Becoming An Anesthesiologist

Anesthesiology is a field that has made meaningful progress over the course of the last century. Prior to the 1840’s, surgeries were not even attempted unless it was the only option, and most surgeries were limited to amputations of patients’ limbs. At this time, the only substances available to assist with pain management were alcohol, opium, and other botanicals, all of which came with their own set of risks. This all changed in 1846 when a dentist named William T. G. Morton presented his new use for ether to the public. Ether is a clear liquid that when inhaled, can put a patient to sleep for surgery. This discovery allowed surgeons to perform a wider array of surgeries than ever before. Ether, however, came with its own set of risks. The

Anesthesiologists have many important duties and responsibilities that extend way beyond the realm of the operating room. Before a surgical procedure, the anesthesiologist is responsible for gathering and recording a patient’s medical history, examining the patient to assess their condition, using diagnostic tests to determine possible risks, working with other healthcare professionals to form a treatment plan, positioning the patient for the examination/procedure, and administering anesthesia and/or sedatives to control the patient’s pain level. During a procedure, the anesthesiologist is in charge of recording the type and amount of anesthesia given to the patient, monitoring the patient’s blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, heart function, and respiratory patterns, and monitoring the patient’s response to the treatment along with counteracting any complications. An anesthesiologist’s job does not stop there. After a procedure, the anesthesiologist is responsible for caring for the patient during their postoperative recovery. Postoperative recovery involves caring for the patient while the effects of the anesthesia wear off, and executing the pain management plan that the anesthesiologist has formed prior to surgery. Basically, when a patient goes through surgery, the anesthesiologist is there to help every step of the way to make it a

Anesthesiologists are in almost constant contact with others and sometimes work in very close physical proximity to their patients. They also partake in face-to-face discussions on an everyday basis. They work on average more than 40 hours a week, however, those hours are spent in the controlled environment of the indoors. These conditions might seem unappealing, but there are some advantages to the profession. Anesthesiologists have the opportunity to work in numerous different settings from private doctor’s offices to research facilities. Having a wide variety of placement opportunities is a nice benefit because an anesthesiologist that is not as social has the option to work on the research of anesthesiology rather than having to actually perform on numerous patients every day. Another advantage is that physician anesthesiologists are the director of the Anesthesia care team and have the authority to delegate patient monitoring to non-physician anesthesia providers on the care team. They are also able to work without supervision and possess the freedom to make decisions. Another appealing aspect of this profession is that the economic demand for it is already high and continuously growing. The projected growth for this field for 2014-2024 is projected at 14% which is faster than average. This means that there will be an abundance of jobs in this field to