An anesthesiologist is a physician who ensures that anesthesia and all agents of pain management are administered to surgical patients before and after any procedure. Because the job is critical in ensuring the comfort and safety of patients, anesthesiologists have to undergo rigorous educational training and credentialing processes. Here is more information on how to become an anesthesiologist.
- Taking care of patients. An anesthesiologist assesses patients prior to surgical procedures to see if they can undergo anesthesia safely. During the procedure they administer the medications needed to anesthetize the patient, monitor vital signs, insert invasive lines such as arterial lines or complex monitoring, and then bring the patient out of the anesthesia. They also monitor blood loss, adjust fluids as needed, administer blood, blood products, and plasma expanders as needed. Pain medications and fluids will be monitored in the recovery room until the patient is discharged back into the care of the surgeon post operatively. Anesthesiologists may also supervise nurse anesthetists who also provide anesthesia for obstetric and surgical patients. Anesthesiologists also do procedures to provide pain relief for patients who have chronic pain issues.
- Earn a bachelor’s degree. You need to earn a bachelor’s degree from a reputable college. You can attend an accredited online university, as long as it has a strong medical program. Make sure that the college has a competent faculty and advanced facilities that will prepare you for medical school. Online schools will partner with local universities and medical facilities to get you the hands-on training you need. If there’s no pre-med course in your college, at least choose a degree in science. Study hard while in college because medical schools require a GPA of 3.0 or above and getting in is extremely competative. Also, take time to do volunteer work that will provide you with medical training to prepare yourself for medical school. Volunteer work looks great on your resume and most medical schools highly value time spent volunteering at charitable clinics, doing mission work, and working with underprivileged groups.
- Take the MCAT. The MCAT, or Medical College Admission Test, is an examination that will evaluate your capacity for medical education. It will also gauge your readiness for the demands of medical school. You will have to take the MCAT during your junior year in college. The minimum passing grade for the MCAT is 24. Plan to study for the test during your sophomore and junior year. You will want the best possible score because admission to med school is highly competitive.
- Go to medical school. Four years in an accredited medical school will prepare you for the medical profession. The first two years will be spent studying general medicine in classroom and laboratory settings as well as taking tests to assess your preparation. The last two years will be dedicated to clinical training and taking board examinations. After med school, you will be conferred the title Doctor of Medicine (M.D.).
- Complete a residency program. Part of the requirements to become an anesthesiologist is to take and complete an anesthesiology residency program to receive anesthesiology training. A residency program will rigorously train and prepare you for the specialty and usually takes four years after medical school. In your first year of residency, you will be exposed to different specialties. The rest of your residency program will be solely devoted to anesthesiology training. You may also want to choose a subspecialty, such as obstetric anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia, cardiac anesthesia or chronic pain management, in which case you need to complete a one- to three-year fellowship program.
- Get licensed. All states require anesthesiologists to be licensed. Licensure requirements vary according to the state, but generally include education from an accredited medical school, completion of residency and passing a licensure exam.
- Become certified. Several different certifications are available for anesthesiologists depending upon their specialties from the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Osteopathic Board of Anesthesiology. Pediatric anesthesiology, sleep medicine, hospice and palliative care, pain medicine, and critical care medicine certifications are offered.
- Earning a salary. The median salary in 2011 was $325,000 with salary reports from $100,000 to over $500,000. The higher end salaries were reported by those who have specialized in cardiology or pediatrics.
- Examine your future. Job growth is expected to be around 20% in the next ten years as the population ages.
The job of an anesthesiologist is critical in that a single miscalculation in the drug formula or changes in the vital statistics of the patient can lead to fatal situations. These jobs will also require you to work long hours, in stressful situations so you need to have physical endurance and strength. This is a very rewarding career with excellent pay and benefits but the pay is commensurate with the job. There are long hours in surgery and long hours on call. But there is also the satisfaction in guiding a patient through a serious surgery safely and comfortably.