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Anesthesiologists
Administer anesthetics and analgesics for pain management prior to, during, or after surgery.
Other titles employers use
Medical Doctor (MD) · Obstetrical Anesthesiologist · Staff Anesthesiologist · Staff Anesthetist · Ambulatory Anesthesiologist · Anaesthesiologist · Anesthetist · Attending Anesthesiologist
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Monitor patient before, during, and after anesthesia and counteract adverse reactions or complications.
- Record type and amount of anesthesia and patient condition throughout procedure.
- Provide and maintain life support and airway management and help prepare patients for emergency surgery.
- Administer anesthetic or sedation during medical procedures, using local, intravenous, spinal, or caudal methods.
- Examine patient, obtain medical history, and use diagnostic tests to determine risk during surgical, obstetrical, and other medical procedures.
- Position patient on operating table to maximize patient comfort and surgical accessibility.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to analytical, helping and practical work.
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
Subjects to know
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Biology
- English Language
- Chemistry
- Customer and Personal Service
Useful strengths
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Inductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.7 | Arm’s length or closer, most of the day |
| On your feet | 3.2 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 3.8 | Some of the day |
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Medical software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Spreadsheet software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Billing and invoicing software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 6,200
- Job openings each year
- 220
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 12.7%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 6,200 | 220 | 12.7% |
| New York | 4,240 | 90 | 26.2% |
| New Jersey | 2,390 | 80 | 6.7% |
| Illinois | 2,160 | 60 | — |
| Arizona | 1,830 | 80 | 21.2% |
| Michigan | 1,790 | 50 | 2.3% |
| Ohio | 1,670 | 40 | −1.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,590 | 50 | 3.9% |
| Georgia | 1,410 | 50 | 11.0% |
| Tennessee | 1,260 | 40 | 11.5% |
| Texas | 1,140 | 40 | 12.9% |
| Utah | 1,130 | 50 | 27.0% |
| Washington | 1,100 | 50 | 10.0% |
| Minnesota | 980 | 30 | 2.1% |
| Nevada | 880 | 30 | 3.5% |
| Puerto Rico | 870 | 30 | 11.5% |
| North Carolina | 820 | 30 | 9.3% |
| Indiana | 750 | 20 | 2.7% |
| Wisconsin | 710 | 20 | 9.2% |
| Massachusetts | 680 | 20 | 3.0% |
| Maryland | 630 | 20 | 5.0% |
| South Carolina | 630 | 20 | 12.5% |
| Louisiana | 430 | 10 | — |
| Colorado | 410 | 10 | 10.8% |
| Idaho | 390 | 20 | 14.7% |
| Kentucky | 380 | 10 | 2.7% |
| Virginia | 300 | 10 | 11.1% |
| New Hampshire | 290 | 10 | 3.6% |
| Alabama | 280 | 10 | 7.7% |
| Nebraska | 250 | 10 | 4.2% |
| West Virginia | 240 | 10 | −4.0% |
| Arkansas | 230 | 10 | 15.0% |
| Connecticut | 230 | 10 | — |
| Iowa | 230 | 10 | 4.5% |
| Maine | 230 | 10 | −4.2% |
| Montana | 210 | 10 | 10.5% |
| New Mexico | 140 | 10 | 16.7% |
| Missouri | 130 | 0 | — |
| District of Columbia | 110 | 0 | — |
| Wyoming | 110 | 0 | 10.0% |
| South Dakota | 80 | 0 | 14.3% |
| Alaska | 60 | 0 | 20.0% |
| Vermont | 60 | 0 | — |
Career to college
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