Danielle Kelley

Med Arts 2

Alternative Assignment

10/15/15

Anesthesiologist Career Facts

Anesthesiologists are physicians/medical doctors who administer anesthetics prior

to, during, or after surgery or other medical procedures. They supervise the care of

surgical patients and pain relief. They evaluate and treat patients, as well as monitor and

assess a patient's vital life functions during surgery, including heart rate, body

temperature, blood pressure and breathing. They also work outside of the operating room,

providing pain relief in the intensive care unit, during labor and delivery and for those

who suffer from chronic pain. Anesthesiologists work in hospitals and surgical facilities.
They usually make around $114,200 a year or higher while the average is around

$249,400 a year.
Some of the tools Anesthesiologists use include monitoring equipment, such as an

electrocardiograph, pulse oximeter, and stethoscope. They may also use ventilators and

gas anesthesia devices. Anesthesiologists also work with medical, word processing, e-

mail, and calendar and scheduling software.

The job outlook is very good now and for the future considering the population is

getting older, demand for medical services is expected to increase, which will frequently

require the administration of anesthetics. As medical technology improves, conditions

previously untreatable will be able to be treated. Anesthesiologists will play an important

role in enabling patients to undergo such treatment that would otherwise be too painful to

endure and very few people are willing to go through all of the schooling.
 Formal education and training requirements for physicians are among the most

demanding of any occupation. Most Anesthesiologists start with earning a bachelor's

degree and many earn an advanced degree. Then, they go on to four years of medical

school approved by the Medical Board of California (MBC). There, they either earn a

degree as a medical doctor (M.D.) or a doctor of osteopathy (D.O.). It is highly

competitive to get into medical school, requiring good grades and other criteria, such as

extracurricular activities. A good test score on the national Medical College Admissions

Test (MCAT) plays a significant role in entrance to a medical school. Following medical

school, Anesthesiologists enter four to eight years of internships and residencies. Most

D.O.s serve a 12-month rotating internship after graduation and before entering a

residency, which may last two to six years. After residency, Anesthesiologists can then

pursue one to two years of residency in a specific area of anesthesiology, such as pain

medicine.
Biology and chemistry classes will provide the foundation of knowledge required

to be successful in university-level classes and put you on the path to becoming an

anesthesiologist
Once a residency program has been completed, which can take several years,

anesthesiologists can expect to work and gain experience, usually determining what their

interest is in. Once established in general practice, they are usually able to move into a

specialty that they find fulfilling. They can continue working in a hospital and move into

a managerial or administrative position, or they can go on to private practice with other

doctors or as a sole proprietor, counseling patients referred by hospitals or other doctors

who have their own practices.

 Im torn about how feel like i am suitable for this career because i like blood

and/or gory things, i find them exciting actually, but i dont know if i could handle the

pressure of being responsible for another persons life.

Required Education Prerequisite college courses (2-4 years)

Medical degree (4 years)

Anesthesiology residency (4 years)

Licensure & Board certification

Certification
State medical license

Other Requirements Fellowship if subspecialty certification desired

Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit to maintain license

and board certification after residency

Projected Job Growth 18% (for all types of physicians and surgeons)*

(2012-2022)

Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics