Annual Salary
£44,000 to £96,000
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Anaesthetists are doctors who give anaesthetics to patients before, during and after surgery.
Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; on a rota
There will be
3.8% more Anaesthetist jobs in 2027.
In this role you could:
You may need to wear a uniform.
You could work in an NHS or private hospital.
Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.
You can get into this job through a university course or an apprenticeship.
To become an anaesthetist, you'll need to complete:
A medical degree normally takes 5 years to complete. Some courses have the option to include an extra year if you want to study a subject further. This is called an intercalated year.
You might be able to study a foundation year before starting a medical degree. This will depend on your circumstances or if you have not studied enough sciences. Check with the admissions department where you want to study.
If you already have a degree, you could take a 4-year graduate entry route into medicine. There’s lots of competition and entry requirements vary, so check with the admissions department where you want to study.
Entry tests
When you apply for a course in medicine, you could be asked to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT), BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) or Graduate Medical Schools Admissions Test (GAMSAT).
They test the skills you'll need on the course, like critical thinking, problem solving, data analysis, communication and scientific knowledge.
Work experience
Medical schools will also expect you to have some relevant paid or voluntary work experience. The British Medical Association provides information on how to find a placement.
You'll usually need:
From September 2024, you might be able to do a doctor degree apprenticeship which will take around 5 years to complete.
The apprenticeship is recognised by the General Medical Council.
You could then progress to the foundation course of general training before completing the specialist training.
You can get valuable caring skills from volunteering in health, education, charity or social care settings. You can find opportunities through:
You'll need to:
The General Medical Council has a guide on what it means to be a good doctor. You might find this useful when preparing for medical school interviews.
You can use online resources to find out more about the types of interviews you can expect to get into for medical school.
You could join the British Medical Association for professional development and training opportunities.
You can find more details on how to become an anaesthetist from the Royal College of Anaesthetists and Health Careers.
With experience you could:become a consultant anaesthetist; lead or manage an anaesthesia department; teach medical students, trainee doctors, nurses, midwives and paramedics; become a senior consultant if you have a lot of experience and you're on the General Medical Council specialist register
As a specialist or consultant, you'll usually earn a much higher salary.
You'll need: