Path to Anesthesiology: Bachelor's, Medical School & Residency

Anesthesiologists are medical doctors who specialize in the use of anesthesia to manage pain during medical procedures. To become a licensed anesthesiologist, you must earn a bachelor's degree, attend medical school, and complete a four-year residency in anesthesiology.

You cannot become an anesthesiologist by attending a junior college. Junior colleges offer two-year degrees and are typically not designed to prepare students for careers as anesthesiologists.