Anesthesiologist

An anaesthesiologist is a medical doctor who specializes in anaesthesia. He plays a major role in removing sensations of pain in patients before they undergo surgery. To become an anaesthesiologist, you need to complete four years of undergraduate liberal arts education, followed by four years of medical school, one year of residency and another three years of advanced postgraduate training called the residency in anaesthesia.

Anesthesia is a fascinating subject and assumes critical importance in every surgical setting. Many students train in anesthesia while in medical school because it is considered one of the most “patient-intensive” specialties affording the opportunity to work with cutting edge technologies. While pain management calls for meticulous planning and monitoring before, during and after surgery, anaesthesiology residents also study advanced  concepts usually taking subspecializations in ICU medicine, obstetric pain care and chronic pain management.

Those medical students who have specialized in anaesthesia but not completed residency are called anesthetists. You could become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist(CRNA) if you are a Registered Nurse having acquired specialized training in anesthesia.  Qualifying as a CRNA could also be a fruitful continuing education pathway for nurses.  The Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists is the certifying body and Nurse Anesthetists must apply for recertification every two years.

www.anesthesiology.uci.edu
www.faer.org
www.anest.ufl.edu
www.asahq.org/career/gradeschool.htm