After completing medical school training, people work for at least two years as a junior doctor in a hospital. They then complete a further five years of hospital-based training to become specialist anaesthetists. Anaesthetists are required to complete ongoing training, such as attending conferences and reading medical journals, in order to maintain professional standards and registration.

"In my house surgeon years, I chose to do obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics. Although I didn't end up specialising in either, my experience has been particularly useful in doing anaesthesia for babies and children, and obstetric patients." Lisa Chapman, Anaesthetist (Registrar)

Registration as a medical practitioner who has completed an approved course of anaesthetic training is needed. In New Zealand, this means completing the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists five-year training programme. For the duration of their specialist training, people practise medicine using the title of registrar. They then become a Fellow of the College (FANZCA), and are eligible to be registered as an anaesthetist with the Medical Council of New Zealand.

Tertiary Education: A Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery is required. This degree is offered at the University of Auckland and the University of Otago. To enter training, students must undergo the Undergraduate Medicine and Health (UMAT) admission tests, where one third of their first year final grade is determined by non-academic achievements.

Secondary Education: A tertiary entrance qualification is needed to apply for medical school, although a Scholarship, an A Bursary or NCEA equivalent is preferred. Useful subjects include maths with calculus or statistics, chemistry, physics, biology and English.

Personal Requirements Skills: Anaesthetists need to have medical, surgical and technical skills. They must have good communication and people skills in order to relate well to patients. They must also have crisis management skills, skills in analysing and interpreting information, and the ability to make decisions.

Knowledge: Anaesthetists need to know about: the human body and how it functions
the effects of anaesthetics and other drugs on the body, and how to treat allergic reactions, how to revive and resuscitate people, medical ethics and the law, anaesthetic and monitoring equipment.

Personal Qualities: Anaesthetists should have a genuine concern for the well-being of others. They must be able to make quick decisions and good judgements under pressure, and pay attention to detail. They also need to be well-organised, practical and have an awareness and understanding of other cultures.
 
Description: Anaesthetists administer different forms of anaesthetics to make patients unaware and free of pain during and after surgical procedures. Anaesthetists may also specialise in intensive care or pain medicine.

Anaesthesiologist: Tasks and Duties: Anaesthetists: assess patients' medical status and how that might affect the anaesthetic
assess patients' pain management requirements before surgical operations decide on the anaesthetic drugs and techniques to be used before, during and after an operation discuss the anaesthetic process with patients give both local and general anaesthetics to patients, provide pain relief for women in labour, are involved in the resuscitation of critically ill people such as trauma victims, observe and care for patients before, during and after operations, record details of drugs given, teach medical staff and students about anaesthetics, carry out research on new drugs and treatments.