National Averages

According to PayScale.com, an anesthesiologist salary ranges from $169,952 to $295,320 a year, as of May 2011. The medium hourly rate is estimated to be $80.00. This profession is one of the highly paid in the USA. And according to the survey conducted by CNNMoney.com this profession is on the list of the top 100 jobs in the U.S. in terms of growth. Currently the job title of an anesthesiologist occupies the 68th position on the list. As provided by the above mentioned source, the demand for anesthesiologists is anticipated to increase by 22% through 2008-2018.

Industry

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report of May, 2010 the most popular industries for anesthesiologists are offices of physicians, hospitals, and outpatient care centers. The highest annual anesthesiologist salary in the range of $159,595 to $291,775 was registered in medical offices. Other top paying industries in anesthesiology according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics are:

• Offices of Physicians  $228,040
• Outpatient Care Centers $226,070
• Offices of Other Health Practitioners $192,670
• General Medical and Surgical Hospitals $187,500
• Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals $181,600

Work Experience

As you can see, an anesthesiologist salary is really considerable. But you can be generously rewarded only if you know how to do your work, and do it good. That’s said, an anesthesiologist salary is highly dependent on work experience. If you are just starting out, be ready to get around $115,470. But as you go further in your practice and gain more experience, your earnings will double or triple. All depends on your perseverance, dedication and your patience.

Specialization

Specialization is another crucial factor that influences an anesthesiologist salary. A great number of anesthesiologists choose to pursue sub-specialty training. Having a specialty enables anesthesiologists to provide a wider spectrum of treatments and gain more recognition, which ultimately increases their earning potential. For instance, the average anesthesiologist salary in critical care can reach the amount of $200,000 per year, whereas those working in pain management get around $250,000.

The highest anesthesiologist salary is in the field of pediatrics and cardiology, where the annual pay is somewhere between $275,000-$400,000.

Some of the top professionals in cardiac anesthesiology can make even $450,000 per year!

Work Settings

An employment setting is the next factor affecting an anesthesiologist salary. Traditionally, most of anesthesiologists find jobs in hospitals. This work setting is considered to be one of the best in terms of career development. However, hospitals are not the best work setting when it comes to salary. The highest income rates in anesthesiology are observed in a private sector, where self-employed anesthesiologists are on the top of the scale ($300,000 and more). A very small number of anesthesiologists work on a contract basis. Anesthesiologists rather find a permanent job where they can expect a steady income. The pay for temporary professionals is around $1,200 a day. Yet those who specialize in cardiology and pediatrics can get as much as $1,300 per day.

Location

Anesthesiologist salary rates also depend on the geographical location of the practice. The highest paying states, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2010) are:

• Wyoming
• Tennessee
• Oregon
• New Jersey
• New Hampshire

Are you relatively new to the field of anesthesiology and want to learn what it takes to enter this profession? Read How to become an Anesthesiologist.

First evidence of anesthesiology was fixed as early as 15th century B.C. In some papyruses such anesthetics as mandrake, datura, poppy, etc. were mentioned. The information about anesthetic properties of some plants passed from Egypt to ancient Greece and Rome. General anesthesia was also known in ancient China, where Chinese surgeon Hua Tuo used some decoctions to make his patients sleep.

In medieval medical schools in Salerno and Bologna (12th c.) more than 150 various narcotic anesthetic means and recipes were used. Medieval scientists and doctors also described some substances that can cause deep sleep. Anesthetic property of alcoholic drinks was described as well.

To make a patient unconscious during surgery vessels on the neck were squeezed, which caused faint. All those methods were quite imperfect: they were unable to fully relieve pain and often led to the death of patient.

For local anesthesia doctors used ice and snow. This observation of medieval doctors was used later on. In 19th century Dominique Larrey, chief surgeon of Napoleon’s army, reported about his observation: during the Battle of Eylau the surgeon conducted amputations at minus 19 degrees Celsius, and he observed loss of sensation in patients.

During the First World War another method was described: to reduce pain, some nerve knots and nerve trunks were squeezed for an hour or so to reach the effect of anesthesia. According to some sources, this method enabled surgeons to conduct amputations without pain.

