Occupation · SOC 29-1211
Anesthesiologists
Administer anesthetics and analgesics for pain management prior to, during, or after surgery.
Median wage
$239,200
$124,450–$239,200
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
41,890
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
55 mapped
Core skills
Critical ThinkingMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingActive ListeningWritingScienceReading ComprehensionComplex Problem SolvingSpeakingTime ManagementSocial PerceptivenessOperations MonitoringActive LearningSystems EvaluationService OrientationLearning StrategiesSystems AnalysisInstructingCoordinationPersuasionMathematicsManagement of Personnel ResourcesNegotiationQuality Control AnalysisOperation and ControlOperations AnalysisManagement of Financial ResourcesTroubleshootingManagement of Material ResourcesTechnology DesignEquipment SelectionProgrammingRepairingInstallationEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Medicine and DentistryBiologyEnglish LanguageChemistryCustomer and Personal ServicePsychologyPhysicsMathematicsEducation and TrainingAdministration and ManagementComputers and ElectronicsTherapy and CounselingLaw and GovernmentEngineering and TechnologyMechanicalPersonnel and Human ResourcesEconomics and AccountingAdministrativeSociology and AnthropologyPublic Safety and SecurityCommunications and MediaForeign LanguageTelecommunicationsProduction and ProcessingPhilosophy and TheologySales and MarketingDesignGeographyTransportationHistory and ArcheologyBuilding and ConstructionFine ArtsFood Production
Technology & tools
AetherPalm InfusiCalcAnesthesia machine softwareAtStaff Physician SchedulerDrug database softwareEDImis Anesthesia ManagerElectronic medical record EMR softwareEpic SystemsHealthpac Medical BillingMEDITECH softwareMedical calculator softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordSkyscape 5-Minute Clinical ConsultSkyscape AnesthesiaDrugsWeb browser software
Representative tasks
Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAssisting and Caring for OthersGetting InformationUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsAnalyzing Data or InformationDocumenting/Recording InformationProcessing InformationIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsControlling Machines and ProcessesEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersTraining and Teaching OthersJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesScheduling Work and ActivitiesPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicThinking CreativelyCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersWorking with ComputersHandling and Moving ObjectsDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationCoaching and Developing OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersPerforming General Physical ActivitiesStaffing Organizational UnitsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Patient medical history and diagnostic test results — review and summarize under attending supervision to identify baseline anesthetic risk factors in a hospital preoperative setting.Anesthesia type and dosage records — document accurately using electronic medical software during supervised procedures in a surgical suite.Local and intravenous anesthetic agents — administer under direct attending supervision following established protocols in a controlled operating room environment.Patient vital signs and physiological parameters — monitor continuously during anesthesia induction while working alongside senior anesthesiologists in a teaching hospital.Airway management equipment and basic life support techniques — apply under close supervision when preparing patients for scheduled surgical procedures.Patient positioning protocols — execute on the operating table according to established guidelines and under surgeon direction to maximize comfort and procedural access.Adverse reactions and common anesthetic complications — recognize early warning signs and report immediately to supervising staff during intraoperative monitoring.Anesthesia coordination requirements — communicate clearly with surgical team members under guidance to support safe intraoperative workflow.Post-anesthetic recovery criteria — apply standard discharge readiness checklists under supervision to assess patient stabilization following outpatient procedures.Pharmacological and biological principles of anesthetic agents — apply foundational knowledge from medical training when selecting initial drug options under attending direction.
developing
Patient anesthetic risk profile — assess independently by integrating medical history, laboratory results, and diagnostic imaging before elective surgical procedures in a community hospital.Intravenous, spinal, and caudal anesthetic techniques — administer routinely with reduced oversight, adapting dosage to patient weight and comorbidities in a standard operating room.Intraoperative patient condition — monitor and adjust anesthetic delivery autonomously during routine procedures, escalating to senior staff for non-standard complications.Anesthesia administration records — maintain complete and accurate documentation in medical record software throughout procedures, ensuring regulatory compliance.Emergency airway management protocols — execute including intubation and ventilatory support with growing confidence during urgent surgical cases in an acute care setting.Anesthesia plan coordination — collaborate with surgical and nursing teams to sequence induction, maintenance, and emergence phases efficiently during scheduled operations.Post-procedure recovery assessment — evaluate patient neurological, respiratory, and cardiovascular status to make evidence-based discharge decisions following outpatient surgery.Obstetrical anesthesia requirements — manage epidural and spinal techniques for laboring patients with moderate complexity under periodic attending consultation.Intraoperative adverse events — respond to familiar complications such as hypotension and bronchospasm using established management algorithms in a perioperative environment.Critical thinking and clinical reasoning — apply systematically when reviewing patient data to refine anesthetic technique selection for patients with known chronic conditions.
