Anesthesiology requires an internship (most frequently in surgery, internal medicine, or a transitional (rotating) year), followed by three years of training in clinical anesthesiology. Fellowships in a variety of specialties are available, and typically last a year.
There are many subspecialties including: Regional Anesthesiology; Obstetric Anesthesiology; Pain Management/Pain Medicine; Cardiac Anesthesiology; Pediatric Anesthesiology; Transplant Anesthesiology; Critical Care Anesthesiology; and more.
What Does a Typical Workday Look Like?
Anesthesiologists spend little time in clinic, although residents may be assigned to the pre-op clinic. Anesthesiology is primarily an operating-room based specialty, with physicians generally reporting to the hospital around 6 am and leaving the hospital between 3 to 5pm on a normal workday.
Important Qualities and Traits
Qualities recognized as important to anesthesiology include:
- Organizational skills
- Vigilance
- Attention to detail
- Punctuality
For shadowing opportunities, please contact the Anesthesiology Department at 504-988-5068.
To learn about how to get involved in research conducted in anesthesiology, click here . Please contact the primary researcher for more information.
Additionally, students may want to pursue research opportunities through the DeBakey Scholars Program. This program offers medical students the opportunity to pursue and complete a longitudinal, structured, closely supervised research experience culminating in a capstone presentation prior to graduation. For more information, contact Dr. Derek Pociask.
The purpose in creating the Tulane Anesthesiology Interest Group is to provide medical students with an outlet to learn about the field of Anesthesiology and to provide a forum of discussion for those students interested in the field of Anesthesiology.
The Tulane Anesthesiology Interest Group goals:
- Provide an open forum for discussion about the field of Anesthesiology
- Provide guidance and advice about choosing a career in Anesthesiology
- Arrange regular meetings and guest speakers
- Provide a network of students and physicians interested in the field of Anesthesiology
Anyone who would like to participate in the Tulane Anesthesiology Interest Group is welcome, and membership will never be required to participate in any of the interest groups events.
Who are the Specialty Academic/Career Advisors for this Specialty?
Please contact the following for information about careers in anesthesiology:
Assistant Professor
Anesthesia Residency Program Director
Assistant Professor
Anesthesiology Clerkship Director
Recommended T3 & T4 Coursework
Students interested in anesthesiology may want to take a two-week rotation in their third year or early in their fourth year to decide if they want to pursue a career in this area. If students are interested in pursuing another specialty, but would like knowledge of anesthesiology, they can take this elective later in their fourth year.
Summary Statistics (from "Charting Outcomes in the Match 2024")
Summary Statistics on U.S. MD Seniors
Anesthesiology
Matched N = 1,136
1. Mean number of contiguous ranks | 13.7 |
2. Mean number of distinct specialties ranked | 1.6 |
3. Mean USMLE Step 1 score | 234* |
4. Mean USMLE Step 2 score | 252 |
5. Mean number of research experiences | 3.8 |
6. Mean number of abstracts, presentations, and publications | 9.0 |
7. Mean number of work experiences | 2.0 |
8. Mean number of volunteer experiences | 4.3 |
9. Percentage who are AOA members | 14.4 |
10. Percentage who graduated from one of the 40 U.S. medical schools with the highest NIH funding | 33.1 |
11. Percentage who have Ph.D. degree | 3.8 |
12. Percentage who have another graduate degree | 17.2 |
Note: Only U.S. MD seniors who gave consent to use their information in research are included.
*Only applicants who indicated completion of USMLE Step 1 exam prior to the transtion to pass/fail are included.
Special Considerations When Applying for Residency
There are no special considerations when applying for residency in anesthesiology.
Step 2 is likely to increase in importance, as Step 1 has transitioned to P/F.
Good letters of recommendation and comments from clerkships are also important in the application process. Work hard to obtain good reviews.
Be a team player. Teamwork is vital to a career in this field, so working well with others in your clerkships is key.
Don’t apply to programs you don’t realistically want to go to. If you know you’ll be miserable in a particular region, city or program, put your application efforts toward programs in which you will be happy.
Where Past Tulane Students Have Matched
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How Many Programs Should I Apply To?
Most applicants apply to 33-62 programs.
NRMP's Charting Outcomes in the Match 2024
NRMP's Program Director Survey 2024
American Society of Anesthesiologists
Tulane’s Department of Anesthesiology
Books
- Anesthesiology LibGuide from the Rudolph Matas Library of the Health Sciences
- Basics of Anesthesiology by Pardo & Miller
- Morgan & Mikhail’s Clinical Anesthesiology
Dr. Katrina D’Aquin can put you in touch with potential mentors.
