Why are anesthesiologists paid so much?

If an anesthesiologist maladministers anesthesia on a patient, two very bad outcomes could occur:

• Giving a patient too little could cause them to wake up during surgery or other medical procedure

• A patient could pass away from too much anesthesia

This is one of the primary reasons anesthesiologists make so much money. Here are some other reasons anesthesiologists make a lot of money:

• The education required

  To become an anesthesiologist, you must graduate from medical school, undergo residency, and get a state license. There are many additional certifications available to anesthesiologists from various medical associations.

• The amount of hours anesthesiologists work

  Anesthesiologists typically work 40 to 60 hours a week. However, it is not uncommon for an anesthesiologist to work 60 to 80 hours a week. This depends on whether they work in a private surgical practice, hospital, or other medical facility.

  Generally speaking, an anesthesiologist's day starts around 6 AM and ends after they have their last patient. Certain days may see them getting off in the afternoon, around 3 PM, while days with larger caseloads can see them end work as late as 7 PM or 8 PM.

• 24-hour shifts and being on-call

  Some anesthesiologists work 24-hour shifts with alternating days off. Many also have to remain on-call in the event of emergency surgery. Those working in private surgical practices typically have more on-call hours because these facilities tend to have less medical staff than hospitals.