Anesthesiologists

Career Overview

Administer anesthetics and analgesics for pain management prior to, during, or after surgery.

Also Known As

• Medical Doctor (MD)
• Obstetrical Anesthesiologist
• Staff Anesthesiologist
• Staff Anesthetist

Alternate Job Titles

• Ambulatory Anesthesiologist
• Anaesthesiologist
• Anesthesiologist
• Anesthesiology Pain Management Physician
• Anesthesiology Physician
• Anesthetist
• Cardiac Anesthesiologist
• DO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician)
• General Anesthesiologist
• Medical Doctor (MD)
• Obstetrical Anesthesiologist
• Pediatric Anesthesiologist
• Staff Anesthesiologist
• Staff Anesthetist

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Monitor patient before, during, and after anesthesia and counteract adverse reactions or complications.
• Record type and amount of anesthesia and patient condition throughout procedure.
• Provide and maintain life support and airway management and help prepare patients for emergency surgery.
• Administer anesthetic or sedation during medical procedures, using local, intravenous, spinal, or caudal methods.
• Examine patient, obtain medical history, and use diagnostic tests to determine risk during surgical, obstetrical, and other medical procedures.
• Position patient on operating table to maximize patient comfort and surgical accessibility.
• Coordinate administration of anesthetics with surgeons during operation.

Emerging Responsibilities

As this field evolves, you may also:

• Place invasive intravascular monitors into patients.
• Teach anesthesiology principles to residents.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Medicine and Dentistry
• Biology
• English Language
• Chemistry
• Customer and Personal Service

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Critical Thinking
2. Active Listening
3. Monitoring
4. Judgment and Decision Making
5. Reading Comprehension
6. Writing
7. Science
8. Complex Problem Solving
9. Speaking
10. Social Perceptiveness

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Problem Sensitivity
• Oral Comprehension
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Written Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Near Vision
• Written Expression
• Information Ordering
• Selective Attention

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Stress Tolerance
• Attention to Detail
• Dependability
• Cautiousness
• Integrity

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Achievement
• Relationships
• Independence
• Recognition
• Support

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Post-Doctoral Training

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

On-the-Job Training: None or short demonstration

Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Epic Systems
• MEDITECH software
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Word

Tools & Equipment

• Anesthesia gas concentration monitors
• Anesthesia monitors
• Automated external defibrillators AED
• Blood collection syringes
• Calibrated vaporizers
• Capnographs
• Cricothyrotomy equipment
• Desktop computers
• Digital anesthesia machines
• Electrocardiography EKG machines
• Electronic blood pressure units
• End tidal carbon dioxide monitors
• Endotracheal ET tubes
• Epidural catheters
• Esophageal tracheal airway devices

Work Environment

• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
• Contact With Others
• Physical Proximity

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$124,450
Median	>$239,200
Top Earners (90th percentile)	>$239,200

Workers Employed Nationally: 41,890

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.