Anesthesiologists are licensed medical doctors who specialize in pain control and management of vital functions for patients before, during and after medical or surgical procedures. Like other physicians, anesthesiologists must complete an undergraduate degree to qualify for admission to medical school. Students who plan to become anesthesiologists do not need any particular undergraduate major to be eligible for medical school admission, but the majority of colleges in the U.S. do offer a specific combination of courses as a premedical curriculum, which prepares you to meet the qualifications for admission to medical school and progress toward specialization in anesthesiology.
The field of medicine and a specialization in anesthesiology require a background in several science disciplines. All premedical students typically take biology, chemistry and physics. These courses prepare you to understand how the human body functions and how chemicals or drugs affect the body's organs and systems. Chemistry courses that you need include organic and general chemistry. Biochemistry is also commonly required for admission to some medical schools. Additional science courses that help you prepare to pass the Medical College Admissions Test include anatomy, microbiology and physiology.
To prepare for medical school and the MCAT exam, you need to have strong math skills. Aspiring anesthesiologists must take any math courses, such as algebra and trigonometry, that are required by the university they attend. Both are also prerequisites for calculus courses required for medical school admission. You must complete at least a semester of calculus, but the undergraduate school that you attend and the medical schools that you are applying to can require a year or more of calculus. Increasingly, medical schools recommend that premedical students take at least a semester of statistics.
Liberal arts courses help anesthesiologists understand society, family life and cultural factors that affect patient health. When you attend a liberal arts institution, your graduation requirements or electives can include art, music and history. Psychology, sociology, philosophy and anthropology courses round out your knowledge of human societies.
Anesthesiologists must have good communication skills. This requires mastery of written and spoken English. The mandatory courses for premedical undergraduates who plan to become doctors often provide a foundation in grammar, spelling and punctuation. Advanced English classes that focus on composition and written communications prepare you to communicate with medical staff and your patients. While your undergraduate institution may not require foreign language classes for premedical students, the ability to speak and comprehend a language other than English is often useful for an anesthesiology practice and your career.
- Indiana University Bloomington: Premedical Coursework and Competencies
- University of Illinois Springfield: Science and Pre-Med Courses to Take Prior to the MCAT Exam
- American Society of Anesthesiologists: How to Prepare for a Career in Anesthesiology
- American Medical Association: Preparing for Medical School
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