How to become An Anesthesiologist

• Anesthesia Attending
• Anesthesia Associate
• Anesthesia Resident

What do Anesthesiologists do?

An Anesthesiologist would typically need to:

• Provide safe pre-operative care and pain relief to patients using anesthetics and analgesics
• Assess whether a patient is fit enough to undertake an operation before the surgery takes place
• Propose an anesthetic plan that is acceptable to the patient
• Physically prepare the patient for medical procedures while reassuring them about what will happen during and after the operation
• Employ sedation or administer medication intravenously to calm the patient in the operation theatre
• Position the patient on the operating table to maximize patient comfort as well as surgical accessibility
• Monitor patients while they're under anesthesia to make sure they remain in a stable condition
• Monitor vital signs like heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and body temperature of patients undergoing surgery, tooth extractions, or giving birth to babies
• Relieve and manage post-operative pain to support patients' recovery
• Work with a range of other health professionals, such as surgeons, operating department practitioners, theatre nurses, radiographers, and radiologists to ensure the patient’s wellbeing
• Implement advanced life support techniques
• Perform administrative tasks in areas related to the care of patients, including summaries of patient treatment, and the writing of discharge letters
• Attend multidisciplinary team meetings both on and off-site
• Participate in an agreed on-call Rota and take on an equal share in providing emergency cover
• Train, teach, and supervise more junior staff in both critical care and anesthesia

Anesthesiologists usually work in a hospital environment - in operating theatres, wards, and special units. They may need to travel to attend training or meetings. A uniform is the norm in the surgical theatre in most hospitals.

Full-time Anesthesiologists often work up to 48 hours a week. The hours are not always 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on-call hours often include early mornings, evenings, and weekends. A typical day can begin before 8 a.m. and will usually involve unsocial hours. Once you are established, it is possible to arrange part-time hours or job sharing.

Qualified Anesthesiologists may choose to work overseas with aid agencies and other international medical organizations. Anesthesiologists are the largest group of specialist doctors in hospitals.

Anesthesiologists are generally employed by:

• Physicians
• General Medical Hospitals
• Surgical Hospitals
• Armed Forces
• Outpatient Care Centers
• Colleges & Universities
• Professional Schools
• Offices of Other Health Practitioners

Professional associations and organizations are a key resource for Anesthesiologists interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks great on your resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications as an Anesthesiologist.

Healthcare associations provide unparalleled networking and educational opportunities. Members may attend conventions, seminars, or dinners frequented by peers, mentors, and other industry leaders. The events help professionals keep up with the newest breakthroughs and latest developments in the field. The associations offer all the certification courses members will need throughout their professional careers.

• Continuing shortages of essential drugs leading to consequent use of substitute drugs and side effects, especially when treating high-risk patients
• Concern over the ability of the certified registered nurse anesthetists to practice pain medicine and provide anesthesia without physician supervision
• Emotionally and physically demanding work requires you to provide anesthetics and pain relief to patients of all ages, from babies through to the elderly, sometimes in emergencies

Entry to medical school is competitive and aspiring Anesthesiologists are expected to have work experience or placement in areas relevant to medicine to get a place.

During medical school, volunteering or work experience as a healthcare assistant, porter, or other related roles will give you greater insight into healthcare and show your commitment to medicine as a career. Contact your local hospitals to try and get some work or shadowing experience.

Many university Anaesthesia Societies offer career events, mentoring schemes, and other forms of support to medical students.

A four-year undergraduate program is a basic requirement in general; a pre-medicine or science-concentrated program may be preferred by an aspiring Anesthesiologist, though it is not a requirement across all countries.

Following graduation, you are required to attend four years of medical school where you generally spend the first two years building on basic sciences and the second two in clinical training.Upon graduation from medical school, an Anesthesiologist must spend one year in an internship, and three more years in a residency program.

In some countries, you can work as an Anesthesiologist with a five-year medical degree recognized by their Medical Council or with an accelerated four-year medical degree if you are already a graduate. Upon graduation, an Anesthesiologist will enter a two-year Foundation Training in a hospital. After the first year of training, you'll become a fully-registered medical practitioner. In the second year, you can apply for postgraduate training in Anesthesiology. Certification, Licenses, and Registration During residency training, an Anesthesiologist works toward obtaining certification. Certification from an objective, credible, and reputed organization can help an Anesthesiologist stand out in a competitive job market, validate their knowledge and increase their confidence at work, help them build understanding in a specific area or stay up-to-date on technology, encourage renewal, and help them become an independent Consultant.

During residency training, an Anesthesiologist works toward obtaining certification. Certification from an objective, credible, and reputed organization can help an Anesthesiologist stand out in a competitive job market, validate their knowledge and increase their confidence at work, help them build understanding in a specific area or stay up-to-date on technology, encourage renewal, and help them become an independent Consultant.

If you specialize in a particular area, such as pain management, you may enjoy even greater job security. The role can be fulfilling, offering many opportunities for growth and advancement. In the first five to ten years, you can expect to progress in both experiences and pay, often leading to Consultant-level roles.

Once established, an Anesthesiologist’s job is relatively secure due to the highly skilled nature of the work and its importance in medical and surgical procedures. However, the number of Anesthesiologists in training has slowly risen globally, and as a result, there can be some competition for entry-level roles.

As a Consultant, you will gradually gain more experience in your clinical duties and take on more responsibilities. You will have the opportunity to move into managerial roles, such as Lead Consultant for the team (Clinical Lead), and lead an entire hospital department.

Opportunities also exist in academia for teaching, training, and research.

Job prospects look very promising for anesthetists with certification.

Many Anesthesiologists have an interest in a subspecialty and will go on to focus on this area, such as chronic pain management, intensive care medicine, or pediatric anesthesia. They may also specialize in specific sorts of pain, such as childbirth. Anesthesiologists interested in practicing in a specific area of Anesthesiology may undertake a fellowship or an advanced certification program.

As a qualified Anesthesiologist, you will be expected to continue to learn and develop your skills and knowledge throughout your career. Continuous professional development (CPD) activities can include courses, conferences, meetings, workshops, research, and peer-reviewing journal papers.

If you wish to integrate more formal teaching into your work, you can study for a medical education qualification.

The job of an Anesthesiologist is highly satisfying. Patients can include babies, pregnant women, the elderly, and those undergoing surgery.

Patients under anesthesia can wake up during surgery and undergo a unique experience known as “anesthesia awareness.”

Controlling a patient’s airway, breathing, and circulation / having a patient’s life in your hands makes for invigorating moments. Anesthesiologists bring pain relief to patients of all ages across a broad range of medical conditions. They work with several cool gadgets and technology. While their work inside the hospital is extremely demanding, it is also a ‘lifestyle’ profession that they can walk away from the hospital once they are done with their duties. They earn one of the most handsome salaries in the medical profession, and there is potential for growth ahead. It makes for an immensely satisfying career because everyone trusts an Anesthesiologist with a perfect knockout record!

Your job is to have the most comprehensive view of the patient. You are the general pediatrician in the OR...you are the grease that helps keep all the parts working.