2 answers
Ayanna
Student
Las Vegas, Nevada
1
Question
Updated
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Based on your personal experiences with this career, do you think you chose the right path??
I'm a senior in highschool right now and I want to pursue a career in anesthesiology. #Spring 2025
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2 answers
Rita Chuang
Physician
223
Answers
Henderson, Nevada
Updated
Rita’s Answer
I'm not an anesthesiologist but I would speak with them. I spoke with a friend a while ago and her complaint was that the nurse anesthetists were being hired because they were compensated less.
This will be your road to anesthesiology:
4 years college
4 years medical school
4 years of internship/residency
I suggest anyone interested in medicine work as a medical scribe.
This will be your road to anesthesiology:
4 years college
4 years medical school
4 years of internship/residency
I suggest anyone interested in medicine work as a medical scribe.
Taylor Nicole
Medical Student
8
Answers
Phoenix, Arizona
Updated
Taylor’s Answer
Hi Ayanna,
I recently matched into an anesthesiology residency and will be starting in the coming months. While I have not started practicing yet, I have had the opportunity to speak and work with dozens of anesthesiologists over the past several years. Remarkably, none of them expressed regrets about choosing this field. In fact, many—some with over 35 years of experience—shared that they would go through the entire journey again without hesitation.
From my perspective, anesthesiology stood out as the only specialty where every physician I spoke with still found genuine fulfillment in their work. That consistency in job satisfaction deeply resonated with me and reinforced my belief that this was the right fit, not only in terms of interests, but also personality and work style.
If you're drawn to the field of anesthesiology, another rewarding path to consider is becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). This route typically involves completing nursing school, gaining a few years of critical care experience, and then applying to a CRNA program. It's a shorter and often less costly path compared to medical school, and it still leads to a fulfilling career in anesthesia with strong earning potential.
That said, if you choose to pursue medical school, it's important to know that there’s no guarantee of matching into anesthesiology. However, with commitment and hard work, it’s absolutely achievable, and it comes with the added benefits of greater autonomy and broader medical training compared to the CRNA path.
Both routes offer the chance to be part of an extraordinary field. Anesthesiology is, in my opinion, one of the most captivating areas of medicine. It’s a privilege to care for patients during their most vulnerable moments...to be the last person they see before going under and the first when they wake up. That responsibility is both humbling and deeply meaningful.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have more questions. I'm happy to share anything that might help.
I recently matched into an anesthesiology residency and will be starting in the coming months. While I have not started practicing yet, I have had the opportunity to speak and work with dozens of anesthesiologists over the past several years. Remarkably, none of them expressed regrets about choosing this field. In fact, many—some with over 35 years of experience—shared that they would go through the entire journey again without hesitation.
From my perspective, anesthesiology stood out as the only specialty where every physician I spoke with still found genuine fulfillment in their work. That consistency in job satisfaction deeply resonated with me and reinforced my belief that this was the right fit, not only in terms of interests, but also personality and work style.
If you're drawn to the field of anesthesiology, another rewarding path to consider is becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). This route typically involves completing nursing school, gaining a few years of critical care experience, and then applying to a CRNA program. It's a shorter and often less costly path compared to medical school, and it still leads to a fulfilling career in anesthesia with strong earning potential.
That said, if you choose to pursue medical school, it's important to know that there’s no guarantee of matching into anesthesiology. However, with commitment and hard work, it’s absolutely achievable, and it comes with the added benefits of greater autonomy and broader medical training compared to the CRNA path.
Both routes offer the chance to be part of an extraordinary field. Anesthesiology is, in my opinion, one of the most captivating areas of medicine. It’s a privilege to care for patients during their most vulnerable moments...to be the last person they see before going under and the first when they wake up. That responsibility is both humbling and deeply meaningful.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have more questions. I'm happy to share anything that might help.