An anesthesiologist’s primary job is to administer an anesthesia to a patient before he or she is treated or operated upon. This article focuses on the job outlook, salary, educational qualifications, and job responsibilities of an anesthesiologist.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment chances for physicians and surgeons, which include anesthesiologists, is set to increase by around 25% from 2010 to 2020, with the starting salary around $100,000 and a high salary of $400,000 or more.
Anesthesiologists are physicians who have a wide expertise in the field of anesthesiology. From the name, many people think that these medical professionals are only responsible for anesthetizing patients before an operation. However, apart from this primary responsibility of anesthetizing, they also carry out various other responsibilities in and out of the operation theater.
They diagnose illnesses by conducting tests and studying reports, and side by side handle anesthetic services, organize them with other clinical activities, and devise plans and advanced essential processes. They direct nurses, medical technicians, and other health care workers on laboratory examinations, X-rays, and other diagnostic processes. They help patients remain comfortable on the operation table, and make necessary adjustments for surgical approachability. They consult with other clinical professionals in order to determine the type and method of anesthetic or drugging, to make the patient senseless to pain, and also coordinate with the operating surgeon during the surgery. As such, they are highly-paid doctors, but there are many other factors like experience, education, specialization, and location, that are taken into consideration when their salary is determined.
Salary by Experience
| 1 – 4 years | $150,000 – $270,000 |
| 5 – 9 years | $190,000 – $300,000 |
| 10 – 19 years | $200,000 – $310,000 |
| 20 or more | $205,000 – $325,000 |
Average Starting Salary by State
Alabama- $115,000
Alaska- $95,000
Arizona- $100,000
Arkansas- $115,000
California- $125,000
Colorado- $100,000
Connecticut- $125,000
Delaware- $110,000
Florida- $110,000
Georgia- $125,000
Hawaii- $80,000
Idaho- $95,000
Illinois- $120,000
Indiana- $115,000
Iowa- $105,000
Kansas- $105,000
Kentucky- $100,000
Louisiana- $95,000
Maine- $100,000
Maryland- $115,000
Massachusetts- $130,000
Michigan- $110,000
Minnesota- $105,000
Mississippi- $135,000
Missouri- $115,000
Montana- $115,000
Nebraska- $90,000
Nevada- $105,000
New Hampshire- $115,000
New Jersey- $120,000
New Mexico- $105,000
New York- $135,000
North Carolina- $115,000
North Dakota- $110,000
Ohio- $110,000
Oklahoma- $105,000
Oregon- $110,000
Pennsylvania- $100,000
Rhode Island- $115,000
South Carolina- $105,000
South Dakota- $90,000
Tennessee- $110,000
Texas- $110,000
Utah- $100,000
Vermont- $105,000
Virginia- $115,000
Washington- $110,000
West Virginia- $115,000
Wisconsin- $100,000
Wyoming- $105,000
Educational Qualification
- Extensive education is needed to become an expert anesthesiologist, starting with four years of undergraduate schooling which include biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, calculus, anatomy and physiology, humanities, health occupations, and psychology courses.
- After earning a bachelor’s degree, you are required to pass the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) to get accepted by a recognized medical college or university. The duration of such courses is typically four years and will help you to earn an M.D. or D.O. (osteopathy) degree.
- After medical school, you then go in for one year of internship and three years of residency, in anesthesiology residency training.
- You will need to pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and obtain a medical license of the state you wish to practice in.
- Some students choose an extra year of study known as ‘fellowship’ in a particular field of anesthesiology like cardiovascular, obstetric, critical care, or neuroanesthesia.
- After residency, you are eligible for written and oral exams to become Board Certified anesthesiologist from the American Society of Anesthesiologists or the American Board of Anesthesiology.
Job Description
- Administering an anesthetic agent or drugging the patient before a medical procedure/operation by utilizing local, endovenous, spinal, or caudal methods.
- Monitoring patients before, throughout, and after anesthesia, and counteracting contrary reactions or ramifications.
- Rendering and maintaining life support and respiratory tract management, and aiding in preparing patients for emergency operations.
- Keeping a record of anesthesia type and amount, and the patient’s condition during a medical procedure.
- Analyzing patients, obtaining their medical history, and employing diagnostic examinations, in order to assess the risk factor during operative, obstetric, and other medical processes.
- Determining when patients have recuperated or have stabilized sufficiently, to be shifted to another ward or facility, or to be discharged after outpatient surgery.
- Rendering health care and consultation in different work settings, and prescribing medication and treatment.
- Imparting knowledge to students and staff regarding kinds and methods of administering anesthesia, symptoms of complications, and emergency techniques to counteract responses.
- Instructing and guiding patients and other individuals on ways to maintain good physical and mental health, and preclude diseases.
- Carrying out medical research to help in controlling, treating, and curing disorders; investigating new medications; and devising new medical examination techniques.
Anesthesiologists play a very significant role in the field of medicine, helping patients undergo surgical procedures painlessly. As seen, an anesthesiologist’s salary range can vary, and those who take up sub-specialty fields have more chances of drawing a better annual salary. This is due to the amount of training and education that a successful anesthesiologist has to go through, as the study and practice of anesthesiology is very delicate, stressful, and tricky to master.