Anesthesiologists
On the Job
Anesthesiologists are physicians who administer anesthesia before, during, or after surgery or other medical procedures. They may provide general anesthesia, which puts a patient to sleep, or local anesthesia, which numbs only a certain area of the body.
Physical Demands 
This career requires good eyesight.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Diagnose medical conditions.
- Administer anesthetics or sedatives to control pain.
- Implement advanced life support techniques.
- Position patients for treatment or examination.
- Prepare patients physically for medical procedures.
- Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.
- Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues.
- Monitor patient conditions during treatments, procedures, or activities.
- Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
- Record patient medical histories.
Typical Working Conditions
- Having face-to-face discussions.
- Working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.
- The importance of being accurate or exact.
- Freedom to make decisions without supervision.
- Making decisions that impact co-workers or company results.
- Wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets.
- Working with a group or team.
- Exposure to disease or infections.
- Exposure to contaminants (like gases or odors).
- Responsibility for others' health and safety.
- Meeting strict deadlines.
- Using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
- High levels of competition.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
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