Student Doctor Anesthesia (2024)

FAQs

Why is anesthesiologist so hard? ›

“The main stress is the life of the patient is in your hands,” said Mary Dale Peterson, MD, president of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. “And we give extremely powerful drugs. You can give a drug that can kill someone in two to three minutes if it is not managed correctly.

Anesthesiology residency, while not one of the most competitive residencies, is still quite tricky to match into. It's also one of the “lifestyle” specialties, meaning the compensation is quite high and the work-life balance is a little better compared to other demanding specialties, like neurosurgery residency.

Since anesthesiologists frequently perform simple calculations in their daily work, arithmetic skills are essential. These calculations involve figuring out medication dosages according to a patient's weight and health, calculating infusion rates, and keeping an eye on vital signs.

Anesthesiologists are paid so much because they have a really important job that leaves little room for error. The average salary of an anesthesiologist is $409,200 per year in the United States. Anesthesiologists also concentrate on pain management and critical care medicine.

The most competitive medical specialties are characterized by high demand, limited residency slots, and intense training requirements. Specialties such as Dermatology, Neurosurgery, and Plastic Surgery often top this list due to their high compensation, impactful work, and the specialized skill set required.

In order to be accepted into an accredited CRNA program, mathematics prerequisites play a significant role. Particularly, statistics sticks out as a fundamental prerequisite for CRNA programs in many educational institutions.

The American Medical Association (AMA) proposes a cumulative GPA of 3.5 – 4.0 for joining medical school. You can also present information that shows you are passionate about becoming a medical practitioner.

What are the odds of becoming an anesthesiologist? ›

The overall competitiveness level of anesthesiology is Medium to High for a U.S. senior. With a Step 1 score of 200, the probability of matching is 55%. With a Step 1 score of >240, the probability is 95%.

BASIC is the first written exam of the ABA board certification process and is administered to approximately 1,600 residents at the end of their first clinical year (CA-1). The first-time failure rate for this exam nationally is about 10%.

The highest anesthesiology position fill rate was 100% in the 2021 through 2023 match years; 2020 had the second-highest fill rate at 99%.” Less than 40% of all candidates who applied to an anesthesiology program matched in 2023 (Figure 1).

In terms of the rigor of anesthesiology residency, it's generally more laid back with predictable hours and generally 55-65 hour work weeks, which is on the lower end compared to many other specialties. And as an attending, 40-50 hours a week is the norm.

Potential stress. As an anesthesiologist, you treat high-risk patients and ensure their safety in critical conditions. You experience the stress of being responsible for a patient's life. Employers expect you to make quick decisions and perform under pressure.

Because of their heavy duty in ensuring patient safety, anesthesiologists may experience heightened stress and other health-related issues. Due to this, work-life balance is challenging. As anesthesiologists often have long working hours and on-call duties, which can lead to fatigue and work-life imbalance.

The most challenging and rewarding aspects of anesthesiology: A difficult part of our profession is that you do not know if a patient is genuinely healthy and will proceed with their surgery uneventfully until they leave the hospital. An anesthesiologist must maintain a constant state of hypervigilance.

Overall, becoming an anesthesiologist is a challenging but rewarding career path. With dedication, hard work, and the right training, you can build a successful career in this exciting field.