There are about 5000 anaesthetists in Britain and they form the biggest group of doctors in acute medicine. They spend about half of their time in operating theatres. Their contributions in intensive care units (ICU), labour wards (obstetrics) and in chronic pain clinics are invaluable. Anaesthetists run about 95% of ICUs.

What are the advantages of anaesthetics as a career?

Obviously anaesthetics are invaluable for the relief of pain and most surgical operations would be impossible without them.

The work in anaesthetics is to a large extent organised in sessions (half days). It can therefore easily be done part-time. Many consultant anaesthetists (fully trained specialists) fit in a theatre list in the private sector in addition to their NHS work. Some consultants are involved in administration or medical politics.

What does the training consist of?

Registered doctors start training in anaesthetics in the senior house officer grade. They rotate at six-monthly intervals through various departments and work for the examination of the Fellowship of Faculty of the Royal College of Anaesthetists of the Royal College of Surgeons, (FFARCS).

Training takes about 6 years.

Promotion prospects?

Candidates with the FFARCS or a qualification obtained abroad recognized by the General Medical Council as equivalent should have no difficulty in finding a consultancy as prospects are excellent. Recently the British government have promised to create another 7,500 consultancy posts, which should make promotion prospects even better.