We should mention once again: up to 1846 the history of anesthesiology didn’t possess an organized system of concepts and methods. The new era in the development of surgery and anesthesiology was opened by discovering ether anesthesia. It was first used by Dr. Crawford Long in 1842, to excise a tumor from the patient’s neck. However, this method became famous after the public demonstration of ether anesthesia effect. Experiment took place in 1846, during teeth extraction. Since that time ether anesthesia was widely used.

History of anesthesiology also includes one more essential discovering. In 1799 British chemist Humphry Devy noticed that he didn’t feel toothache when he was in the nitrous oxide camera. He also mentioned that the substance has other properties: it causes inabriation and euphoria. Because of that chemist then called nitrous oxide the “laughing gas”. From 1868 nitrous oxide inhalation was combined with oxygen, which made anesthesia more effective.

Intravenous anesthesia was used by surgeons since the beginning of 20th century. It was first used to supplement inhalational anesthesia, and in the same time it was developing as an independent method. 50-60ies brought new anesthetic substances, which now take up central position in anesthesiology. Research on various combinations and dozes of known anesthetics allowed scientists to intensify the necessary effect, and, in the same time reduce harmful and toxic influence of every component. Every day new findings and observations add more pages to the history of anesthesiology, making the fight with pain more and more sophisticated.

Anesthesiologists are mainly responsible for providing pain relief during surgery. They also control patient’s general condition while the surgeon performs his job and during the rehabilitation process. These tasks of anesthesiologists are generally known. However, professionals in this medical specialty also deal with serious chronic pain problems, resuscitation of emergency patients, and consultation of other members of healthcare team.

Anesthesiologists have to study patient’s medical history to predict and avoid any problems that may occur during surgery or make the recovery period longer. In order to accomplish this, anesthesiologist has to choose the least harmful for a patient’s body anesthetic. Great responsibility requires extensive research, as you may guess.

Medical students deciding to become an anesthesiologist can choose a sub-specialization. Anesthesiology includes several fields.

Critical Care Medicine

If you choose this anesthesiology sub-specialty, you will deal with emergency patients. You will work with the critical care team to save the lives of seriously ill or injured patients with dangerous traumas or organ dysfunctions.

Hospice and Palliative Medicine

This field presupposes working with dying people in hospices. In most cases those are elderly people who suffer from life-limiting diseases. You will make your best, together with other physicians, to ease your patients’ lot during their last days.

Pain Medicine

Working in the field of pain medicine anesthesiologists are focused on helping people with acute and chronic pain. It can be caused by different problems, so anesthesiologists have to work in close cooperation with other physicians.

Pediatric Anesthesiology

You can guess that choosing this anesthesiology sub-specialty means working with children. Young ones have some peculiarities, so the job of an anesthesiologist becomes more responsible in this field. Moreover, anesthesia can be a frightening thing for a child and his/her parents. Therefore, anesthesiologist must bring not only pain relief, but also emotional comfort to his patients.

Sleep Medicine

A lot of medical specialties besides anesthesiology offer certification in this sub-field. Doctors work to help people who suffer from disorders and disturbances related to sleep and awakening. Sleep Medicine as a sub-specialty of anesthesiology has been approved in 2011.

So a few words about application itself. You should organize carefully the following documents for your AR (according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists website):

-          CV: You have to mention your contact information, education, experience, honors and achievements, membership in related associations. Make your CV no longer than 2 pages and organized in chronological order. And don’t forget to check it for mistakes!

-          Personal Statement: It is a bit different from your CV. You should not repeat the information given in CV. Personal statement must show the commission what individual you are. Mention all your strong points, talents, skills and qualities that will show you are a perfect candidate for anesthesiology residency. Here you can find an example of personal statement.

-          Dean’s Letter and Letters of Recommendation: You should have about 3-4 recommendation letters prepared for anesthesiology residency commission. Get them in the following way: one from your department, one from an anesthesiologist or someone related to the field, and two are your choice (from other med specialists).

The next quite challenging step to your AR is interview. Try to prepare for it beforehand. And remember that not only you will be asked questions, your initiative to find out more details about particular program will be also appreciated.  Learn as much information about program as you can and put down some specific questions you may want to ask during the interview. Some general questions usually asked at interview may be found here.

