Becoming an Anaesthetist
Who are anaesthetists?
Anaesthetists are highly trained specialists, and the single largest group of hospital, whose duties include:
- Providing anaesthesia during surgery
- Preparation of surgical patients
- Pain management
- Intensive care
- Dealing with many emergency situations
- Providing care for breathing and resuscitation of the heart and lungs
- Advanced life support
Becoming an Anaesthetist
To become an anaesthetist in the UK, applicants need to undertake a training programme and complete a two part Fellowship of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (FRCA) examination. Candidates can only progress to the third and fifth years of training after the successful completion of both exams.
Candidate who complete 7 years of training will be rewarded a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). They must then register with the General Medical Council as a Specialist Registrar in order to apply for consultant posts with the National Health Service in the UK.