If you have surgery coming up, you'll meet your anaesthetist before the procedure. This guide explains, in plain English, what an anaesthetist is, what they actually do, how their role differs from an anaesthesiologist or a nurse anaesthetist, and what to expect on the day — written for patients in Australia.
How to pronounce & spell “anaesthetist”
In Australian English, “anaesthetist” is pronounced uh‑NEES‑thet‑ist — stress on the second syllable. The IPA notation is /əˈniːs.θə.tɪst/. Use the listen button above if you'd
like to hear it.
Spelling: both forms are correct
| Spelling | Used in |
|---|---|
| Anaesthetist | Australia, UK, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa |
| Anesthetist | United States, Canada |
Common misspellings include anaesthesist, anasthetist, anaethetist, and aneasthetist. The correct Australian spelling is anaesthetist.
Word origin
From the Greek anaisthēsia, meaning “without sensation” — a word already used by Dioscorides in the 1st century AD. The first public demonstration of surgical anaesthesia took place in Boston on 16 October 1846; a few weeks later, the Boston physician Oliver Wendell Holmes proposed applying the word “anaesthesia” to the new state of insensibility produced by ether. The practitioner term “anaesthetist” first appears in English around 1861.
Is an anaesthetist a doctor?
Yes. In Australia, an anaesthetist is a fully qualified specialist medical doctor. They have completed:
- An undergraduate or graduate medical degree (4–6 years, depending on pathway).
- At least 2 years working as a junior doctor in the hospital system.
- A further 5 years of specialist training through the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA).
On successful completion they are awarded fellowship of ANZCA, which is why you'll often see the letters FANZCA after an anaesthetist's name. The total pathway is around 12 years of training before someone can work independently as a specialist anaesthetist.
Anaesthetists are not the same as anaesthesia nurses or anaesthetic technicians. Those are valuable members of the operating-theatre team, but they have different qualifications and a different scope of practice.
Anaesthetist vs anaesthesiologist vs nurse anaesthetist
Because the words look similar and vary by country, patients often get confused — especially when reading information from overseas. Here's a plain comparison.
| Term | Who they are | Where used |
|---|---|---|
| Anaesthetist | Specialist medical doctor who administers anaesthesia. | Australia, UK, NZ, most Commonwealth countries. |
| Anesthesiologist | The same role — a specialist medical doctor who administers anaesthesia. | United States, Canada. (Different word, same job as an Australian anaesthetist.) |
| GP anaesthetist | A general practitioner with additional ANZCA Rural Generalist Anaesthesia (RGA) training, who provides anaesthesia in communities without a specialist anaesthetist. | Rural and remote Australia. They work to defined scope-of-practice protocols and refer complex cases to specialists. |
| Nurse anaesthetist | A nurse with advanced training in anaesthesia, working under varying physician supervision. In the US they're called CRNAs. | Common in the US, France, Belgium, and the Nordic countries, among others. Does not exist as a role in Australia — here, all anaesthesia is administered by medical doctors. |
| Anaesthetic technician | Allied-health practitioner who assists the anaesthetist in theatre. | Australia & NZ — they support, they don't administer. |
The short version for Australian patients: your anaesthetist is your anaesthesiologist — we just use a different word.
What does an anaesthetist do?
Your anaesthetist looks after you across what doctors call the perioperative period — before, during and after your operation. Tap each stage below to see what's happening behind the scenes.
Before surgery: planning & assessment
- Reviews your medical history, medications and previous reactions to anaesthesia.
- Examines you and orders any tests needed to make sure you're fit for the procedure.
- Explains your anaesthetic options and the risks involved, in language you can understand.
- Plans the type of anaesthetic best suited to you and your surgery.
During surgery: continuous, second-by-second care
- Administers your anaesthetic — a general anaesthetic, regional anaesthetic, sedation or local anaesthetic.
- Manages your airway and your breathing throughout the procedure.
- Continuously monitors your heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, temperature and depth of anaesthesia.
- Adjusts medications second-by-second to keep you stable as the surgery progresses.
After surgery: waking up & recovery
- Stays with you in the recovery area until the effects of the anaesthetic have safely worn off.
- Plans and manages your pain relief.
- Manages any complications — nausea, low blood pressure or breathing difficulty.
- Hands over your care to the recovery nurses with a clear plan for the rest of your stay.
Beyond the operating theatre
Anaesthetists also work in:
Pain medicine clinics
Managing chronic and acute pain conditions outside the operating theatre.
Intensive care
Some anaesthetists hold dual qualifications with the College of Intensive Care Medicine (FANZCA & FCICM) via the ANZCA–CICM dual training pathway.
Obstetrics
Providing epidurals and managing emergencies during childbirth.
