American Board of Anesthesiology 4101 Lake Boone Trail Suite 510 Raleigh, NC 27607-7506 Tel: (919) 881-2570 www.theaba.org

An Anesthesiologist is trained to provide pain relief and maintenance or restoration of a stable condition during and immediately following an operation or an obstetric or diagnostic procedure. The Anesthesiologist assesses the risk of the patient undergoing surgery and optimizes the patient’s condition prior to, during and after surgery. In addition to these management responsibilities, the Anesthesiologist provides medical management and consultation in pain management and critical care medicine. Anesthesiologists diagnose and treat acute, long-standing and cancer pain problems, diagnose and treat patients with critical illnesses or severe injuries and direct resuscitation in the care of patients with cardiac or respiratory emergencies, including the need for artificial ventilation, and supervise post anesthesia recovery.

Training Required: Four years

Subspecialties for Anesthesiology

Certification in one of the following subspecialties requires additional training and examination.

• Critical Care Medicine
  An Anesthesiologist who specializes in Critical Care Medicine has expertise in the diagnosis, treatment and support of critically ill and injured patients, particularly trauma victims and patients with multiple organ disfunction. This specialist also coordinates patient care among the primary physician, critical care staff and other specialists.
  
  
• Hospice and Palliative Medicine
  These physicians have special knowledge and skills to prevent and relieve the suffering experienced by patients with life-limiting illnesses. This specialist works with an interdisciplinary hospice or palliative care team to maximize quality of life while addressing the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of both patient and family throughout the course of the disease, including through the dying process and subsequent family grieving. This care can occur within or outside of a formal hospice or palliative care team. This specialist has expertise in the assessment of patients with advanced disease and catastrophic injury; the relief of distressing symptoms; the coordination of interdisciplinary patient and family-centered care in diverse settings; the use of specialized care systems including hospice; the management of the imminently dying patient; and legal and ethical decision making in end-of-life care.
  
  
• Pain Medicine
  Pain Medicine is the medical discipline concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of the entire range of painful disorders. An Anesthesiologist who specializes in Pain Medicine provides a high level of care, either as a primary physician or consultant, for patients experiencing problems with acute, chronic and/or cancer pain in both hospital and ambulatory settings. Due to the vast scope of the field, Pain Medicine is a multidisciplinary subspecialty and patient care needs may be coordinated with other specialists.
  
  

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