’m saying are scary, but letting them know that I am already thinking of everything so that they don’t have to worry.”
