10/28/2025 – Anesthesiologist

What Anesthesiologists Do

Anesthesiologists are one of the highest-paid professionals in the medical field. Their job is to guide patients before, during, and after surgery. Before the surgery, they have to  monitor your heart rate, blood pressure, and other vitals in order to make sure you are healthy and ready for the surgery. They also have to go over the basic guidelines of how the surgery will be performed and what anesthesia will be given. During the surgery, the anesthesiologist administers the anesthesia while monitoring your vitals, along with making sure that you are well padded so that no accidental injuries will happen while you are in the state of unconsciousness. They also administer any fluids necessary during the surgery, monitor your vitals, and give you medicine in order to support your bodily functions. After the surgery, the anesthesiologist is responsible for your well being while you are recovering from the after effects of the anesthesia. They are typically the person to decide when you are ready to go home or go to a different room in the hospital.

Anesthesiologists’ Study

During High School

Every career’s study journey begins in high school. In order to become an anesthesiologist, you would need to take high school courses like biology, chemistry, and physics, along with advanced math classes like calculus and statistics. These classes help build your foundation in medical studies, allowing you to thrive in medicine-related careers. English classes would also be helpful for developing clear communication and writing skills. Taking a foreign language can be additionally helpful and is also sometimes a requirement. Joining a debate club would also assist in sharpening your speaking and reasoning skills. Helpful electives and extracurriculars can include any clubs or classes related to health science, such as human psychology, food and nutrition, or introduction to healthcare. Clubs like HOSA can also equip you for this career. Along with school-related activities, try your best to attend summer camps and internships related to the medical field.

After High School

Once graduating high school, the next steps for an aspiring anesthesiologist would be to pursue a 4-year bachelor’s degree in biology or chemistry, along with taking advanced math classes. Once completing this degree, you would then go on to study for the MCAT exam, which you need to pass in order to get into medical school. Once you have passed the MCAT, you would continue your studying in medical school and study for four more years to get either an M.D. or a D.O., covering a comprehensive understanding of medical studies. Once achieving an M.D., you would then go on to complete a 4-year residency in anesthesiology, the first year of which would be an internship, and the remaining three years specialized training. If you want to subspecialize in a specific surgical field of anesthesiology (cardiac, pediatric, neurosurgical), then another 1-2 years of fellowship would be required. On average, the time spent studying for a career in anesthesiology ranges from 12-15 years.

CRNA

A CRNA, or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, is a similar profession to an anesthesiologist. However, they act as assistants to anesthesiologists with a M.D. or D.O. They do not work alone, as they are not certified to do so. Their pay is also significantly less. However, a CRNA might be a better career to pursue for individuals who wish to study for a significantly lesser number of years. To become a CRNA, you must pursue a bachelor’s degree in either biology or chemistry, similar to how you would begin your studies to become an anesthesiologist. However, after this, you are not required to write the MCAT exam, or go to medical school. You are only required to complete a 2-year internship, along with an optional fellowship that can range anywhere between 1-4 years. This makes the total number of years spent studying to become a CRNA 7-10 years, significantly shorter than the study time of an anesthesiologist.