Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 3/24/2008

Question
Hi Mr. Levy,
I am  a Freshman in high school and i was wondering the prerequisite courses required to become an anesthesiologist. I am interested in this field but I heard there are a lot of liability issues. How often does a mistake occur for a well trained anesthesiologist? Also, what college and medical school do you recommend and after all 12 years how much will it end up costing me, roughly? My main issue though is are you allowed to work while in residency?

Sincerely,

Alex

Answer
I am  a Freshman in high school and i was wondering the prerequisite courses required to become an anesthesiologist.

There are no prerequisites for anesthesiology but there are prerequisites for medical school including calculus, physics, chemistry and biology courses.

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I am interested in this field but I heard there are a lot of liability issues. How often does a mistake occur for a well trained anesthesiologist?

There are liability issues in all areas of medicine, but anesthesiology is one of the highest. It's hard to say how often a mistake happens. It should be zero but it's not. Mistakes happen all the time. The question is whether the mistake reaches the level of gross negligence leading to a lawsuit.

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Also, what college and medical school do you recommend

They are all good so I don't recommend any particular one.

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and after all 12 years how much will it end up costing me, roughly?

It depends on where you go, etc but it can range from 20,000 to over 100,000 dollars.

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My main issue though is are you allowed to work while in residency?

During your residency you are working and getting paid. You don't have time to work beyond that.


Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston