Does an anesthesiologist take the same classes in college as a surgeon?

Question

Does someone have to be really smart to pursue a career in anesthesiology? And is it true that they get sued alot?

Answer 1

College is irrelevant. It's just preparation for medical school.

In medical school, we all (surgeons, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, obstetricians, etc.) take pretty much the same things, except for a few elective rotations. We all get the same M.D. degree.

It's during residency when we choose our separate paths.

You have to be pretty smart to be any kind of doctor, but anesthesiology isn't the toughest residency to get into. (Those would be ophthalmology, derm and radiology, unless things have changed drastically since I left med school)

We get sued anytime anything goes wrong in the OR, but many times are dropped from the suit if it's not an anesthesia issue. Any doctor can get sued, whether they do something wrong or not. (Seriously, there are crappy doctors who don't get sued, and terrific doctors who do. It's a flawed system.) We have good monitors now that make anesthesia pretty safe.

It's a great job, but only if you're meant to do it. If you are, you'll figure it out in med school.

Answer 2

Anesthesiology is a superspeacialty at the PG level and at the undergraduate level, they all study the same subjects of anatomy, phsiology, surgery, general medicine etc. About the other parts of your question, discuss with the medical school where you are planning to study.