Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
As we al know that anesthesia residency is not easy. Long OT hours. Night duties. Back-to-back emergencies. PAC clinics. Endless fatigue.
Most residents barely get time to sleep, let alone prepare for entrance exams. And yet, Dr. Vaishnavi managed to do something truly extraordinary, she secured Rank 2 in the INI-SS Oncoanesthesia exam while completing her MD anesthesia residency.
Her journey is not about shortcuts.
It’s about smart learning, discipline, and having the right guidance at the right time — through Conceptual Anesthesia.
Life at GSVM: Where Residency Is Truly Hectic
Dr. Vaishnavi completed her MD Anesthesia from GSVM Medical College, Kanpur (2022–2025 batch) — a hospital known for its heavy patient load and nonstop emergencies.
“We used to get two to three emergency duties every week. That was normal for us from first year to third year.”
Like most residents, her focus was not on cracking super speciality exams at first. Her only goal was to survive residency with confidence.
She wanted to:
- Manage cases properly
- Answer seniors in the OT
- Understand anesthesia, not just memorize it
And that’s when she discovered Conceptual Anesthesia.
Finding Conceptual Anesthesia at the Right Moment
In August 2023, just before starting her second year, Dr. Vaishnavi came across Conceptual Anesthesia on Instagram.
She was exhausted.
She barely had time.
Textbooks felt impossible to read.
So she started with small steps.
“I began with basic videos like pharmacology and spinal anesthesia. These are the things juniors are constantly asked in OT.”
She wasn’t thinking about SS exams yet.
She was thinking about becoming a better resident.
Studying Around OT Cases – Not Against Them
Her study style was simple and practical.
If a TURP case was posted for the next day → she watched spinal anesthesia
If she was posted in gyne OT → she watched gyne anesthesia videos
If in general surgery → she revised laparoscopy anesthesia
Emergency duty → 1–2 videos whenever she got time
“We get PAC one day before and cases are listed in the evening. I used to watch the relevant video for the next day’s OT.”
This way, her learning was directly connected to real patients.
No overload. No panic. Just focused learning.
Why Conceptual Anesthesia Fit Perfectly into Residency Life?
During residency, reading textbooks line by line is honestly impossible.
“We simply don’t get that kind of time. Videos and PDFs are much easier to manage between duties.”
Conceptual Anesthesia became her daily companion:
- Quick videos between cases
- PDFs for revision
- Instrument and pharmacology notes for spotters
- Long and short case books for exams
Everything was crisp, clear, and straight to the point.
Cracking INI-SS in Just 10–12 Days
Her INI-SS exam happened between her MD exams and results. She barely had 10–12 days after finishing duty.
So she planned smartly.
She focused on:
- General anesthesia basics
- Tube sizes, purity, equipment
- High-yield PDFs
- Core concepts
“If we miss general anesthesia, we won’t even qualify the first round.”
Despite having limited oncoanesthesia exposure in her institute, the oncoanesthesia lectures on the Conceptual Anesthesia app helped her build confidence.
And the result?
✨ INI-SS Rank 2 ✨
The Books That Made Revision Easy
Conceptual Anesthesia’s revision books played a huge role:
- Long question book
- Long & short cases
- Pharmacology PDF
- Instrument PDF
“Students usually ignore instruments, but 2–3 spotter questions come from there. These books helped me revise quickly.”
They were short, clear, and perfect for last-minute revision.
Her Message to Junior Residents
Dr. Vaishnavi keeps it real:
“First focus should be on residency. Understand your cases. We are doing anesthesia to save lives, not just to crack exams.”
She believes Conceptual Anesthesia should be used to:
- Understand monitoring
- Learn fluid calculations
- Handle instruments confidently
- Manage OT cases properly
When your concepts are strong, your ranks will automatically follow.
Conclusion: A Journey Every Resident Can Relate To
Dr. Vaishnavi’s story is not about studying 12 hours a day. It’s about using the right platform in the right way.
Conceptual Anesthesia helped her:
- Learn alongside real OT cases
- Build strong fundamentals
- Revise quickly during duty breaks
- Prepare smartly for exams
- Grow into a confident anesthetist
From emergency duties to INI-SS Rank 2, her journey proves that smart learning beats long hours.
If you’re an anesthesia resident trying to balance OT life and academics then Conceptual Anesthesia can be your strongest support system.