And how about anesthesiology residency program itself? Have you made your mind on the perfect school? If not, here are some options for you. These programs have been highly ranked in 2010-2011 years (US News and World Report):

Oregon Health and Science University – Portland

University of Pittsburgh

Ohio State University

New York University

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

University of California – Los Angeles

Harvard University

University of Pennsylvania

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Johns Hopkins University

These are the universities with well-recognized and highly reputable medical schools. Still, you can try to find anesthesiology residency not far from you. For that, look for residency information by state . With due diligence be sure to find a perfect fit.

The anesthesiologist career is not a piece of cake; therefore one must be prepared for taking care of the most responsible duties. The career of an anesthesiologist with M.D. qualification is mostly involved in various surgical treatments. This means that anesthesiologists are responsible for:

• Making assessments of person’s response to anesthetic. This includes a thorough study of person’s medical history, identification of possible intolerance to certain medication and bad reaction to chemicals.
• Monitoring patient’s condition during the operation. Making sure that the vital signs of a person are satisfactory, and if not, taking all necessary steps to bring the patient back to a normal functioning under the anesthesia.
• Taking care of a patient during the post-surgery process, which is usually extremely painful and quite long in duration.

The career of an anesthesiologist with D.O. qualification involves quite different duties. Their responsibilities are related to the work outside the operating room, namely

• Taking care of the patients in the Intensive Care Unit
• Treating patients with severe chronic diseases
• Being present during labor and delivery

Career of an anesthesiologist is an extremely demanding. It requires a strong sense of dedication and commitment of time and energy. Only a person with strong character will be able to pursue a career of an anesthesiologist. Majority of anesthesiologist work long hours and usually have an unsettled work schedule. The overall work load can reach 60 hours a week which is very exhausting. Therefore, being able to fight physical fatigue is one of the key abilities that the career of an anesthesiologist entails.

So are you ready to become an anesthesiologist? Is this career matches your personality?

The first test is usually scheduled before undergraduate students enter a medical school. It’s known as an eligibility test or MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) which is aimed to check students’ readiness for medical school. In other words, it assesses students’ ability to comprehend and perceive scientific information and personal skills essential to become an anesthesiologist aftewards. Students who successfully pass this test and score well on it are permitted to enter a medical school and pursue a graduate degree to become an anesthesiologist. MCAT is one of the main challenges on your way to becoming an anesthesiologist, therefore you must work really hard to get high scores well at the exam.

Medical Licensing Examination
United States Medical Licensing Examination is taken by students of medical schools enrolled in programs leading to MD or DO. This exam includes three steps, without any of them you cannot go further and become an anesthesiologist. Let’s be more specific about this test.

Step 1 introduces general knowledge test: you will have to answer questions on anatomy, microbiology, biochemistry, pathology, pharmacology, physiology and some other subjects. After passing Step 1 test you may proceed to the next level.

Step 2 Clinical Knowledge: this exam tests your knowledge in different medical subfields such as pediatrics, gynecology, surgery etc. In general, tasks look like description of a certain clinical situation, and you are required to make diagnosis, prognosis, prescribe treatment etc.

Step 2 Clinical Skills: you will have to interact with people portraying real patients. This way your general clinical skills and effective communication skills are evaluated.

Step 3: this is the test for medical school graduates who have passed the previous exams. You will treat a simulated patient through the computer-based system. You are required to see a patient from very beginning, through diagnosis, and to the prescription. All your decisions are registered by the computer and then scored.

Anesthesiology Licensing Exam
The next test is required for getting a license to practice anesthesiology. This test is compiled and administered by the American Board of Anesthesiology and takes place at Pearson Vue Testing Centers located across the country. This exam is broken into two parts and usually is carried out each year in August.
Part One test is aimed to determine student’s knowledge in such disciplines as anatomy, pharmacology, anesthesia procedures, clinical sciences and anesthesia in obstetrics and pediatrics. The test itself consists of two sections lasting for 2 hours and 20 minutes each. Test takers must give answers to 250 multiple-choice questions.
Part Two exam is available for individuals who successfully complete the first part. This exam is aimed at evaluating your practical performance as well as communication skills. Examination Part Two takes place in Raleigh, North Carolina. Candidates get 2 clinical cases for which they will have to explain their actions to the examination board. The interview is 35 minutes in duration.

Specialty Certification
Anesthesiologists who take sub-specialty such as pain medicine, hospice and critical care will have to take an additional exam to be allowed to practice in these sub-specialties. This exam is aimed to check the basic and clinical science as well as subspecialties and ethics in anesthesiology.

