2 answers
Shania
Student
Covington, Georgia
1
Question
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What are the highlights and challenges associated with becoming an anesthesiologist in the United States? #Spring25
What major best prepares one to become an anesthesiologist? How to navigate undergraduate education to prepare for medical school?
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2 answers
Charlotte Geiger
Public Health Science Student at the University of Maryland
150
Answers
Sykesville, Maryland
Updated
Charlotte’s Answer
Hi there,
Becoming an anesthesiologist in the United States is a rewarding but demanding journey, requiring dedication and resilience. The highlights of this career include being an integral part of surgical teams, ensuring patient comfort and safety during procedures, and having a high earning potential, with salaries often exceeding $300,000 annually. However, the challenges are significant, including extensive education and training—typically four years of undergraduate study, four years of medical school, a one-year internship, and three to four years of residency in anesthesiology. Anesthesiologists also face high levels of responsibility, managing critical care situations and patient vitals during surgery, which requires quick decision-making under pressure. To prepare for this path, majoring in Biology, Chemistry, or Biochemistry is ideal, as these fields cover essential pre-med coursework such as organic chemistry, biology, physics, and biochemistry. During undergraduate studies, it’s crucial to maintain a strong GPA, gain clinical experience through volunteering or shadowing, and develop good study habits early on. Joining pre-med organizations, seeking mentorship, and preparing thoroughly for the MCAT are also essential steps. By balancing academic excellence with hands-on experience and networking, aspiring anesthesiologists can build a solid foundation for medical school and beyond.
Becoming an anesthesiologist in the United States is a rewarding but demanding journey, requiring dedication and resilience. The highlights of this career include being an integral part of surgical teams, ensuring patient comfort and safety during procedures, and having a high earning potential, with salaries often exceeding $300,000 annually. However, the challenges are significant, including extensive education and training—typically four years of undergraduate study, four years of medical school, a one-year internship, and three to four years of residency in anesthesiology. Anesthesiologists also face high levels of responsibility, managing critical care situations and patient vitals during surgery, which requires quick decision-making under pressure. To prepare for this path, majoring in Biology, Chemistry, or Biochemistry is ideal, as these fields cover essential pre-med coursework such as organic chemistry, biology, physics, and biochemistry. During undergraduate studies, it’s crucial to maintain a strong GPA, gain clinical experience through volunteering or shadowing, and develop good study habits early on. Joining pre-med organizations, seeking mentorship, and preparing thoroughly for the MCAT are also essential steps. By balancing academic excellence with hands-on experience and networking, aspiring anesthesiologists can build a solid foundation for medical school and beyond.
Perry Zuckerman
Psychiatrist
33
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Perry’s Answer
Hello Shania,
I'll dive right in.
---Make sure you know the course requirements for the medical schools and complete them. There may be some minor variations between schools. Again, you have probably already done most classes that you will need.
---Take the MCAT in the Spring of your junior year. I took it in the Fall of my senior year and that turned out to have given me a tremendous disadvantage because medical schools had already started reviewing and accepting applicants before my MCAT scores had come in ! Believe it or not, by taking the medical school requirements, you will have already basically learned the subject matter that you will be tested on in the MCAT. All you will need to do is spend a couple of months reviewing the material right before the test. The best way to do this is to take one of those MCAT review courses; Stanley Kaplan was the gold standard, if it is still around.
---Your major in college doesn't matter much as long as you complete all of the medical school requirements. Choose the major you like and want. There is nothing that is specifically advantageous for Anesthesiology. Besides, you might change you mind about your chosen specialty by the time you finish medical school. That said, if there is a Physiology major in your college, that could arguably give you a little leg up for Anesthesiology, but it is by no means essential.
==============================================
A few comments about extracurricular activities:
---Don't do any your freshman year, or at least certainly not during your freshman Fall semester. College is difficult and you will be just beginning to learn how to study, how much time it takes on average per week, how to use some necessary free time each week, and just your general pace.
---Get involved in a professor's research study, assisting them. Think of what topics [preferably medical or biological] interest you, get to learn the university and one department or the other a little bit, and then make an appointment with the professor doing a study that is close to what you like [even if not exactly so]. If that professor can't help you, then move on to another one. If there are TAs [grad students] at Arlington, they would be of great assistance to help steer you to the right professor.
---Volunteer a while [a few hours one day a week] at some medical clinic. Choose the specialty that you like, it almost doesn't matter which one you choose.
---Do some other extracurricular activities at college, but these should be things that you personally LIKE. Things that have nothing to do with medical school. Things that you would do whether you were applying to medical school or not. I can't stress this enough. If everything you do is with an eye on medical school, the medical school admissions committees will see right through you and that will hurt your chances.
I hope this helps,
Perry
I'll dive right in.
---Make sure you know the course requirements for the medical schools and complete them. There may be some minor variations between schools. Again, you have probably already done most classes that you will need.
---Take the MCAT in the Spring of your junior year. I took it in the Fall of my senior year and that turned out to have given me a tremendous disadvantage because medical schools had already started reviewing and accepting applicants before my MCAT scores had come in ! Believe it or not, by taking the medical school requirements, you will have already basically learned the subject matter that you will be tested on in the MCAT. All you will need to do is spend a couple of months reviewing the material right before the test. The best way to do this is to take one of those MCAT review courses; Stanley Kaplan was the gold standard, if it is still around.
---Your major in college doesn't matter much as long as you complete all of the medical school requirements. Choose the major you like and want. There is nothing that is specifically advantageous for Anesthesiology. Besides, you might change you mind about your chosen specialty by the time you finish medical school. That said, if there is a Physiology major in your college, that could arguably give you a little leg up for Anesthesiology, but it is by no means essential.
==============================================
A few comments about extracurricular activities:
---Don't do any your freshman year, or at least certainly not during your freshman Fall semester. College is difficult and you will be just beginning to learn how to study, how much time it takes on average per week, how to use some necessary free time each week, and just your general pace.
---Get involved in a professor's research study, assisting them. Think of what topics [preferably medical or biological] interest you, get to learn the university and one department or the other a little bit, and then make an appointment with the professor doing a study that is close to what you like [even if not exactly so]. If that professor can't help you, then move on to another one. If there are TAs [grad students] at Arlington, they would be of great assistance to help steer you to the right professor.
---Volunteer a while [a few hours one day a week] at some medical clinic. Choose the specialty that you like, it almost doesn't matter which one you choose.
---Do some other extracurricular activities at college, but these should be things that you personally LIKE. Things that have nothing to do with medical school. Things that you would do whether you were applying to medical school or not. I can't stress this enough. If everything you do is with an eye on medical school, the medical school admissions committees will see right through you and that will hurt your chances.
I hope this helps,
Perry