Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 12/24/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I'm a sophomore in high school and I wanted to ask you a few questions about Anesthesiology. I wanted to know what courses that I need while I'm in high school? What courses do I take in college? How can I find a good medical school in Texas? What requirements do I need to be able to get into a good medical school? How does the whole residency program work? What all do I do in the residency program? Does the medical school assign me a hospital or something for the residency program? How much would I get paid during the program? After the residency program, does a hospital offer me a job for me to work in their hospital or do I have to look for a hospital and apply for one? What other exams or things do I have to do once I finish my residency program? I'm really sorry about asking so many questions but I'm just trying to plan everything out and want to know exactly what all I have to do so that I won't get confused when the time comes. I like to plan things ahead of time. I really appreciate for all the help.   
         Thank you very much,
         Nidhi P.
         Sophomore

ANSWER: Man, thant's a lot of questions. Most of these you don't need to know for a long time but I'll answer them any way.

I wanted to know what courses that I need while I'm in high school?

Take the usual courses but if you have the opportunity to take more science courses, take them (particularly chemistry and physics).

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What courses do I take in college?

It depends on your major but you must take the required premed courses. You college counselor can tell you what those are.

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How can I find a good medical school in Texas?

They're all good.

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What requirements do I need to be able to get into a good medical school?

Excellent grades, good scores on your MCAT exam and varied extracurricular activties.

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How does the whole residency program work?

Resdency is after medical school and this is where you learn your specialty. For Anesthesiology it is 4 yrs.

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What all do I do in the residency program?

You practice anesthesia under the supervision of a faculty member.

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Does the medical school assign me a hospital or something for the residency program?

No you apply to residency programs around the country and there is a national match that places you in a program based on a variety of factors.

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How much would I get paid during the program?

Residency is a job as well as an education. You make between $35,000 and $45,000 to start.

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After the residency program, does a hospital offer me a job for me to work in their hospital or do I have to look for a hospital and apply for one?

You have to look. It depends on what you want, private practice or academic.

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What other exams or things do I have to do once I finish my residency program?

You take your board exams to become board certified in anesthesiology.


Hope this helps,

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you very much for all the information. I just had two more questions. What is the difference between the doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathic medicine? How much did it cost overall for you to become an Anesthesiologist?
         Thanks again,
         Nidhi Patel

Answer
Osteopaths have basically the same training as allopaths except they also perform manipulations (similar to chiropracters). In smaller cities and towns they have equal stature but in the bigger cities, osteopaths are not as well known or understood.

As for cost, that is a difficult question because it depends on many factors. You can expect to owe between $50,000 and $120,000 dollars by the end of medical school.

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston