Physician, Anaesthesiologist, Medical Doctor

Playing an essential role in the operating room, an anesthesiologist does much more than administer the drugs that send you into a slumber before undergoing a surgical procedure. As a highly trained physician who specializes in the field, an anesthesiologist should not be confused with an anesthesia practitioner, who does not possess the same number of years and depth in training, knowledge and authority as someone with a medical school degree.

What is an Anesthesiologist?

An anesthesiologist is a doctor who is largely responsible for the safety and well-being of patients before, during and after surgery. These physicians are trained on how to properly administer anesthesia to a patient – the medicine primarily used to control pain during a surgery and other medical procedures. Not only does anesthesia block pain, but it also causes relaxation, and helps control a patient's breathing, blood pressure and heart rate.

To ensure the safety of a patient, an anesthesiologist is trained to monitor the use and effects of anesthesia on a case-by-case basis, and also takes into account a patient's past and present medical history. In the operating room, they make the kinds of decisions that protect and regulate the essential life functions of a patient. When any medical issues develop during surgery or recovery, an anesthesiologist is generally the first physician to identify and treat the problem.

Anesthesiologists are primarily trained to:

• Conduct in-depth interviews with patients prior to their surgery; they then determine the correct anesthesia and pain management plan for a patient.
• Possess a deep understanding of the side effects and dangers that certain pain-killing drugs and anesthesia can cause in a patient with a pre-existing medical condition.
• Manage the health and recovery of a patient during a surgery and post-op.
• Provide pain relief in many different situations, from women giving birth to cancer patients undergoing surgery.
• Monitor outpatient conditions, such as regulating pain and overseeing the aftereffects of surgery.

Anesthesiologists administer anesthesia in the following three ways:

• General Anesthesia places a patient in a state of controlled unconsciousness, and is delivered through a mask, breathing tube, or IV. This type of anesthesia affects both the brain and the body.
• Local Anesthesia is usually delivered by way of injection and is used in minor procedures to numb a small part of the body, such as along the gumline for dental extractions. A patient is usually awake during the procedure.
• Regional Anesthesia is administered through a shot, and is used to block pain to a larger part of the body, such as the knee or legs. Patients usually stay awake during their procedures. An example of regional anesthesia is an epidural , a shot given near the spinal cord of pregnant women to ease anxiety and block pain to the abdomen and hip region.

Anesthesiologists pay attention to the medical condition of their patients after administering anesthesia. During surgery, they monitor a number of vital signs – from body temperature to heart rate and rhythm. Throughout a procedure, an anesthesiologist will adjust anesthetics to meet the progress and changes of a patient's physical state. Anesthesiologists also return a patient to a conscious state when necessary, continue to monitor vital signs, and oversee any pain management.

A patient does not leave the recovery room until an anesthesiologist gives the OK.

A doctorate degree is the entry-level educational requirement for an anesthesiologist.

Step by Step Educational Path of an Anesthesiologist

• Earn a bachelor's degree. Since medical school does not require a candidate to enter a designated pre-medical degree program, earning an undergraduate degree in any field is acceptable for an aspiring anesthesiologist. However, there are still a handful of courses that an undergraduate may take to become fulfill the prerequisites associated with medical school, such as biology, physics, chemistry and mathematics.
• Apply to medical school. In order to become an anesthesiologist, individuals must gain a four-year medical school education to earn a doctor…