How to Become an Anesthesiologist
There is precious little room for error during surgery—and that includes when anesthetizing the patient. When you learn how to become an anesthesiologist, you ensure that patients are safe and don’t feel pain while they go under the knife. That makes you one of the most important people in the healthcare industry.
The road to becoming an anesthesiologist is a long one. But in the end, you’ll enjoy a rewarding career with a high salary.
Are you ready to learn more about how to become an anesthesiologist? Monster will walk you through the steps.
What Is an Anesthesiologist?
An anesthesiologist is a physician who specializes in surgical and post-surgical pain management. They are responsible for the administration of anesthetics and perioperative care, as well as the development of anesthetic plans.
As an anesthesiologist, you’ll likely work full-time in physicians’ offices, general and specialty hospitals, and outpatient care centers. The typical anesthesiologist schedule ranges from 40 to 60 hours per week and often includes nights, weekends, and rotating shifts. Many anesthesiologists also remain on-call in the event of an emergency surgical procedure.
The most common anesthesiology specialties include:
- cardiac anesthesia
- pediatric anesthesia
- neuro anesthesia
- obstetric anesthesia
- regional anesthesia
- general pain management
- critical care
- hospice
What Do Anesthesiologists Do?
Anesthesiologists prepare, administer, and monitor general and regional anesthetics to patients before, during, and after surgery. They often make necessary adjustments, monitor mechanical ventilation, and provide post-surgical care. Anesthesiologists also develop pain management plans based on patients’ medical histories, lab results, and surgical plans.
Other day-to-day tasks for anesthesiologists include:
- performing airway management, intubation, and extubation.
- supervising nurses and other anesthesia staff.
- mentoring and supervising interns, residents, and fellows.
- maintaining patient records.
- ordering diagnostics tests.
- working directly with surgeons.
- performing patient evaluations before procedures.
- communicating with patients, families, and caregivers.
- preparing for complications and adverse reactions to anesthetics.
- monitoring patient fluids, electrolyte balance, and blood.
- checking vital signs and critical functions during surgical procedures.
- monitoring the condition of patients after surgical procedures.
For more information on what employers look for in candidates, see Monster’s anesthesiologist job description sample.
How to Become an Anesthesiologist
Becoming an anesthesiologist requires several stages of education, training, and licensing. To be successful in an anesthesiologist career, you’ll need to start by refining the following skills and qualities:
- attention to detail.
- the ability to work well under pressure.
- leadership and management skills.
- excellent bedside manner.
- problem-solving skills.
- physical stamina.
- empathy for patients.
Below, we outline how to become an anesthesiologist, including the key anesthesiologist requirements you’ll need to meet and the expected timeline to begin your career.
How Long Does It Take to Become an Anesthesiologist?
It generally takes 12 to 13 years to become a licensed anesthesiologist. To put this number into perspective, here is a brief timeline of what you can expect when pursuing a career in anesthesiology:
- During the first four years, you’ll complete an undergraduate degree, pass the MCAT exam, and apply for medical school.
- During years 4 to 8, you’ll complete medical school, pass the USMLE steps 1 and 2, and apply for residency.
- Years 9 to 12 will involve a one-year clinical internship and three years of supervised anesthesiology training through a residence. You’ll also need to pass the USMLE step 3 and the ABA-issued Basic Exam during this time.
- After completing your residency, you’ll need to pass the ABA-issued Advanced and Applied exams. Then, you can contact your state’s licensing board for additional requirements, which vary from state to state.
- After obtaining your state anesthesiologist license, you’ll have the option of obtaining additional credentials, through an anesthesiology fellowship or certificate program.
We cover the steps on how to become an anesthesiologist in greater detail below.
Education Requirements for Anesthesiologists
You’ll need a bachelor’s degree in biology, natural science, health science, chemistry, or a related field. You must then complete a graduate-level medical degree. The first two years of medical school include classroom learning and lab time, while the third and fourth years involve clinical experience.
During medical school, expect to take courses in anatomy, physiology, epidemiology, clinical medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics, pediatrics, and surgery.
What Are the Requirements for Getting into Medical School?
Most medical schools require you to pass the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) before they consider admitting you. The MCAT is administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and contains four sections:
- Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
- Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
- Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
The first three sections contain 59 multiple-choice questions and must be completed within 95 minutes. The last section contains 53 multiple-choice questions to be completed within 90 minutes.
To take the MCAT exam, access the study materials, and get your test results, create an account on the AAMC website.
Taking the United States Medical License Examination During Med School
Most medical students complete the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) step one at the end of their second year. The USMLE step one is a one-day exam administered within eight hours divided into seven 60-minute blocks. It contains 280 items that assess your knowledge of basic sciences in medical practices.
