Anaesthetists make up the largest specialty in the hospital and play a critical part in its running. Without them, theatres, the labour ward, pain services, and the intensive care unit (ICU) would almost become defunct.
Anaesthetists have a good understanding not only of medicine and surgery but also of physics and chemistry, because they work with gases and intricate electrical equipment. Anaesthesia brings physiology and pharmacology to life.
Most anaesthetists do a number of lists, including orthopaedic, gynaecological, vascular, general surgical, and dental procedures. This keeps things interesting because you may do an epidural on a 75 year old patient having a joint replacement in the morning, and then a fibreoptic intubation on a 35 year old having a hernia repair in the afternoon.
Although ICU medicine is becoming a specialty in its own right, most intensivists are anaesthetists because of their knowledge of ventilators, physiology, and pharmacology. The pain service is also anaesthetist led, and chronic pain clinics are a way of developing a long term rapport with patients.
No other specialty offers direct consultant supervision and teaching on a daily basis.
You can view the latest jobs available for doctors in anaesthetics on Global Medical Careers below.