After medical school, anesthesiologists complete their internship followed by three years of anesthesia residency. Anesthesia residency includes rotations through operating rooms in surgical suites, labor and delivery wards, outpatient pain management clinics and surgical intensive care units. After completing their residency they become board eligible, and after passing oral and written exams they become board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology. Ensure that your anesthesiologist is board certified.
What if an anesthesiologist won’t be present during the procedure?
You’re wondering how that question could ever be posed. Sometimes surgeons use certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) to administer anesthesia and monitor patients. They are former nurses with work experience in intensive care settings, and then they matriculate through courses of study to become nurse anesthetists. They take exams and are certified by their own board. Usually, surgery centers will employ several nurse anesthetists so that multiple operating rooms can be used simultaneously – maximizing profits. One or two anesthesiologists will then circulate from room to room to “make sure” everything is satisfactory. So why are they used? They are cheaper than paying for an anesthesiologist, but as you can probably surmise, their training is not comparable.
