Annual Salary
£25,654 to £75,873
Average UK salary in 2019 was £30,378
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Social care or Therapy or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Social care or Therapy or go back to all job sectors
Anaesthetists are doctors who give anaesthetics to patients before, during and after surgery.
Average UK salary in 2019 was £30,378
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; on a rota
There will be
6% more Anaesthetist jobs in 2026.
In your local area
You may:
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:
To become an anaesthetist you'll need to complete:
You may be able to join a 6-year degree course in medicine if you have no A levels or equivalent qualifications in science. This includes a one-year pre-medical foundation year.
If you already have an upper second class of first class science degree, you could take a 4-year graduate entry route into medicine. Some universities will also accept non-science graduates.
When you apply for a course in medicine, you could be asked to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) or BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT). They test the skills you'll need on the course, like critical thinking, problem solving, data analysis, communication and scientific knowledge.
There's a lot of competition for places on medical degrees. Most university admissions departments will expect you to have done some relevant paid or voluntary experience.
You'll usually need:
You'll need to:
You can find more details about this career from the Royal College of Anaesthetists and Health Careers.
As a consultant anaesthetist in the NHS, you may also find opportunities to work in the private sector. With experience you might lead or manage departments.
With experience and entry on the General Medical Council (GMC) Specialist Register, you could apply for senior (or consultant) roles.
You could also teach medical students, postgraduate doctors in training, nurses, midwives and paramedics.
You'll need: