About Dr. Bailey

Why PAIn Medicine?

The nurses adjusted a pregnant woman, turning her to her side on a hospital bed, listening to the sounds of her heartbeat, and the slowing rhythm of the little one within. Her husband stood in the corner, unsure of what to make of the scene before him in the middle of that cold March night. His wife in pain, connected to what seemed to be hundreds of wires. The obstetrician calmly, confidently entered to review the situation, and made her decision. “We’re going to the OR.” The team worked in unison, whisking the patient to the operating room while her husband signed the necessary documents. The patient’s husband then stood alone in that once-cluttered room, unsure of what to do next… that husband was me. My newborn daughter, and shortly later my wife, emerged that morning, as did a newfound need for reflection. I pondered the value of my work, and its impact on the world after that night. I decided I had a responsibility to return the favor that doctor, and that healthcare team, had paid to me. 

Medicine was not the obvious choice on which to dedicate my efforts. I initially sought to find a field that more easily fit with my background in art, graphic design and advertising. I kept coming back to medicine, because there is no other field that so directly and profoundly impacts our fellow woman and man. Each interaction with a patient is a precious one that shapes a life from that day forward. My experiences in anesthesia have confirmed that I have found my calling in medicine. 

Since entering medical school, I have explored many specialties through shadowing and research. As a result of this exploration, I have found the perfect fit for me in anesthesiology. The field is evolving, and the need for anesthesiologists is strong. Patients deserve medically and scientifically-trained physicians to lead the practice of anesthesiology and advance patient care. Anesthesiologists educate, advocate, and most importantly, provide vigilant care for the patient. These responsibilities often lie firmly on the anesthesiologist’s shoulders, as they work as part of a unique team to alleviate suffering and ensure safety. The anesthesiologist is the quiet hero, diligently working within the team structure to save lives. 

Originally, I went to college to become an artist, a notoriously solitary calling. Yet, I wanted to be a part of a team, so I became an art director for a Chicago advertising agency. There I began working within a team structure, in a hands-on way, managing employees and vendors while communicating complicated concepts to the general public. Ultimately, I opened my own graphic design firm, operating it for a number of years. Throughout that career, my volunteerism, and medical school, I have seen the value of working to educate people through improved communications. Many consider the anesthesiologist’s job as being merely to put the patient “to sleep” for surgery, however I have recognized that there is so much more to the specialty than that. During my training, I have seen the impact a kind word, a gentle touch, and clear communication can make in the care of patients. There are few specialties where a physician has to create trust with a patient in only a few minutes. Anesthesiology is one where I can use my communication skills to engender confidence and allay fear during a time of high stakes. Anesthesia is also a “hands-on” specialty, with procedures, physiology, and pharmacology, which suits my technical side as well as my intellectual side. I also aim to improve the care of patients with my continuing study of shared decision-making and interprofessional communications, ultimately within the scope of an academic practice. It is a field where I will use my unique experiences to care for patients, putting myself in their shoes, and then giving them the physician-led care and advocacy that my wife received that morning in March. I look at anesthesiology as a chance to be that trusted partner for patients on the most important day of their life, and I am honored to have the opportunity to do so.

Why Arizona?

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