Physician anesthesiologists, like your primary care physician and surgeon, are medical physicians. They are experts in anesthesia, pain management, and critical care medicine, and have the skills to comprehend and treat the complete human body. In addition to being board certified in anesthesiology, they must also be licensed by a state agency and able to prove their expertise by passing an exam. Anesthesiologists provide life-saving treatments for patients during surgeries. These doctors manage patient's responses to anesthetics during procedures and play a vital role in preventing complications. Anesthesiologists may work with other health care professionals such as surgeons, nurses, respiratory therapists, and pharmacists to provide these services. Some anesthesiologists may also work as independent practitioners. They usually receive additional training in areas such as pain management, critical care medicine, and sleep disorders. To become an anesthesiologist, most students first pursues a degree in medicine or surgery. After completing medical school, those who want to become anesthesiologists must then complete a residency program. This is where they get to practice clinical anesthesia under close supervision from mentors. The average salary of an anesthesiologist is $190,000. However, there are regions of the country where they make less than others. The lowest paid region is found in southern states where they typically charge less for their services.