Retrieval medicine
Resuscitating and transporting critically ill patients between hospitals.
Procedural sedation
For endoscopy, imaging or dental work outside theatre.
Hyperbaric medicine
Specialist treatment using pressurised oxygen.
How to become an anaesthetist in Australia
The pathway is long and competitive. Click each stage to expand the details.
-
Either an undergraduate medical degree (entered straight from high school, ~6 years) or a graduate-entry medical degree (completed after another undergraduate degree, ~4 years). Selection is highly competitive and typically requires an entrance exam such as UCAT or GAMSAT.
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An intern year followed by at least one resident year, rotating through medicine, surgery, emergency and other specialties. These years are about building broad clinical skills before committing to a specialty pathway.
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The five-year specialist training programme run by the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. It runs in four periods — introductory, basic, advanced and provisional fellowship training — with rotations across major hospitals, structured workplace-based assessments, and two sets of exacting written and oral exams (Primary and Final).
-
Awarded Fellowship of ANZCA (FANZCA). Many anaesthetists then undertake a 1-year sub-specialty fellowship in cardiac, paediatric, obstetric or neuro anaesthesia. Pain medicine is a separate 2-year post-specialist qualification through the Faculty of Pain Medicine of ANZCA, leading to FFPMANZCA — open to anaesthetists and other specialists.
Meeting your anaesthetist: what to expect
For most operations you'll meet your anaesthetist for the first time on the day of surgery, usually 30–60 minutes before you go into theatre. For more complex surgery, or if you have significant health issues, you may be seen in a pre-admission clinic in the weeks beforehand.
What your anaesthetist will want to know
- Any medical conditions — especially heart, lung, kidney or sleep apnoea.
- All medications and supplements you take (including over-the-counter and herbal).
- Allergies — particularly to medications, latex or foods.
- Any previous problems with anaesthetic (yours or a close blood relative's).
- Whether you smoke, drink, or use recreational drugs.
- The last time you ate or drank anything — see fasting for surgery.
Questions to ask your anaesthetist
Tick the questions you'd like to ask, then save them to your phone or print them to take with you. Your selections are saved on this device.
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How anaesthetist fees work in Australia
Your anaesthetist's fee is separate from your surgeon's fee and your hospital fee — it's billed independently because the anaesthetist is a separate specialist providing a separate service. Fees vary based on the complexity and length of the procedure, and most are partly covered by Medicare and your private health insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Is an anaesthetist a doctor?
Yes. In Australia, an anaesthetist is a specialist medical doctor who has completed around 12 years of training, including 5 years of specialist training through ANZCA.
What's the difference between an anaesthetist and an anaesthesiologist?
They're the same role — just different words. Australia, the UK and New Zealand use “anaesthetist”; the United States and Canada use “anesthesiologist.” Both refer to a specialist doctor who administers anaesthesia.
Does the anaesthetist stay with me during surgery?
Yes. Your anaesthetist (or another qualified anaesthetist on their behalf) remains with you for the entire operation, continuously monitoring and adjusting your anaesthetic, breathing, blood pressure and overall stability.
How long does it take to become an anaesthetist in Australia?
Approximately 12 years from starting medical school: 4–6 years of medical school (depending on undergraduate or graduate-entry pathway), at least 2 years of hospital training, and 5 years of ANZCA specialist training.
What does FANZCA stand for?
FANZCA stands for Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. It's the qualification awarded to specialist anaesthetists who have completed ANZCA's training programme and passed its examinations.
How is “anaesthetist” pronounced?
In Australian English it's pronounced uh‑NEES‑thet‑ist (IPA: /əˈniːs.θə.tɪst/), with the stress on the second syllable.
Is it spelled “anaesthetist” or “anesthetist”?
Both are correct. “Anaesthetist” is the standard Australian, UK and New Zealand spelling; “anesthetist” is the standard US and Canadian spelling.
Do nurse anaesthetists (CRNAs) work in Australia?
No. While nurse anaesthetists practise in many countries — including the United States (where they're called CRNAs), France, Belgium, and the Nordic countries — the role does not exist in Australia. Here, anaesthesia is administered by specialist medical doctors and, in rural areas, by GP anaesthetists with ANZCA Rural Generalist Anaesthesia training. Nurses and anaesthetic technicians assist but do not administer the anaesthetic themselves.
How much does an anaesthetist cost?
It varies with the type and length of the procedure. Most fees are partly covered by Medicare and your private health fund, with the patient paying any gap. See our anaesthesia fees guide for a full breakdown.
Will I meet my anaesthetist before surgery?
Yes. You'll meet them either on the day of your operation (most common) or in a pre-admission clinic beforehand (for complex surgery or significant medical conditions).