Never heard this before

allnurses Guide · Sep 9, 2012

I have seen a few online forums and such about anesthesiologists and other doctors saying that the acronym ‘MDA’ was invented by CRNAs to devaluate the education of an MD and that MDA is a derogatory term. I always thought the ‘A’ in MDA stood for anesthesiology. Now I wonder what it means... What are your thoughts on this?
Beth

MDA is just a way to abbreviate anesthesiologist. I have heard two theories on the origin of the term MDA. One was from an insurance company and the other was from an economist writing about reimbursement rates in anesthesia. The one thing that is certain is that the term was not invented by CRNAs, and it is not meant as derogatory. It is no more derogatory than saying GI doc, ER physician, ENT, FP etc.

loveanesthesia · Sep 9, 2012

I have seen a few online forums and such about anesthesiologists and other doctors saying that the acronym 'MDA' was invented by CRNAs to devaluate the education of an MD and that MDA is a derogatory term. I always thought the 'A' in MDA stood for anesthesiology. Now I wonder what it means... What are your thoughts on this?
Beth

Some anestesiologists don't like it, for one thing not all are MD's, some are DO's(...and you see the problem with DOA). I've been told "I'm an MD just like the surgeon, the cardiologist, etc" I think some anesthesiologist feel it's an attempt to make them more like CRNAs.

foraneman · Sep 20, 2012

I have never heard the term "MDA" used in anything even remotely approaching a derogatory or disrespectful connotation in 25+ years. It is simply a shortcut for saying anesthesiologist, and frankly it is used almost exclusively amongst CRNAs and MDAs, as well as some OR staff for just that reason. If we say it to other colleagues or patients they have no idea what we are talking about. So how and to whom using it would 'devalue' their education I have no idea.

BCRNA · Oct 21, 2012

I have seen a few online forums and such about anesthesiologists and other doctors saying that the acronym 'MDA' was invented by CRNAs to devaluate the education of an MD and that MDA is a derogatory term. I always thought the 'A' in MDA stood for anesthesiology. Now I wonder what it means... What are your thoughts on this?Beth

I know of several anesthesiologist groups who refer to themselves as MDAs. It is much easier to say and write on schedule board. Though on the topic of devaluing a profession you should go to the AANA website and the ASA website and read how they describe each other. Only one of those websites misrepresents the facts, reports old information from the 1980's to make the education sound bad, and depend on fear mongering instead of published studies. I have never seen an official anesthetist stance that intentionally misrepresented the truth and devalued anesthesiologists.

elkpark · Oct 21, 2012

My father was an anesthesiologist, practicing until fairly recently, and I've never encountered the term anywhere but on this board.

allnurses Guide · Oct 21, 2012

My father was an anesthesiologist, practicing until fairly recently, and I've never encountered the term anywhere but on this board.

Let me google that for you

Try a google search it is a very common acronym.

aRNnAR · Oct 23, 2012

My father was an anesthesiologist, practicing until fairly recently, and I've never encountered the term anywhere but on this board.

On the anesthesia records at the facility where I was trained & where I worked for several years, the spaces reserved for signatures had

________________________ CRNA

________________________ MDA

Obviously, our MDAs did not feel it is derogatory.