An anesthesiologist works closely with surgeons.
An anesthesiologist is a doctor who specializes in the prescription and administration of anesthetics--drugs that inhibit a person's ability to feel pain. She calculates the dose and administers anesthetics to patients before surgery, and monitors them throughout the procedure. She also prescribes courses of medicine to patients afflicted with chronic pain conditions. To become an anesthesiologist she must attend medical school, practice general medicine for five years and then undertake an apprenticeship in anesthesiology. Her salary reflects this level of intense training and also depends on a number of other factors, such as experience and location.
Average Salary
As of May 2009 the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the mean yearly salary for an anesthesiologist as $211,750, which came to an hourly rate of $101.80 and a monthly salary of $17,646. The lowest-earning 10 percent of anesthesiologists received an average salary of $115,470.
Salary by Industry Sector
The salary of an anesthesiologist can vary depending on the sector of the health-care industry in which she works. It listed employment at the offices of other physicians as offering the highest average salaries at $221,010, followed by outpatient care centers at $207,240. General medical and surgical hospitals were listed at a mean salary of $176,630 while anesthesiologists who pursued a career in education (colleges, universities or professional schools) either teaching or conducting research could expect to receive a mean wage of $139,490 as of May 2009.
Salary by Location
A second factor influencing the salaries of an anesthesiologist working in the United States is the location in which she is employed. Arizona offered a mean wage of $226,020 while Tennessee offered $222,800. Delaware was listed at $219,390 and Hawaii at $194,240.
Prospects
The BLS estimates that demand for physicians and surgeons in all areas of the medical field, including anesthesiology, will rise by 20 percent or more from 2008 through 2018. It also reports that there will likely be more vacancies than qualified practitioners to fill them. This means that anesthesiology doctors should continue to receive excellent remuneration for their services. Individuals willing to work in rural or low-income areas should be particularly well paid as these locations tend to struggle to fill vacant positions and often offer superior salaries to attract professionals.
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