Are you intrigued by the field of anesthesiology? Have you narrowed down your potential career choices and keep coming back to this one? Working in the field of anesthesia is sure to be a fulfilling career that will allow you to succeed on a professional level. As an anesthesia technician you will spend the majority of your time assisting an anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist will work to numb patients so that they are comfortable and feel no pain during a medical procedure. This may require you to prepare medications, set up equipment that will be used, wash and sterilize equipment that can be re-used, and report malfunctioning equipment to the appropriate personnel. Depending upon your specific place of employment you may also be expected to take charge of the anesthesia medications, supplies, and equipment; this would require you to order, stock, test, and maintain each of these necessary items. It is common for individuals who are pursuing a career as an anesthesia technician to choose to complete an Associate of Applied Science degree with a concentration in Anesthesia Technology. This degree program will teach you how to administer chemicals that will numb specific areas of a patient’s body or to make a patient unconscious just before they undergo a major surgical procedure. While completing numerous classes in medical technology and the natural sciences, you will be learning about the technology, the chemicals, and the skills that are used by anesthesiologists and doctors in an operating room. In addition to completing classroom based instruction, students are also required to complete hands-on clinical classes in a real world hospital setting.
You can expect to be required to complete specific coursework like: pharmacology, patient care, anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, anesthesia equipment, chemistry, healthcare ethics, and microbiology. You can expect your coursework to prepare you to work with different types of medical equipment, to teach you what you need to know about the medical and natural sciences, and to prepare you to work effectively and efficiently in a high pressure, fast paced medical setting. In addition to your educational training you may also want to consider gaining certification through the American Society of Anesthesia Technologists and Technicians. In order to obtain this certification you will need to have completed an approved educational program, to complete a specific amount of relevant work experience, and to earn a passing score on a written exam. Take a moment and request a free information packet from any of the schools on our site that interest you. As a degree holder in anesthesia technology, it may be possible for you to advance to a position as an anesthesiologist. In addition, anesthesia technicians are needed by many different types of surgeons in many different settings. Find an anesthesiology training program near you.