Anesthesiology

Jordan Gatherum
12/2/16

As the population continues to increase, so does the demand for health care. This means
that the demand for health care occupations also continues to increase. One major health care
career that continues to grow is anesthesiology. This is because anesthesiologists are needed for
many major surgeries, and to help make the patient as comfortable as possible.
An anesthesiologist is a physician specializing in perioperative care, development of an
anesthetic plan, and the administration of anesthetics. Anesthesiologists help ensure the safety of
patients undergoing surgery. They provide care for the patient to prevent the pain and distress
they would otherwise experience. This may involve general anesthesia, sedation, or regional
anesthesia. Anesthesiologists care for a patient before, during and immediately after a surgical or
medical procedure by administering appropriate anesthesia and monitoring the patient for
reactions and complications.
Anesthesiology careers are not limited to a traditional surgical setting in a hospital or
medical center. Anesthesiologists have many different options available to them, including work
in dental offices, outpatient surgical centers, labor and delivery units, pain management clinics,
critical and intensive car, etc. According to anesthesiazone.com, many anesthesiologists report an
extreme sense of satisfaction with the profession. They are able to become intimately involved in
the care of patients. Anesthesiologists can experience a high level of social interaction with
patients and their families, as well as their medical partners.
According to anesthesiologist William Baker, a typical work day in this career would be
getting to work at about 6 am, to start evaluating patients and getting ready for surgeries. Each
doctor is assigned specific cases for that day. Baker says, If I am not on call, I can usually count

on getting out of the OR by 3 pm or so, otherwise I will stay until all cases are done, often
coming home after my family is in bed.
Anesthesiologists begin each case by meeting the patient prior to the procedure to
evaluate the patient's condition and review their medical history. The anesthesiologist goes on to
explain the process of the procedure to the patient so they are aware of what is going on. During
the procedure, the anesthesiologist carefully monitors the patient's vital signs and comfort level
and makes the appropriate adjustments in anesthesia. After the procedure is complete, the
anesthesiologist continues to monitor the patient's vitals and may be involved in management of
pain.
Becoming an anesthesiologist is not easy, and requires many years of hard work and
dedication. The schooling required to become an anesthesiologist is long and hard. All future
anesthesiologists must first attend a four-year undergraduate program. This is where they will
complete their prerequisite courses, and move on to medical school. Although there is no official
degree required for admission to medical school, some schools prefer graduates with a 4-year
degree in natural sciences. This would include classes in physics, organic and inorganic
chemistry, anatomy, and biology.
Following the completion of the undergraduate program, students are required to attend
four years of medical school. The first two years students will focus on building their knowledge
of natural science. These programs are extremely competitive for their academically demanding
and time-consuming nature. As for the last two years of medical school, students will begin their
clinical study. Known as interns, these students operate under the supervision of attending

physicians or residents. They have opportunities to interact with patients and see what their
career is like from an inside perspective.
Anesthesiologist must undergo a 4-year resident training program after graduating from
medical school. The first year of this program may be either a medical or surgical internship,
followed by three years of intense training in anesthesiology. Residents are held more
accountable than interns, but still only work under supervision. According to
anesthesiazone.com, there are approximately 160 anesthesiology medical residency programs
throughout the United States and Canada.
After completing the resident training program, anesthesiologists are able to receive their
licensure which is a state-based credential that includes passage of the U.S. Medical and
Licensing Examination (USMLE). Anesthesiologists must complete a written and oral exam to
obtain certification from the American Society of Anesthesiologists or the American Board of
Anesthesiology.
Anesthesiologist make anywhere in between $300,000 to $450,000 a year (Peckham,
2016). This year the highest earnings for anesthesiologists were reported in the North Central
region. Entry-Level Anesthesiologists can expect to earn a very comfortable salary, with average
salaries surpassing six figures annually. This salary rises with experience and time. More than
half of the anesthesiologists say that they are happy with their income (Peckham, 2016).
According to William Baker, he loves being an anesthesiologist and helping to relieve the
pain from his patients (Pardi, 2007). Baker has beein in private practice for 18 years. He explains
that he knew that he wanted to become an anesthesiologist in his freshman year of college, and
would do it all over again if he could. He says that one of the cons from this career is the long

work hours. Yes, I have a family and to some extent it has been difficult. My long work hours
led my wife to quit her career so one of us could be around for the kids.
Dr. Baker gives some good advice to students who want to pursue a career in the medical
field. He says My suggestion would be to take as many courses as you can to prepare for the
medical school curriculum. This will make the first two years easier, because you are reviewing
material vs. learning it for the first time. Also dont worry about being a straight A student in
medical school, the difference between an A and a B is not 10% more studying. It is very
difficult because you have to know every trivial detail instead of having a strong basic
knowledge of science. In our class we had students who dropped out because they could not
handle not being at the top of the class. Many worry about the challenging coursework that
comes in medical school, and Baker made a good point on believing in yourself and to give it
100%.
Anesthesiology is a very interesting career path. I have learned a lot about what they do
and they schooling it takes to get there. I personally have a difficult time in the math and science
areas, so this career would not be one of my top choices. I do however; support those who are
wanting to go down this career path. There is so much work that goes into becoming an
anesthesiologist, and I wish them all the best on their journeys.

References
Anesthesiologist Information. http://www.anesthesiazone.com/anesthesiologist-information.aspx
Anesthesiologist: Education Requirements and Career Information.
http://study.com/articles/Anesthesiologist_Education_Requirements_and_Career_Inform
ation.html
Entry-Level Anesthesiologist Salary. Payscale.
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Anesthesiologist/Salary/cb510f1e/EntryLevel
Pardi, Brandon. 20 Questions: William Baker, M.D. [Anesthesiology]. SDN, August 21, 2007.
http://www.studentdoctor.net/2007/08/20-questions-with-dr-william-bakeranesthesiologist/
Peckham, Carol. Medscape Anesthesiologist Compensation Report 2016. Medscape, April 1,
2016.
http://www.medscape.com/features/slideshow/compensation/2016/anesthesiology#page=
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What is an Anesthesiologist? HSS. https://www.hss.edu/what-is-an-anesthesiologist.asp