Qualifications
Becoming an anesthesiologist means you'll be spending the bulk of your twenties in school. You'll study while your friends launch into the world, carousing and having a good time, setting the stage for the future ailments (cirrhosis, addiction, obesity) that might end up keeping you employed once you hit the workforce.
Typically, it takes from eleven to sixteen years to complete a medical education. That's four years of undergrad, four years of medical school, and anywhere from four to five years of a residency in anesthesiology. And the book learning doesn't end with the residency.
You may be smart as a whip, but to get your medical license, you must pass licensing exams, like the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination. To keep that medical license, you'll have to keep on taking continuing education classes to learn about new razzle-dazzle techniques.