What is an Anaesthetist?

A specialist anaesthetist is a fully qualified medical doctor who, after obtaining their medical degree, has spent at least two years working in the hospital system before completing a further five years of advanced training in anaesthesia.

Clinical anaesthesia is built on the knowledge of physiology (how the body works) and pharmacology (how medications work in the body). Anaesthetists have an extensive knowledge of medicine and surgery and understanding of the basic sciences. They know how the body responds to anaesthesia and surgery, and how a patient’s health affects these responses.

In Australia and New Zealand, anaesthesia training is supervised and accredited by the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). The training to become a specialist anaesthetist is equal in length to that of other medical specialists, such as surgeons, and includes intensive assessments, both at the hospitals where trainees work, and by written and verbal examinations. Doctors in the training program are called registrars. When a registrar completes their training and passes all examinations, they are awarded a diploma of fellowship of ANZCA, become Fellows of the College and may use the initials FANZCA after their name. They can then practice as a specialist anaesthetist in Australia and New Zealand. Anaesthetists are perioperative physicians trained in all forms of anaesthesia and are members of multidisciplinary teams providing healthcare to patients. They assess patients before their procedures and play an important role in caring for the patient before, during and after surgery. They also provide anaesthetic care for patients undergoing non-surgical procedures, particularly if the procedures are long, complex or painful. Anaesthetists play a pivotal role in resuscitating acutely unwell patients, including trauma victims, and help to manage patients suffering from acute or chronic pain. They also provide pain relief for women during labour and delivery.

Throughout their practice, anaesthetists must continue to update their skills by regularly attending professional development sessions. Anaesthetists must participate in a continuing professional development (CPD) program that complies with ANZCA’s CPD standard in order for them to practice. Many anaesthetists are active in research, studying how the body works, and developing new drugs and equipment to minimize error and patient harm. They teach a range of healthcare workers, including medical and nursing students, interns, residents, anaesthesia trainees and other medical specialists.

The information on this page is from the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). For further information, please visit their website at http://www.anzca.edu.au