These are the main exams on your way to become an anesthesiologist.

Population Growth
The profession of anesthesiologist is one of the most dynamic in the sector of healthcare. The increasing demand for anesthesiologists is caused by the population growth. For the time being, many states already suffer from the insufficient number of professionals to cater to the growing medical needs of Americans. Job outlook for anesthesiologists forecasts hiring intentions of employers for new college graduates in all states. Given that fact, newcomers stand great chances of being employed right after their residency completion.

Need for Specific Treatment
Job outlook for anesthesiologists (the above mentioned source) also reveals that substantial rise in employment is triggered by the growing need of specialty care among the American population. This means that anesthesiologists who have extra qualifications as sub-specialty will be more in demand as compared to traditional specialists. As a matter of fact, expanding the scope of your expertise simultaneously increases your earning potential; therefore pursuing a sub-specialty is getting more popular among salaried anesthesiologists.

Technology Advancement
Future advancement of medical technology will also play a vital part in the employment growth for this occupation. Ever-growing technological world will enable medical specialists to perform more complex procedures and treat conditions which previously could not. Anesthesiologists who keep an eye for the development of new techniques in anesthesiology and put efforts to master them will obviously have better employment prospects than their counterparts.

Retirement of Old Specialists
As you can see, the employment prospects for anesthesiologist are pretty much favorable. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job openings in anesthesiology tend to increase each year due to a great number of anesthesiologists reaching retirement age. Which means that healthcare field will need young professionals to cover their positions. Job outlook for anesthesiologists anticipates young professionals to take over and start their own practices as soon as their schooling is over.

As you can see, job outlook for anesthesiologists is pretty much promising. Anesthesiology is definitely a great career choice as it ensures lasting stability, and personal and professional growth. If you seriously consider becoming an anesthesiologist you can start your career from here.

Complete an Undergraduate Degree
Before you get into a medical school you have to be well-prepared. The profession of an anesthesiologist is quite demanding and it requires a great deal of preparation and training. In your first step to become an anesthesiologist you will have to complete a pre-medical program. During your schooling you should focus on such courses as chemistry, biology, physics and math. Good preparation in social studies and humanities is also important. So put every effort to get high grades in these disciplines and meet the competitive requirements of the medical field. The minimum required score is 3.0.

Take the MCAT
MCAT stands for Medical College Admission Test which is administered to check students’ readiness for the medical school. More specifically, it assesses students’ ability to comprehend and perceive scientific information. This test is obligatory for each student who wants to become an anesthesiologist. Students who successfully pass this test and score well on it are permitted to enter a medical school. The MCAT is one of the main challenges on your way to becoming an anesthesiologist, therefore you must work really hard to score well on this exam.

Attend a Medical School
The next step to become an anesthesiologist is to choose a medical school and apply to it. The graduate degree program typically takes 4 years of academic studying. It focuses on gaining theoretical knowledge through the classroom and lab learning. The graduate degree curriculum consists of such subjects as anatomy, pharmacology, biochemistry, physiology, psychology, microbiology, pathology, immunology, histology, and medical ethics. Also students are taught to record medical histories, examine patients and diagnose the illness and other necessary things for becoming an anesthesiologist.

Complete an Anesthesiology Residency
Graduates get practical training during their residency. It’s essential you enter an accredited anesthesiology regency program in your state so that you could get a license in the future. All of the accredited programs can be found on the official site of The Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education ( http://www.acgme.org ). In general, the residency program for anesthesiologists lasts for 2-3 years. This program is ultimately focused on providing hands-on experience within the clinical setting. Individuals undergoing this program work under the supervision of a licensed anestheololgist. This is the most important step to become an anesthesiologist. Residency program prepares you for the independent practice as an anesthesiologist. Once the program is over postgraduate students are required to take the exam administered by the American Board of Anesthesiology. Successful completion of this exam will certify your readiness to enter your practice in anesthesiology.

Getting a License
Getting a license is the last goal you have to accomplish to become an anesthesiologist. To apply for a license an individual must get a degree from a medical school, complete the anesthesiology residency and pass the final exam administered by the American Board of Anesthesiology. However, each state may have its own requirements for licensure. So make sure you know exactly what is needed to be licensed in the state of your practice.

