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Anesthesiology

Anesthesiologists are physicians who perform a variety of activities: manage procedures for rendering a patient insensible to pain and emotional stress during surgical, obstetrical, and certain medical procedures; support life functions under the stress of anesthetic and surgical manipulations; clinically manage the patient unconscious from whatever cause; manage problems in pain relief; manage problems in cardiac and respiratory resuscitation; apply specific methods of inhalation therapy; and clinically manage various fluid, electrolyte, and metabolic disturbances. Only two of the above strictly involve operating room activities. The anesthesiologist visits each patient preoperatively to evaluate the individual's readiness for surgery, discuss the procedures, and allay patient anxiety. In addition, the anesthesiologist is responsible for postanesthesia recovery room care.

• Number of physicians in specialty - Medium, under 50,000
• Competitiveness of residency - High
• Length of training - Four years
• Sub-specialty training - Physicians in this specialty may choose to focus on obstetric, neurosurgical, cardiothoracic, pediatric, or ambulatory anesthesia. The American Board of Anesthesiology offers a Certificate of Special Qualification after successful completion of fellowship training in critical care, hospice and palliative care or pain medicine.

Values & Personality Traits of Physicians in Anesthesiology

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