How To Become An Anesthesiologist

Like most medical professionals, anesthesiologists perform a crucial service to the society. These professionals are a key element in providing quality medical attention to patients. Moreover, the financial rewards associated with being an anesthesiologist are another reason to pursue this career. Follow our guidelines on this..

What Do Anesthesiologists Do?

Anesthesiologists are medical professionals in charge of delivering anesthesia to patients. Anesthesia can be administered locally or generally. In the first instance, only a specific part of the body is affected by the drug and in the latter the patient loses consciousness. General anesthesia is usually administered before a surgery. This is an extremely important task and the training required to become an anesthesiologist is extensive.

How Long Does it Take to Become an Anesthesiologist?

The education required to become an anesthesiologist takes eight years. First, you'll need to complete your undergraduate degree. During your four years as a pre-med student, you'll take courses that focus on biology, physics, chemistry and mathematics. This provides you the basics to sit for Medical College Admission Test or MCAT. This test judges the candidates' knowledge of mathematics, language and basic sciences. Second, you'll need to enroll in a medical school and complete your Doctor of Medicine or M.D. Your choice of medical school should be based on the ranking of the school, the admission requirements and tuition fees etc. Admission into top schools is extremely competitive and would require you to have an excellent resume and a very high GPA. The program will last for four very rigorous years. The first two years are spent finishing coursework. During your final two years, you'll gain clinical experience.

After Med School

Once you have completed your M.D, you'll need to complete your residency. You will need to enroll in a residency program and select anesthesiology as your specialty. This program will also last for four years. In the first two years you'll get to work in many different fields of medicine and in the second half of your residency you'll focus exclusively on anesthesiology. Next you will need to apply for a license. Like other disciplines in the medical profession, anesthesiologists have to pass an exam to gain their license to practice. Each state requires anesthesiologists to take this exam in order to practice in that specific state. You can also opt for certification from the American Board of Anesthesiology. You can contact the relevant department in your state to find out test dates and venues. Note that a clean criminal record is a requirement to practice medicine. Any sort of criminal record or record of drug use can and will result in your license being revoked.

Job Outlook

The average salary of an anesthesiologist is $200,000 per annum. The demand for anesthesiologists will increase by twenty-four percent in the next few years, faster than the national average. An aging population coupled with the high demand for healthcare has resulted in the increase in the demand for anesthesiologists all across the United States.