Special Offer 

Jumpstart your hiring with a $75 credit to sponsor your first job.*

Sponsored Jobs are 2.6x times faster to first hire than non-sponsored jobs.**
  • Attract the talent you’re looking for
  • Get more visibility in search results
  • Appear to more candidates longer

Anesthesiologist Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

An Anesthesiologist is a medical doctor who is in charge of managing pain and patient sedation before, during and after medical procedures. Their duties include studying medication interactions to select medications, communicating with patients about pain management plans and collaborating with other doctors and surgeons to limit discomfort and relieve pain during an operation.

Anesthesiologist duties and responsibilities

The responsibilities of an Anesthesiologist include their daily functions, critical tasks and important responsibilities. These duties usually include:

  • Evaluating patients’ vital signs, medical histories, allergies, current medication use, and other risk factors
  • Working with a medical team to design a patient’s treatment plan
  • Supervising nurses when they administer anesthesia to patients before procedures
  • Monitoring vital signs of the patient during surgery and adjusting anesthetics as needed
  • Maintaining detailed notes on patient treatment, dosing and vital signs
  • Continuing care after surgery to control the level of pain relief and consciousness
  • Communicating continuing care instructions to specialists and nurses

Hire your next Anesthesiologist today.

Build a job description

Hire your next Anesthesiologist today.

Build a job description
Close

Anesthesiologist Job Description Examples

Optimize Your Interviews
Use our toolkit to optimize your interview process, improve your hiring decisions and enhance the candidate experience.
Get the Toolkit

What does an Anesthesiologist do?

Anesthesiologists work at hospitals, clinics and private practices as part of a patient’s medical or surgical team. Some Anesthesiologists work at teaching hospitals where they instruct medical interns, residents and fellows on best practices through hands-on training and mentorship. Anesthesiologists can specialize in a particular field, such as pediatric anesthesiology or chronic pain treatment. Anesthesiologists meet with a patient before surgeries and discuss their care plan which can include administering local or general anesthesia using injections or intravenous lines. They decide the level of sedation a patient needs and determine when to start and stop treatment to keep them safe.

Anesthesiologist skills and qualifications

Certain hard and soft skills are critical to success as an Anesthesiologist. The following skills are common:

  • Proficient knowledge of various medications and their uses
  • Extensive knowledge of physiological and organ support techniques to use during surgical prodcures
  • Ability to remain calm and focused during procedures
  • Highly detail-oriented to design treatment plans and keep accurate records
  • Excellent communication skills to relay information clearly to medical teams and patients
  • Compassion with patients who may be experiencing pain or discomfort

Anesthesiologist salary expectations

The average salary for an Anesthesiologist is $374,812 per year. The exact salary for a qualified Anesthesiologist candidate may vary from this average depending on years of experience, specialty certifications and expertise.

Anesthesiologist salary expectations

2025-10-01121000.00371692.02756000.00YEARLY
  • Common salary: 371692.02 YEARLY
  • Typical salaries range from 121000.00 - 756000.00 YEARLY
  • Find more information on Indeed Salaries

*Indeed data – 2025-10-01

Anesthesiologist education and training requirements

A doctoral degree is essential for an Anesthesiologist. Successful completion of a four-year Anesthesiology residency program is also required. Anesthesiologist candidates must pass an exam and be licensed to practice medicine in the state in which they work.

Board certification through the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) or American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) may be required. Certifications in specialty areas such as palliative care, pediatric anesthesiology, dental anesthesiology, neurosurgery, obstetrics and critical care may be required as well.

Anesthesiologist experience requirements

The role of Anesthesiologist requires extensive clinical and work experience. Additional training and experience working in subspecialty areas may be required.

Several years of work experience alongside other Doctors or in specific environments (such as dental offices or emergency rooms) may also be necessary. Anesthesiologists working at a management level must have many years of experience working in anesthesiology.

Job description samples for similar positions

If the job description for the Anesthesiologist does not suit your needs, view descriptions for related professions:

Optimize Your Interviews
Use our toolkit to optimize your interview process, improve your hiring decisions and enhance the candidate experience.
Get the Toolkit

Three individuals are sitting at a table with a laptop, a disposable coffee cup, notebooks, and a phone visible. Two are facing each other, while the third’s back is to the camera. The setting appears to be a bright room with large windows.

Hire your next Anesthesiologist today.

Build a job description

Frequently asked questions about Anesthesiologists

Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

No search results found