The USMLE step two CK exam is typically taken after your third year in medical school and before graduation. This one-day exam is taken in eight, 60-minute blocks and contains 318 items that assess your competency in clinical science and patient care under supervision.
The USMLE step three is the final exam and is taken during your residency. It assesses your ability to deliver patient care independently and covers a broad range of clinical settings and circumstances. This exam takes about 16 hours and is split between two days.
To begin taking the exams, apply through the USMLE website.
How Long Is Anesthesiology Residency?
An anesthesiology residency program takes four years to complete. During this time, you’ll get hands-on clinical experience under the direct supervision of an anesthesiologist.
During your first year of residency, you’ll work as an intern rotating through various medical specialties and electives. This is also known as the transitional year and is a separate resident program from the remaining three years. The real hands-on anesthesiology training will come during post-graduate year two (PGY-2)—also referred to as clinical anesthesia year one (CA-1)—and will continue throughout the rest of your residency.
Taking the Board Exams
Now you’re finally at the last step of how to become an anesthesiologist: The American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) requires you to take three exams.
The Basic Exam is taken in June during CA-1 and focuses on the scientific basis of anesthetic practice and your mastery of the educational component of your residency. The Basic Exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions that must be completed within four hours.
You’ll take the Advanced Exam in July, immediately after completing CA-3. Like the Basic Exam, the Advanced Exam contains 200 multiple-choice questions that you must complete within four hours. This exam focuses on basic sciences, clinical sciences, anesthesiology subspecialties, and special problems and issues regarding anesthetics.
After you’ve completed your residency, you’ll take the Applied Exam. This exam must be taken before the board at the ABA facility in Raleigh, NC, and is administered up to six times per year. You can register for the Applied Exam in October after completing the Advanced Exam.
The Applied Exam consists of two parts:
- The Standardized Oral Examination (SOE): The SOE is taken in two 35-minute sessions that assess your judgment, organization, and adaptability when making clinical decisions.
- The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE): During the OSCE, you’ll participate in seven, eight-minute stations with four-minute breaks in between. The OSCE assesses the following areas:
- Discussion of Treatment Options and Informed Consent
- Peri-Procedural Complications
- Ethical Issues
- Communication with Other Professionals
- Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
- Interpretation of Monitors
- Interpretation of Echocardiograms
Additional Anesthesiologist Credentials
Now that we’ve covered the basics of how to become an anesthesiologist, there are additional credentials you should know about that could help you advance your career.
A fellowship isn’t a requirement for anesthesiologists, but it can make you more marketable and enhance your skills in a particular anesthesiology subspecialty. When you enroll in a fellowship opportunity, you can receive additional specialized training in the following areas:
- Ambulatory anesthesia
- Cardiac anesthesiology
- Critical care
- Neuroanesthesia
- Obstetric anesthesia
- Pediatric anesthesia
- Public policy
- Regional anesthesiology and acute pain medicine
You can also obtain an anesthesiology certification to demonstrate mastery in anesthesiology skills and commitment to your career. The American Board of Physician Specialties offers a certification program for anesthesiologists. To be eligible for the Board of Certification in Anesthesiology, you must have completed residency and be an active anesthesiologist.
How Much Do Anesthesiologists Make?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average anesthesiologist salary is $331,190 per year. However, experience and location often influence how much anesthesiologists earn.
You can earn anywhere between $117,590 and $544,790 per year as an anesthesiologist, depending on where you are in your career. Here’s what you can expect to earn during the course of your anesthesiologist career:
- Residency: at least $50,000 per year
- Entry-level or first-year: between $117,590 and $300,000 per year
- Mid-level: about $331,190 per year.
- Chief of anesthesiology: between $300,300 and $415,700 per year
How to Find Anesthesiologist Jobs
Once you’ve learned how to become an anesthesiologist and satisfied the requirements, it’s time to put your job search into focus. Start by creating and refining your resume and cover letter to make yourself marketable to potential employers. Monster’s resume tips for healthcare professionals can help you showcase your skills, credentials, and achievements—without putting potential employers to sleep.
Then, begin your search for anesthesiologist jobs on Monster. Want to know where anesthesiologists are in high demand? Consider looking in these five cities:
Take the Next Step in Your Anesthesiologist Career
You’ve already taken the first step on your path to becoming an anesthesiologist. Now sign up with Monster for free. We’ll take the pain out of searching for anesthesiologist jobs by connecting your resume with hiring managers and sending you free job notifications whenever new positions become available in your area.