What is an anesthesiologist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

Anesthesiologists medicate patients during surgery to numb the pain or make them unconscious. If you've had major surgery, chances are that you've encountered an anesthesiologist.

An anesthesiologist's responsibilities involve monitoring the patient's vital signs, adjusting the anesthesia levels as needed, and watching for any potentially dangerous emergencies. Anesthesiologists also have responsibilities post-surgery. They may prescribe strong pain medication to help patients suffering from chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia.

The subspecialties in anesthesiology include cardiothoracic, critical care, and neurosurgery. These professionals focus on the anesthetic management of patients undergoing procedures in their subspecialties.

Like any other medical profession, you need to attend medical school, become state-licensed, and complete a five-year residency to become an anesthesiologist.

ScoreAnesthesiologistUS Average
Salary
10.0

Avg. Salary $409,213

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
10.0

Growth Rate 7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 19.08%

Black or African American 5.21%

Hispanic or Latino 9.68%

Unknown 4.47%

White 61.38%

Gender

female 40.63%

male 59.38%

Age - 48
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
9.9

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
3.1

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Anesthesiologist career paths

Key steps to become an anesthesiologist

  1. Explore anesthesiologist education requirements

    Most common anesthesiologist degrees

    Doctorate

    33.8 %

    Bachelor's

    33.2 %

    Certificate

    17.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific anesthesiologist skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Patients20.98%
    OB14.66%
    Patient Care6.87%
    EMR5.55%
    Pain Management5.36%
  3. Research anesthesiologist duties and responsibilities

    • Perform PCR and endotracheal intubation inemergency room.
    • Moderate amount of ultrasound-guid regional anesthesia; currently undergoing regional- relate CME.
    • Supervise BLS training for nurses.
    • Process paperwork and ensure compliance with HIPPA regulations.
  4. Prepare your anesthesiologist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your anesthesiologist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an anesthesiologist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

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  5. Apply for anesthesiologist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an anesthesiologist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Anesthesiologist Job

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Average anesthesiologist salary

The average Anesthesiologist salary in the United States is $409,213 per year or $197 per hour. Anesthesiologist salaries range between $166,000 and $1,003,000 per year.

Average Anesthesiologist Salary
$409,213 Yearly
$196.74 hourly

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Anesthesiologist reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2023
Cons

watching babies die and dealing with the emotional trauma of staring in to dead eyes


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Pros

Almost everything

Cons

The certain people that are dramatic of scared when they go but I deal with it.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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