These are the main steps to become an anesthesiologist. If you successfully complete them, you’ll be able to start your career in one if the most lucrative fields that are out there.

However, jobs that come with high salaries also come with high responsibilities, long working hours and job-related stress. If you’re ready to face these challenges on a daily basis, then welcome to the medical field! The profession of an anesthesiologist is proved to be one of the most lucrative in the U.S. If you’re planning to venture into this career field you may be curious to find out what is the starting salary of an anesthesiologist. Here is a brief analysis.

Evaluating Anesthesiologist Salary
Statistics show that an annual salary of an anesthesiologist is about $211,750 per year, or $101.80 per hour. However, these figures reflect a salary range of an experienced anesthesiologist. As in any other profession newcomers get much lower income. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for a beginner a good pay is $115,470 a year. Like in any other profession, an anesthesiologist salary grows gradually. As a matter of fact, a starting salary of an anesthesiologist tends to be lower than in subsequent years. It grows in line with experience. At the initial stage anesthesiologists work to improve their professional skills and knowledge, which eventually increase their earnings. With only a couple years of experience a starting salary of an anesthesiologist will double or even triple.

Top Industries

To get a competitive salary anesthesiologists find jobs in the top-paying industries for their occupation. A type of industry as well as work settings make a great influence on the anesthesiologist salary even at the beginner’s level. According to the statistical sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and PayScale, the best industries for anesthesiologists are healthcare, hospital, medical services, general surgery and medical offices. On average, a person working in one of these settings makes around $138,303 – $292,660 a year. Since a beginner gets 55% from what an experienced anesthesiologist makes, then a starting salary of an anesthesiologist in these industries is anticipated to range from $90,222 to $121,555 per year.

Location
The location of your practice also makes a great difference if you want to increase your earnings. The top-paying states in anesthesiology are California and New York. Since these states suffer from the lack of specialists in anesthesiology, this profession is in high demand here, and therefore, is paid better.

Starting salary of an anesthesiologist in these states reaches the level of $197,265 and $146,387 respectively.

Bonuses
Depending on the employment setting, anesthesiologists may get bonuses for providing high-quality care, working extra hours or producing outstanding achievements. Median bonus for the beginning anesthesiologist equals $7,000 per year. Those who have an experience of 1-4 years may get as much as $ 9,764.

High salary rates definitely encourage each ambitious student to become an anesthesiologist. If this profession matches your personality, then you will be lucky to work in the most lucrative field.

So what is the nature of anesthesiologist work? These health care professionals administer anesthetics, monitor patient’s vital signs during the operation and post-operation period, help to treat patients with chronic pain.

Specialization Options
Many anesthesiologists choose to specialize in a certain medical field. You can decide on specializing in one of the following spheres after becoming an anesthesiologist:

• ambulatory anesthesia
• critical care anesthesia
• cardiac anesthesia
• pediatric anesthesia
• vascular anesthesia
• neurological anesthesia
• regional anesthesia

Actually, these are just some of the subfields out of the whole bunch. It’s up to you what to choose! Note that before becoming an anesthesiologist you will get an insight into various medical spheres. How so? Well, to become an anesthesiologist you have to become a physician first! That means graduating from a medical school with Doctoral degree. Only after that you can start your anesthesiologist training.

Duties
So what does anesthesiologist work include? The anesthesiologist duties begin from studying patient’s medical history, reviewing options of anesthetic medicine, and discussing the upcoming surgery. Anesthesiologist has to examine the general condition of a patient, take into account his or her chronic illnesses, such as hypertension or diabetes, for instance, predict the reaction on certain types of anesthesia. The duties of these professionals are very challenging! Actually, the life of the patient is in the anesthesiologist’s hands!

During surgical operation anesthesiologist is responsible for the patient’s life functions. He or she monitors and controls patient’s vital signs so that the surgeon could concentrate on the operation itself. It is also anesthesiologist’s duty to return a patient to the consciousness after the surgery is finished.

Work Settings
Where can you expect to find a job after becoming an anesthesiologist? These professionals are employed in hospitals or outpatient medical institutions where surgeries are performed. A number of anesthesiologists work in emergency rooms where they handle people requiring immediate surgical help.

A way to becoming an anesthesiologist is long and challenging. Still, this career is worth your every effort! Deciding on anesthesiologist career you choose a well-paid and absolutely rewarding job!