Anesthesiology Schools in Texas

Anesthesiology refers to placing patients in a state of controlled unconsciousness. It could be either general or regional anesthesia. In the case of regional anesthesia, only a part of the body is sedated or made numb. Anesthesiology involves ensuring the safety and well-being of patients before, during, and after a surgical procedure. It relieves pain and helps in sustaining patient's crucial life functions that could be influenced during surgery and other medical procedures. The leader of an anesthesia care team is called an anesthesiologist.

The role of anesthesiologists is not merely confined to the operating room. They also take part in preoperative assessment of the patient. By taking into account each patient's current health, medical state, and proposed surgical procedure, they make an effort to come up with a safe and appropriate anesthesia plan. Similarly, anesthesiologists also play a role in the well-being of the patient postoperatively. They may have to deal with patients who develop acute postoperative pain, chronic pain, or cancer pain; in cardiac and respiratory resuscitation; in blood transfusion therapies; and in respiratory therapy. Anesthesiologists have usually completed an undergraduate college degree, four years of medical school, and a residency program in the field. Many Anesthesiology schools in Texas offer residency programs.

Program Structure
It is usually a four year program. The first year is intended to provide core training and knowledge in basic clinical areas like:

• Surgical critical care
• Cardiothoracic
• Obstetric
• Pain management
• Pediatric

The subsequent years are devoted to basic, subspecialty, and advanced clinical anesthesia training. The exact time allotted to each depends on the institute where you are enrolled. You may receive training in areas like:

• Cardiovascular Anesthesia
• Neurosurgical Anesthesia
• Obstetric Anesthesia
• Pediatric Anesthesia
• Transplant Anesthesia
• Clinical Continuum of Anesthesia

Admission Requirements
As a general guide, the following are required for admission into anesthesia residency program.

• A completed ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service) application form
• Letters of Recommendations
• Personal Statement
• Curriculum Vitae
• Sealed transcripts from your medical school
• Official result copies of any exams that have been taken NBME, FLEX, USMLE, FMGEMS and/or ECFMG.
• You should hold a degree from an accredited medical school. If not you may be required to submit acceptable USMLE scores

Some institutes may schedule an interview with you after going through your application. For specific requirements you should contact the institute to which you will be applying.

Licensing Exam
Once you are done with the residency program, you'll be eligible to sit for American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) exam.

Employment Outlook
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2012, anesthesiologists earned a median hourly wage of $64.96 and median annual wage of $135,110. The BLS state that industries which employ the highest number of anesthesiologists include:

• Offices of Physicians
• General, Medical, and Surgical Hospitals
• Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
• Outpatient Care Centers
• Offices of Other Health Practitioners