proficient
Comprehensive preoperative risk stratification — conduct autonomously across high-complexity patient populations, integrating multisystem comorbidities and pharmacological interactions before major surgical procedures.Full-spectrum anesthetic techniques including regional, neuraxial, and general methods — select and execute independently based on individualized patient risk-benefit analysis in a tertiary care surgical environment.Intraoperative hemodynamic and physiological instability — diagnose and manage without supervision, applying advanced pharmacological and mechanical interventions during complex or prolonged surgeries.Life support and emergency airway management — lead resuscitation efforts including difficult airway algorithms and advanced cardiac life support when unexpected crises arise in the operating room.Anesthesia record integrity and clinical documentation — produce comprehensive, legally defensible operative notes and compliance reports using hospital information systems across all procedure types.Multidisciplinary surgical coordination — negotiate and align anesthesia plans with surgical, nursing, and perfusion teams for high-acuity cases including cardiac, neurosurgical, and trauma procedures.Post-anesthetic stabilization decisions — make independent, nuanced discharge or transfer judgments for critically ill or complex patients recovering in surgical intensive care or PACU environments.Rare and severe anesthetic complications such as malignant hyperthermia or anaphylaxis — recognize and treat immediately using evidence-based emergency protocols in a live surgical setting.Patient and family education regarding anesthetic risk — communicate clearly and empathetically across health literacy levels during preoperative consultations in ambulatory and inpatient contexts.Clinical evidence and pharmacological literature — synthesize continuously to refine practice and apply emerging anesthetic agents or techniques in day-to-day patient care.
advanced
Departmental anesthesia protocols and clinical practice guidelines — design, implement, and revise at organizational scale to reflect current evidence and improve patient safety outcomes across a health system.Anesthesiology workforce development — mentor residents, fellows, and advanced practice providers through structured clinical training programs within an academic medical center or large group practice.Quality improvement and patient safety initiatives — lead institution-wide programs targeting anesthetic adverse event reduction, using outcomes data and systems evaluation frameworks.Strategic resource allocation for perioperative services — direct scheduling, staffing models, and technology adoption decisions to optimize surgical throughput and operational efficiency across multiple operating suites.Complex ethical and medicolegal decisions involving anesthetic care — advise hospital leadership, ethics committees, and legal counsel on high-stakes cases involving informed consent, capacity, and end-of-life scenarios.Research programs in anesthesiology and perioperative medicine — design and oversee clinical trials or translational studies, securing funding and translating findings into improved practice standards.Interdisciplinary care coordination at executive level — represent anesthesiology on hospital boards, surgical services committees, and accreditation bodies to shape perioperative policy.Performance evaluation frameworks for anesthesia providers — establish competency benchmarks, credentialing criteria, and peer review processes that drive continuous professional accountability.Advanced technology adoption including novel monitoring systems and medical software platforms — evaluate, champion, and oversee enterprise-wide implementation to enhance intraoperative safety and data capture.Crisis resource management and simulation-based training curricula — develop and lead programs that build team response capability for rare but catastrophic intraoperative emergencies across the clinical enterprise.
Also known as
14 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Ambulatory AnesthesiologistAnaesthesiologistAnesthesiologistAnesthesiology Pain Management PhysicianAnesthesiology PhysicianAnesthetistCardiac AnesthesiologistDO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician)General AnesthesiologistMedical Doctor (MD)Obstetrical AnesthesiologistPediatric AnesthesiologistStaff AnesthesiologistStaff Anesthetist